Take notice that the lawyer says there were no records on John Coffey at the time of his arrest. The lawyer says , "It's as if he dropped from the sky."
@@michelle172ct There are a lot of Christian suggestions. Eduard De La Croix. De la Croix in French means of the cross. JC died next to 2 others on crosses. There were 2 other executions we witness in addition to Coffey's.
Which says he was put on the earth to do good. But it must be a rule to make him a figure of hate. Like Jesus. He was a jew at a time when the Ronans held Jerusalem in an iron grip. Being someone who claimed to be a masiah would bring him to the attentions of the authorities. Same with Coffer. I believe he was meant to be the second coming. Someone to bring good to the world and men together. But seeing how the world of men was, the evil humankind was capable of, he knew the futility of it. That's why he welcomed the execution
It's not just that though, the quality of adaptations of his work varies wildly from one to the next. For example, to me Firestarter is an amazing novel - but the 80s film lacks the punch of the novel, and the recent remake is just all sorts of terrible. Both versions of Carrie are pretty decent though.
It fits into the greater body of his works too. Dick Hallorann would say John has a very powerful "Shining". Roland Deschain would say he's strong in the "Touch", The True Knot would call him "big steam" and the Low Men would want to make him a "Breaker"
The only problem with movies like The Green Mile is you can only see it for the 1st time once. That's why I like channels like yours. I love watching others experience it for the 1st time.
The first time is impactful The second time will show you hints you didnt see before After that its just pure enjoyment. Be happy there is a movie you can say its so good you wanna delete its memory. Exactly THATS why you should watch it from time to time Like i watch atleast 2 times LOTR each year since its one of my all time favourites Even tho i already know every little detail.
Yeah, part of me wishes I could see this again for the first time but another part knows it would destroy me more now, as an older man, than it did when it came out. This is a beautifully brutal movie (no pun intended). The director, Frank Darabont, directed and wrote the adaptation for this, Shawshank and The Mist, all Steven King adaptations. He even changed the ending of The Mist and King loves his ending better than his own (I won't spoil it if y'all haven't seen it). Amazing stories and amazing movies. I also really enjoyed watching this reaction.
Same here. Which is why I’ve watched over like 10 different people’s reaction videos to them seeing this movie specifically (The Green Mile) for their very first time. And EVERY single one of them has absolutely bawled. This movie is SO amazing and made so well that I just love seeing other people see it and experience the emotion of it for the very first time.
Can you imagine the horror if John Coffey hadn’t done to Percy what he did? And if Percy Wetmore were allowed to take that supervisory position overseeing the care of vulnerable mental patients? John didn’t just punish Percy, he SAVED all those poor people who would otherwise have been Percy’s future victims!
In the book there is a caretaker in the old folks home that abuses the elderly patients. Paul actually does think to himself that “this man is a coward, a coward just like Percy”
Also in the novel it was written that the mental hospital burned years later. That also means Percy burned alive trapped there. The ultimate retaliation.
@@Frangorra1210 NO WAY! Really?!? Okay, obviously I have never read the books but that…that…that is so (I hate to say “cool”) but that is so…fitting. I refuse to take pleasure in the death of another human being (don’t mean I don’t WANT to take pleasure in it) but this is a fictional character and I have to admit (I HATE to admit it but truth is truth) I am just…well, JUBILANT at the thought of Percy getting his final, just desserts.
Yeah here's the thing: fitting. All the characters in the novel have their place in the story and their death is due to what they did and how Coffey impacted in their life. I always recommend to read the novel. But for once I recommend to read after watching the movie. The novel says what all the inmates did to be on the Mile; in the movie they wisely avoided because you could not sympathize with them (except Coffey and Wharton for obvious reason). The movie is very aligned with the book, but the book gives all the answers to all the characters' role.
Michael Clarke Duncan was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this performance. It was awarded to Michael Caine for "The Cider House Rules." Mr. Caine is a fine actor, but Mr. Duncan as John Coffey is more memorable.
