Walking the mile boss
The Green Mile ***1/2 (out of ****)
A film review by Michael Redman Copyright 2000 by Michael Redman
During the late December holiday time, when we aren't too emerged in the pre-holiday panic, occasionally thoughts will turn to the original meaning of the holy-days. You don't have to be a Christian to appreciate the sentiments. Nearly all current and ancient religions celebrate the re-emerging of the sun with birth festivals, from Mithra to Jesus.
It's a time of miracles and compassion for fellow beings. It's a time of connecting with the supernatural. It's a time of reflection.
And it's the perfect time for director Frank Darabont to release "The Green Mile". Jesus Christ has returned. He's a big black man and we're going to kill him again -- this time in the electric chair.
In a 1935 Louisiana prison, the guards on death row are used to dealing with a variety of prisoners. Repentant, insane, guilty, innocent; they all meet their final fate at the end of the "green mile," so-named because of the floor color where the condemned walk their final mile.
Then one day, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) arrives and changes their lives forever. Coffey is a seven-foot tall giant of a man convicted of cruelly murdering two young girls. He has to duck to walk through doorways. The guards give him plenty of room.
The new inmate turns out to be something different that his appearance would suggest. He's afraid of the dark, gentle as a lamb and quite probably innocent. He's also a miracle worker capable of healing the sick and raising the dead.
Head guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) slowly discovers Coffey's true nature and isn't quite sure what to do about it. He becomes a disciple but is powerless to prevent the crucifixion...err, electrocution.
At over three hours, the film has time to explore the characterization of the death row community. Edgecomb and his fellow guards Brutus (David Morse), Dean (Barry Pepper) and Harry (Jeffrey DeMunn) treat the prisoners with an aspect of respect. The new guard Percy (Doug Hutchison) is a sadist, delighting in tormenting the condemned and only has his job because of relatives in high places.
The two convicts awaiting execution before Coffey arrives are Arlen (Graham Greene), a Native American sorry for his crimes and Del (Michael Jeter), a Cajun with a gentle streak. Before Wild Bill (Sam Rockwell) arrives, it looks as though Louisiana only condemned minorities to death.
There has rarely been a film that pulls at every emotional string as effectively as does this one. An absolutely abominable electrocution has the audience gripping their armrests in horror. Tears flow freely during several scenes. Even the brief bits of humor are touching.
The acting is first-rate. Hanks turns in an admirable performance and has top billing, but Duncan is the real star. He is astonishing in his role and deserves a nod come Oscar time.
Darabont has a feel for his characters. His first film was the highly-acclaimed "Shawshank Redemption". Now five years later, he takes on another Steven King prison tale and gives us another unforgettable move.
Although the luxurious pacing gives him time to explore the people, there are a few moments where the film drags. Surprisingly for a film of this length, these times are scarce.
There are a few other minor problems. Most of the characters are designed as extremes: you either love or hate them. Subtlety is not this movie's strong point. It's no coincidence that John Coffey's initials are what they are.
The one mystery is the inaction of the guards. They are about to execute a supposedly-innocent man who can heal any illness. They know about this for quite some time, but it is only shortly before his scheduled death that Edgecomb agonizes over whether he should tell anyone?
None of these flaws are fatal. The story is honest and will crawl into your heart. There's not a dry eye in the audience and in this case, that's a good thing.
(Michael Redman has written this column for about 24 winters. He wishes everyone a joyous season, whichever holiday they chose to observe. He can be contacted at Redman@bluemarble.net if the gods of the internet happen to be in a good mood.)
[This appeared in the 12/23/1999 "Bloomington Independent", Bloomington, Indiana. Michael Redman can be contacted at redman@bluemarble.net.]
-- mailto:redman@bluemarble.net Film reviews archive: http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Michael%20Redman
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