The Green Mile (film)
The Green Mile is a 1999 American fantasy drama film written, directed and co-produced by Frank Darabont and based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Stephen King. It stars Tom Hanks as a death row prison guard during the Great Depression who witnesses supernatural events following the arrival of an enigmatic convict (Michael Clarke Duncan) at his facility. David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Sam Rockwell, and James Cromwell appear in supporting roles.
| The Green Mile | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Frank Darabont |
| Screenplay by | Frank Darabont |
| Based on | The Green Mile by Stephen King |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | David Tattersall |
| Edited by | Richard Francis-Bruce |
| Music by | Thomas Newman |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by |
|
Release date |
|
Running time | 189 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $60 million |
| Box office | $286.8 million[3] |
The film premiered on December 10, 1999, in the United States to positive reviews from critics, who praised Darabont's direction and writing, emotional weight, and performances (particularly for Hanks and Duncan), although its length received criticism. It was a commercial success, grossing $286 million from its $60 million budget, and was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Duncan, Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Plot edit
At a Louisiana assisted-living home in 1999, retiree Paul Edgecomb begins to cry while watching the film Top Hat. His companion Elaine becomes concerned, and Paul explains to her that the film reminded him of events that he witnessed when he was an officer at Cold Mountain Penitentiary's death row, nicknamed "The Green Mile".
In 1935, Paul supervised corrections officers Brutus "Brutal" Howell, Dean Stanton, Harry Terwilliger, and Percy Wetmore, reporting to Warden Hal Moores. Percy, the nephew of the state governor's wife, demonstrates a severe sadistic streak but flaunts his family connections to avoid being held accountable. He is particularly abusive towards prisoner Eduard "Del" Delacroix, breaking his fingers and killing his pet mouse, Mr. Jingles.
Paul is introduced to John Coffey, a physically imposing but mild-mannered black man sentenced to death after being convicted of raping and murdering two young white girls. He joins Del and another condemned convict: Arlen Bitterbuck, the first to be executed. The officers are forced to deal with psychotic new inmate William "Wild Bill" Wharton, who frequently causes trouble by assaulting the officers and racially abusing John, forcing them to restrain him in the block's padded cell on more than one occasion.
After John heals Paul's severe bladder infection by touching him, and later resurrects Mr. Jingles, Paul gradually realizes that John possesses a supernatural ability to heal others. Paul doubts whether someone with the power to perform divine miracles is truly guilty of the crime.
In exchange for resigning from the penitentiary and accepting a job at an insane asylum, Percy is allowed to oversee Del's execution. At the execution, Percy deliberately avoids soaking the sponge used to conduct electricity to Del's head, leading to Del suffering a gruesome and agonizing death by burning, with John forced to feel Del's pain as well. Paul and the other officers punish Percy by forcing him to spend a night in the padded cell. While Percy is locked away, they drug Wharton and secretly smuggle John out of the prison so that he can use his powers to heal Warden Moores' wife Melinda of a brain tumor, saving her life. After Percy is released from the padded room, the others threaten to report him for his various acts of misconduct if his behavior continues.
John uses his powers to "release" Melinda's affliction into Percy's brain, causing Percy to shoot Wharton dead. Soon after, John reveals in a vision to Paul that Wharton was the true culprit of the crimes for which he was wrongfully condemned, releasing his supernatural energy into Paul in the process. Having gone into a catatonic state, Percy is committed to the same insane asylum where he had planned to work after resigning from the prison.
After realizing that John is innocent, Paul becomes distraught at the thought of executing him and offers to let him go free. Although equally distraught at the outcome, John tells Paul that the execution would be an act of mercy, as he views the world as a cruel place and is in constant pain from the suffering that people inflict upon each other. Mentioning that he has never seen a movie before, John watches Top Hat with the other officers as his last request. As John is taken to be executed, he is mercilessly scorned by the parents of the two girls who still believe him to be guilty. He asks not to have the hood, that most condemned prisoners in the electric chair are covered with, placed over his head as he is afraid of the dark. Paul, Brutal, and the other officers watch in great sorrow, crying and holding back tears, as John is executed.