The Academy Awards are a joke. I stopped watching them long ago knowing them are run by a committee of old cronies who just vote for their friends in the inner circle. That is why other awards were created like the people choice award and Golden Globe. Haley Joel Osman was nominated for The Sixth Sense in the same catorgory but they gave to Michael Caine for an unworthy role in Cider House Rules and a dismal performance not worthy of an Oscar. I saw Cider House Rules and noting about was Oscar worthy. Who even talks about that movie of which there is one reaction where there are dozens of reactions to the Green Mile an The Sixth Sense. People were outraged for this knowing Duncan or Osman deserved the Oscar. Even until this day the Oscar's are damaged goods and lost most of its credibility.
@@mannys4036 Agreed. The Cider House Rules was a decent movie, but nothing special. It is certainly nothing along the lines of The Green Mile, or even The Sixth Sense (a great movie, but it is a fair bit overrated IMO).
@jeffthompson9622 so you never saw "The Cider House Rules" then because if you had you would have seen a marvelous performance from Michael Caine and calling him a fine actor is an insult, he's one of the greatest actors still on this world and won the Oscar fair and square.
@mannys4036 so you didn't see The Cider House Rules either because calling Michael Caines performance a dismal performance is once again a huge insult. It's people like you who give fantastic films a bad name all because you didn't like it GROW UP.
When the other executed inmates were offered a chance to apologize, they said "I'm sorry for what I did". When John Coffey was executed, he said "I'm sorry for what I am".
@@mnomadvfx John Coffey didn't say what he said to comfort the parents. He wasn't offering them comfort. He was making a more meaningful statement about what and who he was, and how there was no place for someone like him, in the awful world we have made.
@pullcarsmelly8051 TLDR: Don't try to make your interpretation of art anybody else's. The beautiful thing about art is that it can be interpreted differently by everyone. For you, it may be that. For them, it may be something else. I can see both sides. For instance, I saw a comment where someone said that he wanted the parents to think their babies' attacker was dead. He didn't want them feeling the hurt of knowing they let that man in their house eating their food at their dinner table before he attacked them. I think that's quite possible.
Yes, I think John knew how much it would crush the parents, especially the father, to find out that he had hired & fed the man that hurt his babies. I can’t imagine what that would do to me as a parent. He let them believe that he was the monster, & gave them some sense of justice.
Your face when you connected the dots from the phrase, "I tried to take it back" gave me such pleasure. I'm glad you guys discovered early on, that John was innocent.
Yes! That realization sent me reeling. I immediately stopped feeling guilty for loving him. What an amazing character. When Steven King is good, he's nearly perfect 👍🏼
@@mikeyshowpresents "When Steven King is good, he's nearly perfect" To be brutally fair I've read the novel, and it isn't even a patch on the film. I'd say it's vastly more credit to Michael Clarke Duncan and Frank Darabont in this case. Likewise with The Shawshank Redemption which was little more than a novella that Darabont et al spun into cinematic gold. That being said, there are unquestionably Stephen King adaptations for which the film didn't do it justice. Firestarter the novel for instance is one of my favourite reads of all time (probably the only King book I reread more than once), while the 80s movie was pretty lightweight by comparison, and the modern remake was just awful on multiple levels.
"I couldn't help it. I tried to take it back, but I couldn't." Yeah - when he heals and says the inverse of that, my jaw dropped open on my first watch. Twists and turns all through the film, even to the very last moment. Chills.
I remember watching this with my sister for the first time and we both looked at each other when he finished healing Paul. Then we both got quiet and sad because we knew he was innocent and he was going to die. We were both BAWLING by that part in the movie and our other sister came in because we were sobbing so loud, she wanted to check in on us. She stared at us and then looked at the screen and after a min, she left saying if she stayed any longer she would end up crying too. 😂
@@mnomadvfx John coffees initials are JC and the symbolism of Pauls character I read represented the centurion who cast the spear into Jesus on the cross who was doomed to walk the earth forever. The movie halo was to represent Jesus or the angelic quality of John. The burn marks on Johns head are like the markings of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore.
Not just the guards, but the twin girls parents too. He doesn't say "I'm sorry for what I am" to the guards. He says it to the parents, to give them some small measure of catharsis.
Bruce Willis and Michael Duncan Clarke were friends. Bruce read the script for this film and told Michael the character was a good fit for him. Bruce then called the director about Michael and the rest is history 😊😊😊
Michael Clarke Duncan, who played John Coffey, was 6'5"; the character of John was over 7' in the book. They had to do a good bit of movie magic to make him look even more gigantic than he actually was. The director is Frank Darabont, who also directed The Shawshank Redemption, another Stephen King story set in a prison.
