History Film / TheGreenMile

In 1935, Paul Edgecombe (Creator/TomHanks) works as a corrections officer in Cold Mountain Penitentiary's death row, which was given the nickname [[TitleDrop "The Green Mile"]]. His primary duty is to send off criminals to their final fate with the electric chair. When John Coffey (Creator/MichaelClarkeDuncan), a [[GentleGiant gentle, towering black man]], is found near the corpses of two girls, he is imprisoned and sentenced to the same fate. This eventually leads Paul to discover the mysterious, yet inspiring supernatural powers that John possesses, even as time ticks closer towards the day of execution. Regardless, Paul's life will be irrevocably altered by John's miracles

In 1935, Paul Edgecombe (Creator/TomHanks) works as a corrections officer in Cold Mountain Penitentiary's death row, which was given the nickname [[TitleDrop "The Green Mile"]]. His primary duty is to send off criminals to their final fate with the electric chair. When John Coffey (Creator/MichaelClarkeDuncan), a [[GentleGiant gentle, towering black man]], is found near the corpses of two girls, he is imprisoned and sentenced to the same fate. This eventually leads Paul to discover the mysterious, yet inspiring supernatural powers that John possesses, even as time ticks closer towards the day of execution. Regardless, Paul's life will be irrevocably altered by these miracles he witnesses.

[[quoteright:206:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/green-mile-poster-0_2247.jpg]]

1996 [[Literature/TheGreenMile dramatic novel]] by Creator/StephenKing. Originally released as a SerialNovel in six installments. Eventually made into a movie in 1999, directed by Frank Darabont, who also directed ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', and starring Creator/TomHanks and Creator/MichaelClarkeDuncan. And like ''Shawshank'', it was an Oscar charmer, if not a winner.

The year is 1935. John Coffey, a GentleGiant black man, has been condemned to die by the electric chair for the raping and killing of two young girls. What follows is a supernatural journey that not only reveals Coffey's wondrous powers, but proves he didn't do the crime. Sadly [[DownerEnding though he figures that he would be better off in a world without pain and suffering, he still does the time]], but the journey toward Old Sparky changes the compassionate lead guard's life forever.

!!The movie provides examples of:

* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: [[spoiler: after Paul is cured of his UTI. "Was the missus pleased? Several."]]

The year is 1935. John Coffey, a GentleGiant black man, has been condemned to die by the electric chair for the raping and killing of two young girls. What follows is a supernatural journey that not only reveals Coffey's wondrous powers, but proves he didn't do the crime. Sadly [[DownerEnding though he figures that he would better off in a world without pain and suffering, he still does the time]], but the journey toward Old Sparky changes the compassionate lead guard's life forever.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Both Paul and Brutal admit Wharton's Moon Pie prank was pretty original after they put him in solitary confinement.

* UnreliableNarrator: Paul remembers his son being grown during the events of the film, which he later realizes doesn't quite add up. He is an old man, after all; his recollection isn't what it used to be.

----

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Try not to cheer for Percy when he [[spoiler: shoots [[WouldHurtAChild Wild Bill]] dead.]]

* EveryoneHasStandards: Despite the very blunt punishment they give Percy (and thoroughly enjoy doing so), all the guards are pretty horrified by Coffey's own form of karma towards him, even trying to forcibly stop him.

** Wharton avoids this trope initiallydue to being LaughablyEvil however, [[spoiler: when he's revealed to have raped and murdered the two girls John Coffey is on death row for while psychologically torturing them into going along with the rape, all the humorous traits disappear and Wharton becomes an absolutely despicable monster than Percy look like a saint by comparsion.]] He easily earns him spot among Stephen King's most evil and despicable villains of all time.

** [[spoiler:Wild Bill Wharton is a psychopathic child rapist and murderer who not only killed the Detterick girls, but [[SmugSnake gloated about it to John Coffey]] and seems to be delighted with the fact that Coffey's getting blamed for his crime. John Coffey [[BewareTheNiceOnes mind-controls Percy into shooting him]] because of it.]] Although the rest of the guards are disturbed by Coffey using Percy for the deed, no one disputes that the victim deserved it.

* CrucialCross: As Creator/TomHanks' character wonders why God allowed two little girls to be murdered, his wife comes into frame and brings her cross necklace right into the center of the viewer's eye, almost as an answer to his question. Using the cross as an answer to evil foreshadows the nature of the [[SignificantMonogram aptly named]] John Coffee, a kind and gentle inmate on death row. [[spoiler:John wants himself to be executed because he feels all the evils of humanity-he dies for our sins.]]

* DepravedBisexual: Wild Bill. He grabs Percy through the bars of his cell and creepily kisses him on the cheek before grabbing his crotch and threatening to rape him. Also, [[spoiler:he raped Katie and Cora Detterick, the crime that John was framed for.]]

* RealityEnsues: As [[spoiler: Will Wharton is dead]] by the time Paul learns of [[spoiler: John's innocence]], there's no actual way they can prove the fact, and even if Paul himself goes up to say that he "saw" the vision proving the crime, it won't hold up in the court.

** Paul Edgecomb: Who has the name of the Apostle Paul, tells us of John. Also, ee "combs" the "edge" between life and death, making sure that the condemned die cleanly.
** Eduard Delacroix: Delacroix means "Of the cross", with Delacroix fullfilling his role as the Penitent Thief being executed with the Christ-analogue of John Coffey. In contrast to Wild Bill's role as the Impenitent Thief.

* MiscarriageOfJustice : John Coffey is sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit.