Back in present day, Paul tells Elaine that John's execution was the last that he and Brutal witnessed, as they both subsequently resigned from the prison and took up jobs in the juvenile system. Paul reveals to Elaine that Mr. Jingles is still alive, having been blessed with a supernaturally long life thanks to John's healing touch. He also reveals that he is now 108 years old; he was 44 when John was executed. While Elaine sees Paul's long life as another of John's miracles, Paul speculates that he may have been condemned to linger on Earth and outlive all of his loved ones as a divine punishment for John's execution. Paul later attends Elaine's funeral and muses on how much longer he has left to live, saying, "We each owe a death. There are no exceptions. But, oh, God... sometimes, the Green Mile seems so long."
Cast edit
- Tom Hanks as Paul Edgecomb
- David Morse as Brutus "Brutal" Howell
- Bonnie Hunt as Jan Edgecomb
- Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey
- James Cromwell as Hal Moores
- Michael Jeter as Eduard "Del" Delacroix
- Graham Greene as Arlen Bitterbuck
- Doug Hutchison as Percy Wetmore
- Sam Rockwell as William "Wild Bill" Wharton
- Barry Pepper as Dean Stanton
- Jeffrey DeMunn as Harry Terwilliger
- Patricia Clarkson as Melinda Moores
- Harry Dean Stanton as Toot-Toot
- Dabbs Greer as old Paul Edgecomb
- Eve Brent as Elaine Connelly
- William Sadler as Klaus Detterick
- Paula Malcomson as Marjorie Detterick
- Brent Briscoe as Bill Dodge
- Bill McKinney as Jack Van Hay
- Gary Sinise as Burt Hammersmith
Production edit
Development edit
Darabont adapted Stephen King's novel, The Green Mile, into a screenplay in under eight weeks.[4]
The film was shot at Warner Hollywood Studios, West Hollywood, California; and on location in Shelbyville, Tennessee; Blowing Rock, North Carolina;[5] and the old Tennessee State Prison.[6] The interior sets were custom built by production designer Terence Marsh. "We tried to give our set a sense of space. A sense of history. And a sense of mystery, in a way. We chose the elongated cathedral-like windows because there is a very mystical element in this movie, a supernatural element [...] It presented us with lots of opportunities", he said.[7] The electric chair was also a bespoke design, and was inspired by real prisons which have the device.[7]
The film title refers to the stretch of green floor that the hallway inmates walk down before they are to be executed by electric chair.[8]
Casting edit
Hanks and Darabont met at an Academy Award luncheon in 1994. Stephen King stated he envisioned Hanks in the role and was happy when Darabont mentioned his name.[4] Hanks was originally supposed to play elderly Paul Edgecomb as well, but the makeup tests did not make him look credible enough to be an elderly man.[9] Because of this, Greer was hired to play the older Edgecomb, his final film role. John Travolta was offered the role of Paul Edgecomb but turned it down.[10]
Duncan credited his casting to Bruce Willis, with whom he had worked on the film Armageddon one year earlier. According to Duncan, Willis introduced him to Darabont after hearing of the open call for John Coffey.[11] Basketball player Shaquille O'Neal was offered the role of John Coffey but turned it down.[12][13] Josh Brolin was considered for the role of William "Wild Bill" Wharton.[9]
Morse had not heard about the script until he was offered the role. He stated he was in tears by the end of it.[4] Darabont wanted Cromwell from the start, and after he read the script, Cromwell was moved and agreed.[4]
Music edit
The official film soundtrack, Music from the Motion Picture The Green Mile, was released on December 19, 1999, by Warner Bros. It contains 37 tracks, primarily instrumental tracks from the film score by Thomas Newman. It also contains four vocal tracks: "Cheek to Cheek" by Fred Astaire, "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" by Billie Holiday, "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" by Gene Austin, and "Charmaine" by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians.