Frank Darabont doesn’t have many misses. He always gets a deep understanding of the characters and the feelings that he's meant to convey. Underrated director. Never brought up in the names of best directors when it's talked about.
43:34 I personally think John just randomly happened across the 2 girls. He didn’t know Billy had killed them until he saw into Billy's soul when he grabbed John's arm.
That’s what it says in the book. He was traveling along and felt their agony and came to try to heal them. They were already gone and he was crying and holding them when the search party found them.
I think a big thing people miss is "we found each other in the dark" meaning John willingly went into the dark to help her even though he was scared of it.
I read it in another comment: Look at the initials of John: JC. Then look at his "life", he was described as if he fell from the sky (out of nowhere), hes job was to go around and heal people. In the end he was killed for a crime he didn't commit.
@@lucianaromulus1408 John Coffey is a character written by STEPHEN KING, there is no coincidence in the fact that he is a black man. The move is commentary on the the hatred of humanity, John literally states this, "it's like that everywhere, all over the world". Stephen personified Jesus's second coming and of course very intentionally made him black, so he again would be a victim of hatred. I implore you to rewatch with all of that in mind, it's a timeless masterpiece for a reason.
@@lucianaromulus1408 Stephen King literally said the premise is "How would Jesus be treated in 1938 America if he came back as a black man". It's literally a racial metaphor. You people who undermine the racist history of our nation are weird, it happened, it _still_ happens.
Great reaction, guys! What I love is that John not only punished Percy, but saved the people who would have suffered under his "care" at the mental hospital, vulnerable people who nobody would believe or even care if they reported his abuse. I think the actor who played Percy deserves some shine, for doing such an excellent job at making us hate his guts :D
Well, I do not think the actor who played Percy deserves any praise because he wasn't really acting... He is quite the piece of sh*t irl as well. Doug Hutchison, 51 years old, married a 16 years old girl. I've seen news and some clips of them together. The way he looks at his child bride is quite disturbing... Him and Percy are quite literally the same person.
@@iulia.bianca.b You’re right. He still did a great job at portraying a godforsaken piece of sh!t character. It may not have been a reach, granted. Still, Doug Hutchison DID make us hate Percy. (Ironically, as you have already insightfully pointed out, he ALSO made us hate DOUG HUTCHISON)!
When John transferred (disease) to Percy, he also showed him what Wild Bill had done. Percy's single redeeming moment, although hardly of his own volition, was making sure Wild Bill couldn't (for example) escape punishment. Perhaps on appeal.
No, it wasn't. He was a blank faced, slack jawed catatonic from the moment John let him go until the day he died. In the book he shot Wild Bill while he was still sleeping, then he wet & shit himself, coughed up the stuff, and that was the last time he ever did anything besides stand around drooling on himself. All the description of his demeanor in that scene was about how "not there" he seemed, zero emotion.
@alanfoster6589. I never looked at it that way. Wild Bill had humiliated Percy two or three times. I looked at it as revenge by Percy for being humiliated. Nice to think about another possibility.
I like that you guys pause to discuss the movie! I feel like reactors miss a lot when they don't pause what they're watching before they talk about it.
I adore the fact that, unlike most cuts that reactors post, they kept the whole line at the end. Most live out the part of "if a mouse lived for this long, how much do i have" and only put the part of "the green mile feels so long". Its important to let the line as a whole because thats what makes it fenomenal.
Another great Stephen King novella to movie is The Shawshank Redemption. Also directed and screenplay by Frank Darabont like The Green MIle. Considered best movie by many. Really enjoyed your reaction. Thank you.
Cast Away was one of the worst films I ever saw. I fell asleep with all the dribble. It did win a couple of awards but not the Oscars. If Tom Hanks was not in this movie it would have been long forgotten.
@@mannys4036It may well be that without Tom Hanks Cast Away would not have worked. It's no small feat for a single actor to carry a narrative all by himself for almost an entire movie. I do agree that a lesser actor than Hanks could not have pulled it off. But with Hanks, it was magnificent.
