Talk:The Green Mile (film)

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Contents

[edit] Cast

Bill McKinney played Jack Van Hay (see [1]), not other actor!

I'm surprised there are no entries to the Jesus Christ parallels that are obviously written into this story on purpose by Stephen King. Similar parallels can be found in the films 'The Matrix', 'Donnie Darko' and the HBO show 'Carnivale'. The Wikipedia sites for the features do have mentions of the Christ analogies. I read the similarities somewhere once, and they had totally gone over my head when viewing the film (which I had done about 3 times) till I saw them printed in black & white then they were so unbelievably obvious ;


Jesus in Green Mile is the source for below points. (this same website offers a commentary dialog by Frank Darabont (Director and Screenwriter of 'The Green Mile') on the Christ parallels within the book/film)

ABOUT THOSE FLIES: The Bible dictionary says that: BEELZEBUB (Gr. form Beel'zebul), is the name given to Satan, and found only in the New Testament (Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24, 27; Mark 3:22). It is probably the same as Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, meaning "the lord of flies."

FLIES are associated with Satan (evil) and in the Moses story, flies are used to execute God's judgment in one of the plagues (Exodus 8:21-31). In Psalm 78:45 we read, "He sent vast swarms of flies to consume them."

In Green Mile, flies are used to symbolize both evil and the judgment of God. This idea of using flies to symbolize evil is very effective. A first in motion picture history. These flies are simply a visual way to represent evil and God's judgment. They have the appearance of little demons. THE RELATIONSHIP OF EVIL WITH SICKNESS. In order to heal disease, JK draws out the evil flies. This connection is startling in the film and one can find similar connections in the Bible.

TAKING ON THE PAIN OF OTHERS. An important feature of a Christ figure is the ability to bear "the sins of many" and to take "up our iniquities." JK certainly does this. It is also done in The Fifth Element.


Jesus in Green Mile is the source for below points.

He comes to the very least (Death row - Louisiana Penitentiary - Depression Era)

He is gentle and meek

He is broken hearted over evil

He reveals himself to a few

He has a miraculous gift of healing

He takes evil back upon himself

He knows the stars by name and is intimate with the creation (earth and fireflies)

Evil spirits recognize and fear him

He can see into men's hearts

He is accused of a crime that he is innocent of

He is condemned to death

He accepts the condemnation

One who believes in his innocence tries to talk him out of being executed

He has a prisoner to each side of him; one that repents (Delacroix) and one that does not (Wharton)

He knows the Father by name

Before his execution, he is ministered to by angels (Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the flicker show)

He is mocked by those waiting to see his execution

His execution is both public and gruesome

A few who know the truth about him attend his execution and are broken hearted

The law is fulfilled in his execution

He has "infected" others with life

---Well that my 2cents, anyone think it's worth the entry space ? jsn

In the flicker show scene the projector behind him seems to make an aureola around his head. 88.73.40.194 01:43, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Could you guys stop refering him as JC. I have no idea where you learned to spell coffee but he clearly says it isn't spelled the same and if you pay attention it is spelled with a k not a c.


--- Definitely worth the space to mention. Although I dont consider the film to have been made for the sole purpose of paralleling christ, the references are definitely worth mentioning.

Primarily I make my comment to explain a simple edit i wish to make: in the introduction of the article, it is mentioned that the movie was nominated for some awards. It is described as "failing" to win a "single" one of the mentioned awards. This has negative inferences. I wish to change it to simply stating the fact that it didnt win any of them. -Scott

[edit] The Mouse

Was the mouse dead? I thought he just healed the injuries.

The mouse was dead but John Coffee healed him. He lived for a long time afterwards. --66.218.24.236 02:41, 22 August 2006 (UTC)
We don't have a little mousy EKG/EEG, but even if he wasn't yet flatlined, he was certainly pretty flat once Percy squashed him; I think we can assume Mr. Jingles was dead. Atlant 13:02, 22 August 2006 (UTC)
Maybe the mouse wasn't quite dead. Remember, JC couldn't help the two dead girls he was falsely accused of murdering. He said it was "too late". Wahkeenah 15:46, 2 February 2007 (UTC)
It was dead all right. He couldn't bring the children back because it was "too late", not just because they were dead.--Drat (Talk) 00:47, 3 February 2007 (UTC)
He was quite dead. Wetmore "heard 'im crunch an' everything". Besides, if he were only injured, he would have been breathing. Evil Egg 00:05, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

Coffey said to Hanks "Maybe it's not too late." The implication is that the mouse is not yet dead, but will die soon. Therefore, bring the mouse straightway to my extended hand." Most recent two edits accordingly.209.6.144.128 07:59, 22 July 2007 (UTC)


Just because someone is injured to badly to survive doesn't mean they die right then and there. The mouse was broken and dieing, probably wouldn't have survived for more than 2 minutes, but he wasn't dead. Remember Koffey was there when the two girls were killed if it were a matter of how soon after they died and not whether or not they died he would have been able to save them.