Release edit
Box office edit
In the United States and Canada, The Green Mile opened on December 10, 1999, in 2,875 theaters and grossed $18 million in its opening weekend, placing second at the box office, just behind Toy Story 2 with $18.2 million, however, it finished first for the week with $23.9 million compared to Toy Story 2's $22.1 million for the week.[14][15] It remained at number two in its second weekend and in the top 10 for 10 weeks but never reached number one for the weekend.[16] It went on to gross $136.8 million in the U.S. and Canada and $150 million in other territories, bringing a worldwide total of $286.8 million, against its production budget of $60 million.[16] It was the second highest-grosser in Japan for the year with a gross of $55.3 million.[17]
Reception edit
Critical response edit
On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 79% based on 136 reviews with an average rating of 6.80/10. The website's critics consensus states, "Though The Green Mile is long, critics say it's an absorbing, emotionally powerful experience."[18] At Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[20]
Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half out of four stars, writing, "The film is a shade over three hours long. I appreciated the extra time, which allows us to feel the passage of prison months and years ... it tells a story with beginning, middle, end, vivid characters, humor, outrage and emotional release".[21] Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Lisa Schwarzbaum also took note of the film's length, but praised Tom Hanks' "superior" performance and Darabont's direction. "Darabont's style of picture making is well matched to King-size yarn spinning. The director isn't afraid to let big emotions and grand gestures linger", she said.[22]
San Francisco Chronicle's Edward Guthmann thought the cinematography was "handsome", and the music was "florid and melodramatic". He added, "Darabont is such a committed filmmaker, and believes so earnestly and intensely in the stories he puts onscreen".[23] Desson Thomson of The Washington Post called the storytelling "brilliant", and said "From its deceptively easygoing beginning to the heart-wrenching finale, The Green Mile keeps you wonderfully high above the cynical ground."[24]
Conversely, some critics had a less positive response. Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter opined, "By inflating the simple story with a languorous pace, pregnant pauses, long reaction shots and an infinitely slow metabolism, Darabont has burdened his movie version with more self-importance than it can possibly sustain."[25] While complimenting the production design and soundtrack, the critic from Timeout magazine thought some scenes were tiresome and the film "suffers from a surfeit of plot threads and characters".[26]
Writing for the BBC, Clark Collis took issue with some of the plot's unrealistic elements and thought the film was too long.[27] David Ansen of Newsweek thought The Green Mile was weaker than Darabont's previous film, The Shawshank Redemption (1994). He stated, The Green Mile is a "lumbering, self-important three-hour melodrama that defies credibility at every turn".[28]
Accolades edit
| Award | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | David Valdes and Frank Darabont | Nominated | [29] |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Michael Clarke Duncan | Nominated | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Frank Darabont | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Michael Herbick and Willie D. Burton | Nominated | ||
| Black Reel Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Clarke Duncan | Won | [30] |
| Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Actor – Drama | Tom Hanks | Won | [31] |
| Favorite Supporting Actor – Drama | Michael Clarke Duncan | Nominated | ||
| Favorite Supporting Actress – Drama | Bonnie Hunt | Nominated | ||
| BMI Film & TV Awards | Film Music Award | Thomas Newman | Won | [32] |
| Bram Stoker Awards | Best Screenplay | Frank Darabont | Nominated | [33] |
| Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | The Green Mile | Nominated | [34] |
| Best Screenplay, Adaptation | Frank Darabont | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Michael Clarke Duncan | Won | ||
| Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | ||
| Most Promising Actor | Nominated | |||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement | Frank Darabont | Nominated | [35] |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture | Michael Clarke Duncan | Nominated | [36] |
| Golden Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Doug Hutchison | Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Michael Clarke Duncan | Nominated | [37] |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Breakthrough Male Performance | Nominated | [38] | |
| Motion Picture Sound Editors (Golden Reel Awards) | Best Sound Editing – Dialogue and ADR | Mark A. Mangini, Julia Evershade | Nominated | [39] |
| Best Sound Editing – Effects and Foley | Mark A. Mangini, Aaron Glascock, Howell Gibbens, David E. Stone, Solange S. Schwalbe | Nominated | ||
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite All-Around Motion Picture | The Green Mile | Won | [40] |
| Favorite Dramatic Motion Picture | Won | |||
| Saturn Awards | Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film | Won | ||
| Best Director | Frank Darabont | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Michael Clarke Duncan | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Patricia Clarkson | Won | ||
| Best Music | Thomas Newman | Nominated | ||
| Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (Nebula Award) | Best Script | Frank Darabont | Nominated | [41] |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role | Michael Clarke Duncan | Nominated | [42] |
| Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | The Green Mile | Nominated |
Home media edit
The film was released on VHS and DVD on June 13, 2000.[43][44] The film earned $17.45 million in combined DVD and VHS rental revenue by June 18, 2000.[43]
The Blu-ray was released on December 1, 2009. A remastered 4K UHD Blu-ray was released on February 22, 2022.
