The Green Mile

Next on the 100 movies bucket list is Frank Darabont’s 1999 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Green Mile.

Set in a Louisiana prison in 1935, Tom Hanks plays Paul Edgecomb who runs E wing, death row, also known as The Green Mile. Life on the wing is changed when a new prisoner is brought in, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) he’s large, towering above the warders, even Brutus (David Morse), black and charged with the horrific abduction, rape and murder of two young white girls. As a black man in 1935, there is little interest in whether he committed the crime his guilt is presumed (a chilling cameo by Gary Sinsie as Coffey’s lawyer tells us all we need to know) and he is sentenced to death by electric chair. But when we find there is much more to Coffey than anyone could imagine, it changes everything.

I wasn’t familiar with Kings book so this was not the film I expected at all. Starting as a standard prison drama it takes a turn into an adult fairy tale.

It’s an unusual tale and it’s perhaps no surprise that while popular with audiences it had mixed critical reception. Plenty of the dialogue is a bit on the nose and the story, even though it takes a surprising turn, is relatively predictable. It is long at just over 3 hours and tonally confusing as it flicks between comedy, fantasy and drama to often.

But much is well done. There are uncomfortable scenes depicting racist attitudes of the time. Questions about the barbaric nature of the death penalty as well as “man’s” unending ability to do bad things to each other. But ultimately it is good hearted and built around one person’s ability to do good, regardless of what it does to him.

There’s plenty of good performances, beyond the leads. Sam Rockwell, Graham Greene and Michael Jeter particularly create a rogues gallery of inmates.

The Green Mile is a surprising film, which goes from prison drama to adult fairytale and much inbetween. It can be predictable with some “on the nose” dialogue. But if you can go with this fantastical change of story, there is plenty to enjoy in what is a good hearted tale.