The book says directly he was "still breathing". so yes he was barely alive john coffey couldnt "help" dead things. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.173.214.184 (talk) 23:32, 6 November 2007 (UTC)


About the line "The mouse was still alive at the time of Edgecombe's telling of the story, but visibly senile with extremely limited mobility." How does one tell if a mouse is visibly senile?--BenWoodruff (talk) 12:40, 25 January 2008 (UTC)

Easy. The mouse OBVIOUSLY looked much less lively than he was in the past. It took him forever just to step outta his container and he couldn't really fetch the stool anymore. Obviously, the mouse is extremely senile and is nearing the end of its life (akin to a 100-year-old human.) 70.65.142.36 (talk) 15:14, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Jingle-Jangle

I just watched my copy of the film. It's Mr. Jingles. Sometimes the way the cajun says it makes it sound like "Jangles". Wahkeenah 03:32, 2 February 2007 (UTC)

My mistake then. I saw someone else change it to Jangles before and "recalled" everyone calling him Jangles.--Drat (Talk) 07:33, 2 February 2007 (UTC)
As I mentioned in an audit trail comment, I think people conflate Mr. Jingles with Mr. Bojangles. Atlant 13:23, 2 February 2007 (UTC)
Could be. Wahkeenah 15:44, 2 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Third Paragraph of "Plot Summary" Section

We read the following statement: Wharton is dead at Wetmore's hand, and Wetmore ends up as an inmate at the very asylum he was to have managed. I am pretty sure that the film states, not that he was to manage the asylum but merely to work there in an administrative post. I will change the text in the article to reflect this. Hi There 14:06, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Character Summaries - Contradiction Found

Both Whetmore (Wetmore? We need a correction on the name) and "Wild Bill" are pegged as the main or primary antagonist, a contradiction. I can see very few antagonists within the scope of the film (since most of the film revolves around five characters), I think it might be appropiate to change them to simply "antagonist".

On a side note, for those who haven't seen the film (unlikely for those viewing the edit page for this article, oh well), this is a very powerful movie. It may have been because of Coffey's prison garb resembling my late father's work clothes, but the film drove me to tears. There's only been one other film that has had such an emotional impact on me, Grave of the Fireflies. I highly recommend both of these for those wishing to see incredible modern art works of tragedy. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 65.107.19.17 (talk) 18:17, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

  • Whetmore is the primary antagonist. Wild Bill was the murderer, but within Death Row, Wild Bill was only an "antagonist" to Whetmore. Wahkeenah 01:39, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

There is a reason for the two spellings of Whetmore and it isn't a typo. I won't tell you but read the book more carefully and pay attention to the context that Wetmore is used in. And about this being a powerful movie. You should read the book there is a great deal more to the story. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.14.203.32 (talk) 05:38, 1 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Koffey NOT Coffey?

Although the IMDB states the name John Coffey with a C, as does this article (including the J.C. Jesus Christ reference), 16 minutes and 28 seconds into the film he clearly states that the only thing he can spell is his name, and begins to spell it with a K.

The film is on now on an english television show. He also states 30-40 minutes before the end that his name is spelt the same as the drink. Coffey does not play a very intelligent character, and it is entirely feasible he doesn't know how to spell his name at all. The Lord Of The Crayons (talk) 00:37, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

He never spelled his name with a K... I'm watching the movie right now with the duration at 16:xx minutes and all I hear is this:

Paul: Your name is John Coffey.

John: Yes sir Boss! Like the drink, only not spelt the same.

Paul: Oh you can spell can you?

John: Just my name, boss. J-O-- (Paul interupts)

Paul: My name is Paul Edgecomb.

He didn't state whether his last name began with a C or K, only that it sounds like "Coffee" but not spelt the same. And he was referring to the Y "Coffey as opposed to the beverage that is spelt with an E at the end. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.65.142.36 (talk) 15:26, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:GreenMileSoundtrack.jpg

Image:GreenMileSoundtrack.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

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[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Green mile.jpg

Image:Green mile.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

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If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.BetacommandBot 22:10, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Headstones

At the end of the film at the present day, it shows paul at his lady friends future funeral. In the shot of the graveyard, all the headstones say story and nothing else. Is there any significance to that?