@@DawnSuttonfabfourwtf. That’s a different angle to think about. I’ve never thought that & don’t believe that would work. Why would you think like that?
I can't remember if you guys said if you'd watched The Shawshank Redemption or not, but if not it is a MUST watch. Absolute masterpiece and for me it's easily the best film I have ever watched. Same director/writer as this film as well, which will be quite apparent if/when you watch it. Brilliant reaction by the way, the end always gets the tears rolling for me
@@darkwillow1451 Why do people always think that The Shawshank Redemption has Tom Hanks in it? 😅 Is it because Tim Robbins looks a bit like Tom Hanks?
@@iulia.bianca.b no no. It doesnt. It has the next best thing, Morgan Freeman :)))) though he did had one bad movie... that "now you see me" piece of crap. I wongly posted my comment as a reply instead of directly as a comment
I like the way you IMMEDIATELY know what Coffey can do help (Mr. Jingles, Melinda Moores,etc), and you enthusiastically encourage the characters as though they can hear you: "Oh! Give him the mouse! GIVE HIM THE MOUSE!! HURRY!!!"
This was a great reaction! The whole "We found each other in the dark" bit, along with Bitterbuck's speech, get me every time. This movie is a masterpiece.
Stephen King is an absolute national treasure. His horror, suspense, fantasy and drama writings are the best books I've ever read. I have every single book he's ever written. His ability to touch us this way with this story is just masterful. King is the GOAT! I really enjoyed y'alls reactions. New sub. I look forward to more of your content!
I’m the book “The Lord of the Flies” The Devil or rather Beelzebub, is known as “the Lord of the Flies”. So I always made that connection to this story when Coffey takes pain, and turns it into flies, he’s absorbing the darkness within someone and releasing it as flies...
Oh, hey! I just made a similar comment! I felt kinda awkward because I thought I might have been going out on a limb. It’s nice and SO comforting to know somebody else had the same thought I did! You rock! (And by that I mean “we rock” and by that I mean “I rock” and by that I mean I am cool and awesome and clever and definitely not overcompensating and desperately seeking attention. But this is not hubris! I really am quite humble. In fact, I dare say I’m more humble than Jesus!) I’m gonna burn in Hell.
I've always thought that one of the main messages of this book and film is that people pray and wish for a true miracle, but a true miracle could not survive us. It's a dark message, but the idea that humanity is so far gone that even something purely good meant to help us sees the world and it's residents as a burden and cannot survive us makes this story all the more powerful and sad. The silver lining in the story is that there are those (such as the guards) that realize this, but still represent the willingness and hope that we can change.
This is the first reaction I've seen from you guys. I love your setup and how you pause the movie to talk about certain points rather than talking over everything. New subscriber and I look forward to seeing more.
When I saw this at the movies, a couple had their mother with them. When John was executed, they had to take the mother who was an elderly lady, out of the theater. She was over come with what seemed to be grief!
I feel that. Well crafted movies can hit you like real life... sometimes harder than real life. Despite being so overcome, she was given a gift. I don't care if a movie makes me happy, sad, grief stricken, elated, but it must do SOMETHING to move me. If it does, that's a success. - - Sean
I've probably got a few years on both y'all. Michael Clark Duncan was 6' 5". He passed away 2012 at 54. He was so good in this role. RIP Michael. Remember, this is 1935. Percy has "short man" issues. They didn't have antibiotics, like we do now, in 1935. Remember, this movie is adapted from a Stephen King novel. It's going to be a little strange. John just found the girls.
For the scene in the jail cell, when John shakes Paul’s hand, they had John on a small stool, Brutal flat foot on the ground, and Paul in a small trench to really exaggerate the size differences.
I saw this at the show when it came out in 99 and yes I'm your age. Amazing movie and what a cast of actors. John Coffey deserved the Academy Award that year
Thank you, guys. Your reaction has been one of the most relatable and beautiful I've seen. It's been so great that I felt like you were friends of mine, even if I don't know you.
The Green Mile has a more spiritual meaning. The position of the desk and the light shining through the windows onto the floor is significant to the story. The name John Coffey (JC) is intentional as are the scars on John's body.
Look at John's "life", he was described as if he fell from the sky (out of nowhere), hes job was to go around and heal people. In the end he was killed for a crime he didn't commit.