Notes edit
- ^ a b Universal Pictures International (formerly PolyGram Filmed Entertainment) distributed The Green Mile in eleven international territories under a deal PolyGram had made with Castle Rock.[1] Elsewhere, Warner Bros., which also distributed in the United States and Canada, distributed excluding territories where it did not directly operate; Universal sold distribution rights in such territories to independent distributors.[2]
References edit
- ^ Harris, Dana (June 19, 2000). "Telco at Castle door". Variety. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ Groves, Don (October 8, 1999). "'Eyes' to close UPI slate". Variety. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ "The Green Mile". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c d . WarnerBros.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ Darabont, Frank (December 10, 1999). The Green Mile (motion picture). United States: Warner Bros.
- ^ Fedschun, Travis (March 4, 2020). "Nashville tornado struck Old Tennessee State Prison, where 'The Green Mile,' 'Walk the Line' were filmed". Fox News. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
- ^ a b "The Green Mile - Movie Production Notes..." www.cinemareview.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
- ^ Rainer, Peter (December 20, 1999). ""The Green Mile" - Nymag". New York Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
- ^ a b Arbeiter, M. (May 14, 2015). "15 Things You Might Not Know About The Green Mile". Mental Floss. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ Rich, Joshua (April 10, 2007). "Why John Travolta needn't envy Tom Hanks". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ Doty, Meriah (September 4, 2012). "Bruce Willis helped Michael Clarke Duncan get his Oscar caliber role". Yahoo! Movies.
- ^ McCarriston, Shanna (November 12, 2021). "Shaquille O'Neal reveals why he turned down role in 'The Green Mile'". CBS Sports.
- ^ The Green Mile (1999) – IMDb, retrieved October 13, 2020
- ^ "Domestic 1999 Weekend 50". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "Domestic 1999 Week 50". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "The Green Mile". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ Herskovitz, Jon (January 29, 2001). "Japan's plex boom unmatched by B.O". Variety. p. 58.
- ^ "The Green Mile (1999)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "The Green Mile Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
- ^ "Find CinemaScore" (Type "Green Mile" in the search box). CinemaScore. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (December 10, 1999). "The Green Mile". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (December 10, 1999). "The Green Mile". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Guthmann, Edward (December 10, 1999). "Miles to Go / At three hours, earnest prison drama starts to seem like a life sentence". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Thomson, Desson (December 9, 1999). "'The Green Mile': Above and Beyond (washingtonpost.com)". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Honeycutt, Kirk (November 29, 1999). "'The Green Mile': THR's 1999 Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Adams, Derek (June 24, 2006). "The Green Mile". Time Out Worldwide. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Collis, Clark (January 8, 2001). "BBC - Films - review - The Green Mile". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Ansen, David (December 12, 1999). "The Executioner's Song". Newsweek. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Lyman, Rick (March 28, 2000). "Oscar Victory Finally Lifts the Cloud for DreamWorks". The New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
- ^ . Black Reel Awards. February 21, 2016. Archived from the original on February 26, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ "Blockbuster Entertainment Award winners". Variety. May 9, 2000. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ "BMI Honors Top Film and TV Composers". Broadcast Music, Inc. May 15, 2000. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ . Horror Writers Association. 2009. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ Clinton, Paul (January 25, 2000). "CNN - Critic's Choice Awards echo Golden Globes - January 25, 2000". edition.cnn.com. CNN. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ "Liz Ryan and Barbara J. Roche to be Honored for Guild Service and Career Achievement at the 60th Annual DGA Awards -". www.dga.org. December 20, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ "Green Mile, The". www.goldenglobes.com. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ Ikard, David; Sharpley-Whiting, T. Denean (2017). Lovable racists, magical Negroes, and White messiahs. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-226-49246-9. OCLC 971130590.
- ^ Vice, Jeff (April 23, 2000). "MTV 'awards' are dubious". Deseret News. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ "Sound editors tap noms for best of 1999". Variety. January 12, 2000. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ "People's Choice Awards". E! Online. from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ Smith, Kevin (April 28, 2001). "2000 Nebula Awards". The Nebula Awards. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ "The 6th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards | Screen Actors Guild Awards". www.sagawards.org. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ a b Mccourt, Judith (June 22, 2000). . videostoremag.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2000. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ Wolf, Jessica (April 27, 2001). . hive4media.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2001. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
External links edit
- Official website
- The Green Mile at IMDb
- The Green Mile at the TCM Movie Database
- The Green Mile at AllMovie