*** Seems to be a recurring theme with Tom Hanks, see Forrest Gump.

* OnceMoreWithClarity: 'You love your sister? You make any noise, you know what will happen.' The first lines we hear in the film, it's only later that we find out who said it and when: [[spoiler:Wharton, during his murder of the Detterick girls.]]

* PragmaticAdaptation: Some of the more rational explanations in the book are turned into supernatural explanations in the movie. [[spoiler:Instead of Paul figuring out who the actual killer was on his own, John Coffey gave him the information through his touch]].

-->'''Elderly woman:''' It's ''interesting.''

* PropheticName: Eduard ''Delacroix'' -- "of the cross" in French. His death is, to say the ''very'' least, [[CruelAndUnusualDeath excruciating.]]
* RapeAndRevenge: [[spoiler: After learning that Wharton raped and murdered the two little girls, John uses his powers to force Percy to shoot Wharton dead]].

* RealityEnsues: As [[spoiler: Will Wharton is dead]] by the time Paul learns of [[spoiler: John's innocence]], there's no actual way they can prove the fact, and even if Paul himself goes up to say that he 'saw' the vision proving the crime, it won't hold up in the court.
* {{Retirony}}: [[spoiler: Percy ending up a patient at the Briar Ridge Mental Institution, after being 'encouraged' to get a transfer there, with a few years to live at most.]] CallItKarma.

** The description of Percys eventual death in a nursing home fire is unmentioned.
* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption''. A Christian allegory PeriodPiece about a wrongfully accused convict, based on a Creator/StephenKing story and directed by Frank Darabont, and featuring several of the same supporting actors.

-->'''Paul Edgecombe''': Percy, they're moving house in the infirmary. Why don't you go see if they could use some help?
-->'''Percy Whetmore''': They got all the men they need.
-->'''Paul Edgecombe''': Why don't you go make sure?
-->''(A pause) ''
-->'''Paul Edgecombe''': I don't care where you go, as long as it's not here at this moment.

-->'''Del''': I'm sorry for what I did. I wish I could take it back, but I can't.

* UnbuiltTrope: Despite being often cited as the TropeMaker for the MagicalNegro, this film does a lot towards deconstructing it as well. John Coffey isn't a wise elderly man who the white characters look to as a source of guidance, he's a middle-aged man-child whom the main characters keep at arms length because he ''is'' a murderer of two children [[spoiler: or so they think.]] In addition, his magic powers are shown to be [[CursedWithAwesome agonizingly painful]] for him, to the extent that he [[spoiler: [[DownerEnding willingly submits to being wrongfully executed because he's just so tired of living.]]]] Not to mention the fact that he's just as capable of harming the white people as helping them, as shown when he [[spoiler: brainwashes Percy into [[KickTheSonOfABitch murdering Wild Bill]], [[MindRape destroying Percy's mind in the process.]] And because of him, Paul has become immensely long lived, but [[WhoWantsToLiveForever views it as just as much a curse]] as John Coffey felt about his abilities.]]

* WhamShot: The reveal that [[spoiler: Wild Bill]] was the Dettericks' hired hand, and thus the person actually responsible for abducting, raping and murdering the two girls.
* WhamLine: [[spoiler: “I am 108 years now, Elaine, I was 44 the year that John Coffey walked the Green Mile.“]]
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: [[spoiler:Paul]] ends up outliving all his family and friends because he receives part of the life force of the death row inmate John's healing power. He believes this is punishment from God for executing John. As a result he's very much alive in the present day and in fairly good health despite being over 100 years old. As he concedes remorsefully, though, he's not immortal; death will catch up to him eventually, but not for a very, very long time as seen with the mouse Mr. Jingles, who is at least 64 years old. And just for the record, mice normally only live less than four years. Do the math.

** Maybe. He is throwing up by the time they put him in the padded room so it's possible it's a genuine fear reaction to being in there.

* MeaningfulName: Percy Wetmore.

* AdaptedOut: The film omits prisoner Arthur Flanders, assistant warden Curtis Anderson and the unnamed doctor who faints at Del's execution.

** [[spoiler:Wild Bill Wharton is a psychopathic child rapist and murderer who not only killed the Ditterick girls, but [[SmugSnake gloated about it to John Coffey]] and seems to be delighted with the fact that Coffey's getting blamed for his crime. John Coffey [[BewareTheNiceOnes mind-controls Percy into shooting him]] because of it.]] Although the rest of the guards are disturbed by Coffey using Percy for the deed, no one disputes that the victim deserved it.

* BaitTheDog: William Wharton is a total asshole who causes chaos for the guards, but he's [[LargeHam very outrageous]] and [[LaughablyEvil very amusing]], so like the rest of the Death Row prisoners on the mile, you wonder whether he really deserves it. It doesn't hurt that he directs a large part of his bad behavior [[KickTheSonOfABitch towards Percy.]] [[spoiler: Turns out he's the worst of them ''by far'', enough to make Percy look positively sympathetic by comparison, and [[TheReveal the real killer of the Ditterick girls]].]]

* OnceMoreWithClarity: 'You love your sister? You make any noise, you know what will happen.' The first lines we hear in the film, it's only later that we find out who said it and when: [[spoiler:Wharton, during his murder of the two girls.]]

* OnceMoreWithClarity: 'You love your sister? You make any noise, you know what will happen.'

** Right after that, he intentionally botches Del's execution by not soaking the sponge, causing Del to die by being ''cooked alive'' rather than simply electrocuted.