Delacroix is French for Of the Cross. Del and Bitterbuck were two guilty men executed before Coffey; Jesus was crucified with two guilty men. Blacks were the subjugated people and wouldn't have received a fair shake; Jews were subjugated by the Romans. Coffey died for the crime of another; Jesus died for the Sins of others There is apocryphal writing that says that the unknown Roman soldier, Longinus, was cursed to wander the earth eternally in a miserable life of toil and suffering because he pierced the side of Jesus.
@jebronlames4600 the story is adapted from the crucifixion of christ. The scars were from when the centurions whipped and beat christ as he carried the cross to his crucifixion. John Coffey = Jesus Christ.
If you imagine the mouse being 40 times as old as mice usually get in human care, and if Coffey's magic was working proportionally on him, Paul Edgecomb will live for 3 thousand years.
Two or three years ago at work we hit a lull and I remember talking to friend of mine about this movie. Long story/short according to our calculations we figured it would be a MINIMUM of over two thousand years. Three thousand years, however, sounds most likely.
He already looks like he's in his 80s though when he's 108. His bodies not going to last that long. They should have used a younger actor because it looks like he's only aging about 27% slower than other humans .
1. YOU WILL CRY😭😭😭😭 2. Dabbs Greer/old Paul was ill during production, so his part was done later. He also played Reverend Alden on "Little House on the Prairie". 3. Hammersmith was not a good lawyer. (most likely a racial thing. It was 1935 South.) 4. In the book King briefly covers why the Chief and Del are on death row. 5. This movie was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (MCD)😇 and Best Cast but unfortunately neither won.😭😭 6. Players in other King adaptations: Jeffery DeMunn: Shawshank Redemption, The Mist, Storm of the Century and William Sadler: Shawshank Redemption, The Mist. David Morse: The Langoliers. Patricia Clarkson played Margarat White in King's remake of Carrie". Needless to say, it was a much different part. 7. Goof: Electricity makes the body contract. Del wouldn't be able to scream. I know it' just for the movie because of the length of the execution scene. 8. IRL James Cromwell is a vegan and didn't want to grill meat for the BBQ scene but was told that in 1935 people actually ate meat so he agreed to have some on the grill. 9. RE Percy: Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. KARMA's a Bitch. BTW Kudos to Doug Hutchison for the great job of playing Percy.👌EVERYONE hates him. 10. John also rescues the other patients at Briar Ridge. 11. IRL both David Morse and James Cromwell are about the same height as Michael Clark Duncan (RIP). They used planks, a small bed and smaller chair along with trick photography/angles to make John look taller. 12 The scene where John takes Mr. Jingles for safe keeping before Del's execution, they used a real mouse, and it pooped on Paul's shoulder, and he brushed it off. 13. Now we know what the "leftover is fine" dry toast is for. 14 EVERYBODY cries and has to take time to reflect. Congratulations you just experienced. the GREATEST MOVIE EVER. (GOAT) 15. 4 words for you: Stephen King. You're WELCOME!
Alright somebody give mikey a hug. I appreciate any reactor who open with how this movie makes em feel. Give these fellas some comfort and maybe a cold one. Take care fellas both of yall.
“He killed them with their love, that’s how it is everyday all over the world” and that’s exactly what’s happening in that scene. They grew to care for him and saw the good in him. They ended up killing him with love in their hearts for him and his good nature and innocence
This was my first introduction to your content and it was a glorious watch. I adore this film, but watching you guys react to it was a dopamine filled excursion! Thank you!
did you know who was also was considered to play the role of john coffey shaquille o'neal and also some fun facts for yall 1.Fifteen mice were used in the movie. Each spent months being trained to do different tricks 2. In the scene where Hanks swipes his shoulder after the mouse has been on him, this wasn't in the script. He was genuinely pooped on by Mr Jingles
One thing people don't consider about Stephen King writing is that the assumption of horror means there has to be a monster. But there are other horror elements like being forced to out live you loved ones. Or unable to save an innocent life that you could reach. One of King's strength in writing is not the super natural but his ability to capture our humanity. The good and the bad with obvious dichotomy of prison guards representing humanity. John being clearly a powerful entity what ever he was yet he was powerless at the same time.