[edit] Who DID rape and kill the little girls?

Was it ever made final?

-G

"Wild Bill". "He killed dem wid dey love for each other."
Atlant 15:58, 2 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] WikiProject class rating

This article was automatically assessed because at least one WikiProject had rated the article as start, and the rating on other projects was brought up to start class. BetacommandBot 19:51, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Article needs improvement, mainly about Wild Bill

Cmon... the section about him is written from a very personalized point of view.

"Extremely evil." "Psychotic killer." "Racist." "Homosexual tendencies."

BULL-SHIT! No doubt he is evil for raping and murdering 2 girls, but "extremely evil" is truly a fuckin exaggeration. He is not THAT sadistic. He has a sick sense of humor that he brought too far but he looks to be a hilarious fun-lovin guy who sometimes loses control over what is or isnt a game anymore. He seems more of an adult with a child-like personality that doesnt pick up/understand certain consequences right away. Either way, calling him "evil" denotes a personalized, non-concrete point of view and that part should be fixed.

Psychotic killer? Please. It's clear he aint psychotic, he is aware of what he does. But he is highly IMMATURE who on the other hand doesnt realize the gravity of what he does, but he is not blatantly PSYCHOTIC, this too, is an exaggeration and a highly personalized, non-formal point of view.

Racist... again, not quite, he did make nigger jokes to diss Coffey but its cuz he just wanted to provoke some incident so he could have a laugh. At best, he doesnt really care about blacks to hate them. Racism wasnt really implied, maybe lightly but... this again is a deliberate attempt to input more negatives about Wild Bill's character. This should be fixed too.

Homosexual? Laughable! He fucked two *female* girls, sounds straight to me. He simply wanted to bully percy and expose his "girlishness" and fondled his dick just to scare the hell outta him and make him piss his pants so he could have a laugh. This doesn't imply that he's a homo.

Someone please edit that section and make it more neutral. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.65.196.182 (talk) 04:43, 30 November 2007 (UTC)

Question how do you write neutrally about a sicko that rape/murders a couple of girls?

Del also raped 2 girls and burned their bodies along with 6 other people. I don't see any biased, personalized description of him about what an evil, psychotic sicko HE is. And on Wikipedia EVERYTHING is written neutrally. Facts, facts and FACTS only.

Wild Bill is a stereotypical image of a grown up bully, but he is not psychotic or "extremely evil." He was "declared competent," which means he can rationally think and is aware of what he does most of the time. He probably just got some insane sex drive cuz he hasnt gotten laid for months. Although what he did to the 2 girls was gruesome and wrong, he still isnt as evil as, say, Percy. THAT motherfucker is EVIL for a FACT. He clearly is sadistic and willingly loves to make/see others suffer. Wild Bill is NOT like that on the same level. He loves to harass and embarass people but that's cuz he has a sick sense of humor, he wouldnt e.g. cold-heartedly step on Del's mouse just so he could watch someone scream in grief. He would maybe threaten or pretend to hurt Mr. Jingles to make Del cringe and later diss him for being a pussy who's so obsessed with mice but fact remains: Wild Bill has a capacity when he's concious. He is NOT "extremely evil."!!70.65.142.36 (talk) 18:22, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Couldn't it be that they are two different forms of evil? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.14.203.32 (talk) 18:40, 30 January 2008 (UTC)

Yes. But "evil" is not an academic term and is a rather abstract, biased concept. Wikipedia is about presenting facts. Calling Wild Bill evil would be a personal view.

Personally i think he's hilarious and should be allowed free and his own movie so we could see him do more funny shit like he did to Percy and the officers. And THAT would be my personal view. None of that belongs in a Wikipedia article, though. 70.65.142.36 (talk) 03:52, 15 February 2008 (UTC)

Tell what the movie shows. "The vision shows Wild Bill killed the girls." or "The evidence indicates Wild Bill was on the propety whenever." Lots42 (talk) 17:37, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Characters

Not only does the Characters section repeat info in the plot, it repeats info in previous character subsections. I suggest it be changed to something like this.

Tom Hanks (Character Name) Protaganist, officer on Death Row.

Duncan (Coffee) Accused murderer with healing powers and pet mouse.

And so on. Lots42 (talk) 17:41, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

That is TOO abridged. But I agree that the profiles are redundant and looks like it has twice as more text than the plot section. I don't think character profiles should be the synopsis of the movie. But if it makes you feel better, I removed a couple redundant sentences for now. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.65.142.36 (talk) 15:30, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:The green mile 2q.jpg

Image:The green mile 2q.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

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BetacommandBot (talk) 02:19, 12 February 2008 (UTC)