After a Christmas Day showing of The Green Mile on ITV 4 reduced me to tears once again I asked myself the question, is this Tom Hanks feature the most beautiful movie ever made?
Directed by Frank Darabont and based on a Stephen King novel of the same name The Green Mile dives much deeper than its surface story with strong social commentary, religion, morality and racial prejudice along with a cute little mouse that represents that ray of hope, sunshine and the strength of the human spirit against adversity.
Set in a 1930s Louisiana prison, the film revolves around the lives of the guards, inmates, and a mysterious inmate with supernatural abilities, John Coffey (played by Michael Clarke Duncan). The story transcends the prison’s physical confines, delving into the depths of human suffering, redemption, and the complexity of morality.
The Green Mile prides itself on evoking emotion throughout as we not only reflect on ourselves and the world around us but come to love and care for John’s character and feel what he feels throughout whilst we know every step of the way from the second he appears on screen, that he’s an innocent black man on death row.
Deep diving into characters makes the emotional scenes all the more poignant as we come to love and care for them every step of the way as they start to see that John has powers and that he couldn’t hurt a fly (let alone a mouse, or a person).
As a result of this beautifully woven script, we connect with the character’s struggles, health issues, fears and desires and Tom Hanks as prison guard absolutely nails his performance and further solidifies why The Green Mile was nominated for the Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing at the Academy Awards.
The year was 2000 and that year American Beauty won Best Picture, Michael Caine won Best Supporting Actor for The Cider House, American Beauty won Best Screenplay and finally, The Matrix won Best Sound Mixing.
Read that list…. how on earth The Green Mile lost to any of those is beyond me!
John Coffey, portrayed brilliantly by the late Michael Clarke Duncan takes us under his wing from the off as his innocence and purity oozes through the screen in a cruel world filled with injustice. What makes this film all the more heartfelt is how the story plays out and yet his fate was sealed the second he walked into the prison.
Societal perceptions are challenged as the battle of good and evil is portrayed in prison which for the most part makes up a very large portion of its 3-hour runtime.
Just this death row prison that showcases the good in John, the bad in Percy (an egotistical coward of a guard who wants the top job yet hasn’t done anything to deserve it) and the nature of good and evil invites viewers to contemplate the depth of human empathy.
Colours strike the screen with sad tones and every scene is pivotal to the story being told with not one ounce of filler or anything of the sort that we see in modern films that cram unneeded scenes which add little value to the story.
Frank Darabont and Stephen King’s finest piece of work in my eyes and with tears streaming down my face as I type this review it still hits home just like it did for the first time.
The Green Mile leaves a mark on you that goes far beyond its runtime and lasts with you long after the credits roll.
A cinematic masterpiece and in my eyes one of the most beautiful movies ever made. This is no ordinary prison drama in the conventional sense, it runs deeper than that.
It’s a film that nurtures your soul and must be seen. Step out of the dark and into the light, this piece is truly the height of cinematic art and it demands your attention if it’s the last thing you see!
Happy Holidays to you all!