The exhaled "flies" represent whatever JC has "taken back" (removed from the sufferer). Or in Percy's case, later, transferred to another. They comprise a visual representation of the extracted (or delivered) disease.
Yes. That’s true. Now the question becomes, “Why flies?” (Stay with me here. I’m kinda thinkin’ this out as I type). Okay, once upon a time people thought all bad things such as disease, death, and misfortune were all caused by demons, right? So now when I hear “demon” I think of names like Lucifer, Satan, Leviathan, & (specifically) Beelzebub. HEY! Waitaminute! “Beelzebub?” Wasn’t he known as “the lord of the flies?” So now here (finally!) is my point: I think (I could be TOTALLY wrong!) that when John Coffey (J.C. a.k.a. JESUS CHRIST) heals someone; he is drawing out the evil, the “demon,” that plagues them! He then expels it in the form that physically best matches its spiritual nature: flies.
I actually think of it as "negative energy" or "dark energy", which generates illness or injury (maybe "generates" isn't the best word; "generated by", perhaps?), and John Coffey absorbs it, neutralizes it, and disperses it.
I am always amazed when first time viewers who watch this movie realize that it's not just a movie about prison guards and death row inmates....then, BAM, you're suddenly confronted that it's also has a supernatural aspect. Genius writing. The one thing that I cannot seem to find an answer to is why didn't the other guard who was helping Percy strap on the head piece say something about there not being any water on the sponge. It looks as if he noticed but didn't say anything,
Fun fact, prior to this Michael Clarke Duncan was just hired musle/security. At that he time he'd been working for Bruce Willis who recommended him to Frank data out ( walking dead, the must a WHOLE BUNCH of other king 📖⏭🎥adaptations) so this was actually his first ever role, he got an Oscar nom for IT too! Truly R.I.P.
Truly one of the greatest movies ever made. I have watched it several times and every time it breaks my heart all over again. It really is a masterpiece, a beautiful story of a beautiful man with a beautiful heart.
Love your reactions to one if my favorite movies, i readbthe book first, which as usual goes deep explanation. . But the movie is Awsome ! Cant go wrong with Stephen King
Actor Michael Clarke Duncan who played John Coffey was 6'5" in real life. The scenes where he appears really tall, he was actually walking on a platform.
The religous symbolism, emotions, characters and themes, well just everything in this movie is so beautiful and well done. Truly one of the best and up there with my favourite movies ever made
Tell you what guys I’m 61. I’ve seen this movie a bunch of times. I’ve watched a lot of reactors react to this movie but I enjoyed yours very much. I just subscribed I cried right along with you guys.
When Paul (Tom Hanks) tells John, right before carrying out the execution "May God have mercy on your soul" you could tell from his eyes that he was really saying "May God have mercy on MY soul".
Not my thoughts, but someone on another channel said if you notice when Eduard De la Croix gave his speech, he said im sorry for what i do (did), and when Jon gave his speech he said I'm sorry for what i am. Gets me every time.
My all time favorite move since the first time I saw it was a teenager. In my opinion, this is the best movie of all time. The only movie I can keep on watching again and again after every few years and experience the same feelings I experienced the first time I saw it.
I knew he looked familiar!!!!!!!!! I’ve seen this movie a zillion times and never noticed it !! It’s been a while since I’ve seen Little house on the prairie but I used to watch it all the time when I was a kid !
You guys are great! I'm very pleased I found this channel. Have you guys ever seen "Field of Dreams" (1989) or "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" (2001)? I think those would be right up your guys' alley!
Fun fact: the actor who plays the older version of Tom Hanks' character in the beginning was the same actor who played the reverend in Little House On The Prairie.
John isn't slow. Racial segregation and prejudice of the time period would have conditioned him to be extra polite and accommodating to avoid harassment. Especially since they are police. He is kind and patient by nature, but he's smart enough to know that making enemies with white guards on arrival would only lead him to more suffering. Edit: my friend in highschool had a few pet rats, they were so cute and friendly. They would crawl up your sleeves and take naps in the crook of your elbow.
