The Green Mile
🎬 The Green Mile (1999) – Full Movie Story Explained
The Green Mile is a powerful and emotional film directed by Frank Darabont, based on the novel by Stephen King. Set in 1930s America, it explores life, death, miracles, injustice, and redemption — all told through the eyes of a prison guard on death row.
📖 Movie Overview
-
Title: The Green Mile
-
Release Year: 1999
-
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Crime
-
Director: Frank Darabont
-
Based on: The novel by Stephen King
-
Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse, Sam Rockwell, Doug Hutchison
An elderly Paul Edgecomb, now in a nursing home, recalls his time as a prison guard on death row during the Great Depression. The story unfolds through his memories of working at Cold Mountain Penitentiary in 1935.
Paul is the head guard on death row — known as the Green Mile — assisted by kind colleagues Brutal, Dean, and Harry. However, one guard, Percy Wetmore, is arrogant and abusive.
Two inmates arrive:
-
Eduard “Del” Delacroix, a gentle man with a pet mouse named Mr. Jingles.
-
John Coffey, a massive Black man convicted of raping and murdering two little girls. Despite his size, he’s timid, emotional, and kind.
Paul suffers from a painful urinary infection. Unexpectedly, John Coffey touches Paul and heals him. Paul is stunned — Coffey seems to have supernatural powers.
Later, Coffey also resurrects Mr. Jingles, Del’s mouse, after Percy tries to kill it.
Del is sentenced to death. Out of spite, Percy sabotages the execution by deliberately not soaking the sponge used in electrocutions. The result is a horrifying, slow, painful death for Delacroix. Paul and the others are shaken and angry.
Meanwhile, "Wild Bill" Wharton, another violent inmate, causes chaos and attacks the guards. He seems evil and unstable.
One day, Coffey shows Paul a vision by touching him — revealing the truth:
Wild Bill was the real killer of the two girls.Coffey had found the girls already dead and tried to heal them, but was too late. When discovered, he was blamed for the murders.
Paul is devastated — he realizes John Coffey is innocent.
Paul and the guards secretly sneak Coffey out of prison to the home of the prison warden. The warden’s wife, Melinda, is dying of a brain tumor.
Coffey miraculously heals her, curing the tumor completely. She calls him an angel.
Coffey tells Paul he doesn’t want to escape. He’s tired of the pain, cruelty, and sadness of the world.
“I’m tired, boss. Tired of being on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain.”
Coffey willingly walks to the electric chair. Paul and the guards, heartbroken, execute a man they now know to be a miracle worker and innocent soul.
Back in the present day, old Paul reveals that both he and Mr. Jingles are still alive — nearly 60 years later. Coffey’s powers seem to have extended Paul’s life, a reminder of the miracle he once witnessed.
Paul believes living such a long life is part of his punishment for allowing an innocent man to die.
-
Injustice and Racism
-
The Supernatural and Miracles
-
Redemption and Sacrifice
-
The Cruelty of the Death Penalty
-
Empathy and Human Kindness
Key Characters
| Character | Actor | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Edgecomb | Tom Hanks | Head prison guard |
| John Coffey | Michael Clarke Duncan | Death row inmate with healing powers |
| Percy Wetmore | Doug Hutchison | Cruel and corrupt guard |
| Wild Bill Wharton | Sam Rockwell | Real murderer and psychopath |
| Eduard Delacroix | Michael Jeter | Gentle inmate, owner of Mr. Jingles |
| Mr. Jingles | — | The magical mouse |
| Melinda Moores | Patricia Clarkson | Warden’s sick wife, healed by Coffey |
Final Words
The Green Mile is more than a prison story — it’s a deep and emotional journey about justice, loss, and the power of goodness in a cruel world. With unforgettable performances and heartbreaking scenes, it remains one of the most respected films of all time.
