Andrew Robinson
(Minor spoilers for The Green Mile are present).
Earlier, Dork Daily released an article centered around the worst movie adaptations of Stephen King works. Dreamcatcher (2003) takes the cake, managing to waste a great cast and crew that includes multiple Oscar nominees and winners, and still turn in the most ridiculous, horrifically bad Stephen King adaptation in the history of Hollywood.
Now, it’s time to be more positive. For all the bad Stephen King adaptations Hollywood has produced over the years, they have released just as many great ones. A few that stand out are Carrie (1976), The Shining (1980), Stand By Me (1986), Misery (1990), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Green Mile (1999), and It (2017). Out of those movies, however, there are only really two that have the ability to claim themselves as the best Stephen King adaptations: The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and The Green Mile (1999). Both are among the top-rated movies of all-time according to IMDb.com, with Shawshank Redemption holding the #1 (!!!) spot, and The Green Mile coming in at #31. Both movies are beloved by fans of horror and non-fans of horror alike, which is what gives them the edge over other great King adaptations. Both films are nearly perfect, and both received multiple Oscar nominations (though, surprisingly, neither won any Oscars). The screenplays for both films were written by Frank Darabont, who also directed them. He also wrote the screenplay for, and directed, The Mist (2007), another Stephen King adaptation. However, only one of these brilliant films can take this reviewer’s spot as the best King adaptation. With respect to Shawshank, that is The Green Mile.
The Green Mile follows a group of guards on Death Row in the 1930s, including Warden Hal Moores (James Cromwell), Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks), Brutus Howell (David Morse), Dean Stanton (Barry Pepper), Harry Terwilliger (Jeffrey DeMunn), and the sadistic Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison). Their lives are forever altered when a new inmate, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), who has been convicted of the murder and rape of two young girls, arrives on Death Row. Soon, it becomes clear that the larger-than-life convicted killer has a mysterious gift, and may be the most special of them all.
The source novel, which was first published as six paperback volumes released monthly from March of 1996 to August, is one of King’s best works. Unlike most of his writings, which are understandably laden with horror, The Green Mile is one that non-horror fans will enjoy just as much as horror fans.
However, there are still some horrific scenes in the masterpiece, and Darabont doesn’t shy away from them in the movie adaptation. In the 189-minute runtime, the kidnapping of two young girls is shown, their mutilated bodies are visible, and there are multiple executions. Percy Wetmore, in particular, is an entirely sadistic character, and the Death Row inmates are disturbing. Rather than trying to change The Green Mile to fit an even wider audience, Darabont stays true to the source material, resulting in a film that is one of the most beloved of all-time. But what makes it so brilliant?
The Acting Performances
Despite the admirable Tom Hanks portraying a main character in the movie, the late great Michael Clarke Duncan is the star of The Green Mile. He is tasked with playing an incredibly complex character that symbolizes things and people that fans have been debating for decades, and will continue to debate for years to come. Duncan deservedly received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role, but clearly should have won.
Without his magnificent performance, The Green Mile wouldn’t be anywhere near the top of lists chronicling the best Stephen King adaptations, not to mention lists featuring the best movies of all-time, period.
The complexity of the character of John Coffey is remarkable, and makes for some incredible movie moments, none so poignant as this one near the end of the film. (MAJOR SPOILER).
Hanks, as always, gives a magnificent performance, and supporting actors such as Hutchison, Cromwell, and Morse stand out. Actors portraying Death Row inmates Eduard Delacroix (Michael Jeter), Arlen Bitterbuck (Graham Greene), and Wild Bill Wharton (Sam Rockwell) also put forth admirable performances. Clearly, The Green Mile features convincing acting performances that make the film as great as it is.
The Messages Present
Usually, Stephen King includes messages of hope, camaraderie, friendship, and love in his works; it can just be difficult for viewers to notice them in between all the carnage and blood. The Green Mile, however, isn’t anywhere near as bloody as King’s works usually are, and the messages present are as clearly stated as any he’s ever produced. The film version does a magnificent job at making those messages clear, but not clear enough that it feels like the viewer is being lectured.
Explicitly stating these messages would be too spoiler-heavy for this article, plus it would put ideas in viewers’ heads – the goal of Dork Daily is never to put ideas in viewers’ heads, but rather to give them the tools to reach their own conclusions. For those reasons, this article will not say exactly what the messages are; just that The Green Mile is important, admirable, poignant, and simply brilliant.
The Green Mile (1999) is a fantastic film that is the best movie adaptation of a Stephen King work. Complete with incredible acting performances, a storyline that will make the most cold-hearted of people emotional, and poignant, important messages, the film caters to the needs of all movie fanatics, rather than just fans of horror. With respect to all other great King adaptations, including The Shawshank Redemption, Frank Darabont, Michael Clarke Duncan, Tom Hanks, and Co. came together to create the best Stephen King adaptation of all-time in 1999.
