The Oscar Winning, Green Mile, originally written by author Stephen King is one of the greatest films I have ever seen. The film is set in America, and is about death row in a Southern Side prison, the last mile, the green mile. The main character is that of Tom Hanks, my personal favourite actor for his role in this film and Forest Gump. It is set in 1935.
The film is based on the classic flashback. Tom Hanks plays Paul Edgecomb and re-collects to Elaine Connely of his time on the mile and the instance that made him retire from the job. One prisoner was portrayed as evil, a cold-blooded murderer and not given the fair trial that he deserved, but the truth came out in an extraordinary way.
My name is John Coffey, like the drink but only spelt different. That was the words of the so-called murderer, a man who was 6’5 and weighed 315lb. The sheer scale of him made the prisoner guards precautious. However, he proved to be of no burden to them at all, which is more to be said than some of the prisoner guards and other inmates.
Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison) was an evil prisoner guard. His aunt was high up in America’s government and he though he could rule the mile. He treated the inmates badly, but he really was a baby underneath his horidness.
The storyline then, Coffey came into to be sentenced to death for the murder of two young girls on the circumstance that he was found with them both in his arms. Dead and covered in blood, he was shaken up when found and seemed very genuinely upset at the welfare of the children, could he be a killer?
Coffey, sat in his cell causing no trouble to anyone. The only trouble was a bladder infection in Paul Edgecomb. He said to his wife Jan (Bonnie Hunt) that he would go and visit his doctor but in the end there was no need, as a miracle happened on the mile.
Edgecomb was in pain, but Coffey was being quite demanding that he came to see him. Reluctantly, he walked over and Coffey grabbed him. Another prisoner ‘Del’ (Michael Jeter) started shouting for help but then Edgecomb asked him to be quiet. Fly like creatures swarmed out the mouth of Coffey, and it appeared that he had cured the bladder infection, he was one of gods’ miracle men.
Hanks told wife Jan about the instance and she was amazed, and too bewildered but satisfied with her husbands’ health again. As an offer of thanks, she baked some bread for him. He gave some to Del, as he had a pet rat, which had escaped from the clutches of Percy, Mr Jingles. Del had witnessed the miracle and Coffey and Del were on good terms.
A new inmate was too arrive, Wild Bill played by Sam Rockwell. When the prisoner guards went to fetch him he acted as if he was doped, never moved and dribbled. As he walked into the unit, he broke out violently in an attempt to break free, and eventually was un-successful. Wild Bill, was an awkward in-mate he urinated on one of the prison guards, sat on them and was sometimes sent to a dark room, which was sound proof.
As I said before, Percy hated Mr Jingles, that loveable rat. When performing one of his tricks, Del was convinced he was a circus rat, Percy stood on him, crushed him and walked away. John Coffey, asked to hold Mr Jingles, and Edgecomb passed him over, within a few minutes he was running around again. Again another miracle. The prison guards had this time witnessed this, except Percy. They were amazed and astounded.
A sick friend of Jon and Paul Edgecomb, Melinda Moores (Patricia Clarkson) who was the wife of the governing body in the prison. Melinda had a brain tumour, too late to operate and soon to die. Some days she would be ok, and some days come out in fits of terrible language, she was dying.
Paul Edgecomb had an idea. John Coffey to try and heal her. The Edgecombs hosted a dinner party with a few of the prisoner guards, the ones who witnessed the miracle of Mr Jingles. They discussed to release Coffey out to help Melinda, knowing their jobs were on the line. In the end they drew up a plan and decided to do so.
Del, a few days before had been given the electric chair. In attempt to rid Percy as soon as possible they gave him the authority to proceed the execution, only this once and he agreed he would go. Before an execution, you are meant to wet the sponge placed on their head, so the prisoner dies quickly and so the place is not stunk out. Percy however decided not to wet the sponge to see what happened, the other officers never knew, until it was too late.
Percy, was put in the sound proof room and was all tied up as he never knew about the plan. Wild Billy, was given sleeping pills in his drink so he would too be unaware. On the way out, Coffey walked passed Billy who had not fully fallen asleep yet, and grabbed his hand and said where you going. Coffey looked in a state of shock and then the connection between their hands was broken.
Coffey knew his task and went and did so. Again he cured Melinda, who was shocked, as was her husband. They went back to the cells, but Coffey still had not brought up the flies, the Guards thought he only had a few days to live and would choke. However, Coffey grabbed Percy and the flies transferred into his mouth. Percy went up the aisle and faced Wild Bill’s cell, and shot him a few times. Percy could not remember a thing and was brainwashed.
Paul Edgecomb asked what the hell had happened. Coffey explained and told him to take his hand, it showed how Wild Bill had killed the children he was on death row for. He has seen these images when Wild Bill grabbed his hand. On prison terms though, there was no way Coffey could escape and he had to carry through with the hardest execution of his life, it made him quit his job. Still re-collecting the old, Paul Edgecomb (Dabbs Geer) said how on the long walks he takes every day, he sees Mr Jingles, who escaped during the execution of Del. The power from his resurrection seemed to have given him a life long eternity, and Edgecomb wondered how long he would live for.
This is the story of the Oscar Winning Green Mile. If you have never seen this movie then go and watch the three hours, of this sad tale. It brought a tear to my eye but was truly one of the best movies I have ever seen.
Hollz x