My Wife and I saw this movie in the theater when it came out. The effect on the audience was amazing. When dale got burnt to a crisp the audience reaction was one of absolute horror. But when they came to John Coffey's execution, I felt so sorry for the guards especially Paul. But when they threw the switch on John there wasn't a dry eye in the theater. Paul had two lines that have stuck with me to this day. First when he asked John "when I stand before God and he asks why I killed one of his true miracles, What, am I going to say to him"". and second, if he can make mouse live so long, how much longer do I have"? I find myself wondering how long John Coffey Lived and had been walking the earth by the time he was executed? 100, 200, 300 years? This movie still invokes very strong emotion is this old combat ver.
I was 11 years old when I first saw this movie back in 2000. I had school the next day but for some reason this movie caught my eye and I ended up staying late watching it. When John coffey death came on I couldn't hold it. I cried my heart out. My dad came in my room in a panic when he heard me. When he saw me on the carpet Infront of the TV and saw what I was watching he just sat down next to me. I'm 35 years old now. And every time I see someone react to this movie and John's death comes on I can't help but shed tears and cry almost the same way like when I was 11 years old.
"Its like mentally he has something going on" I like the way that King described Coffey in the novel, " He looked like he could have snapped the chains that held him as easily as you might snap the ribbons on a Christmas present, but when you looked in his face, you knew he wasn't going to do anything like that. It wasn't dull-although that was what Percy thought, it wasn't long before Percy was calling him the ijit - but lost. He kept looking around as if to make out where he was. Maybe even who he was. My first thought was that he looked like a black Samson ... only after Delilah had shaved him smooth as her faithless little hand and taken all the fun out of him." Coffey seems to be like someone whose mind is partially lost in a fog and the fog only seems to clear when he senses an urgent need close by. He seems like a benevolent trouble-seeking missile, always moving towards those in peril to help them.
Just great boys, just great. New subscriber as a result. I'd love to see a Shawshank Redemption reaction as another Stephen King movie and First Blood if you've not seen it. Keep up the great work!
Awesome reaction. Subscribed. One additional point to keep in mind. I saw another commenter (Poor Finian) mention in a different reaction that a urinary tract infection had no cure in the 1930s, so even going to the doctor probably wouldn't help much. The first antibiotic, penicillin, was only discovered in 1928 and wasn't used on a patient in the U.S. until 1942.
We have been hearing from various people that they just didn’t have the medication available at that time. Thank you so much for your subscription it means a lot. - Mikey
I just found your channel and LOVED your commentaries! My understanding of what John Coffey (J.C. 😉) did to Percy is this: yes, he did transfer the cancer to him. Hal talked about the behavioral changes the tumor caused in Melinda, some of which we could also see onscreen: lack of impulse control, fits of anger, confusion... Percy was already a monster, but with the complete erasure of any impulse control, he was able to shoot and kill Wild Bill without a second thought. After this was done, we see the cancer in the form of the mysterious gnat-like critters/particles, leave his body. However, because John Coffey has divine powers (the laying of hands to heal, the absorption of pain/suffering through the laying of hands, supernatural empathy wherein he can physically experience pain and suffering from afar, clairvoyance such as when he sees Bill's crimes after Bill grabs his arm) John has not only the ability, but the authority to exact justice on evildoers. When Percy is catatonic even after the cancer left his body, this points to me that John Coffey's purity/holiness was too much for a mortal to walk away from, unscathed. John Coffey gave him the fear of God! 😂 It was unfiltered and complete. Percy saw the perfection of God, RIGHT NEXT to the severity of his own evil! He's lucky he didn't die on the spot. 😂😂😂
This movie... is one of my favorites. Thank you... I enjoyed watching parts of it again with you guys... I seem to delight in the torment of watching people react to this movie. I don't know what it is. But this movie is so wonderfully done... from the acting to the music, the directing... the whole thing start to finish... I do not think that it could have been done any better. You really feel it ... the suffering... the pain... the joy... the miracles... all of it. Even from the actors who played the parents of the two girls... you feel it.
22:07 I love your guys’ raw reactions so much! You never fail to truly WATCH a movie. Very observant of details even ones people don’t usually care about!
Loved your reaction - it's definitely one of MCD's best performances. Some interesting info: Most of the guards' tears during the execution was very real. In fact, the actor who plays the guard, Dean, was practically sobbing as they filmed it. Here's an interesting fact about the age element. An average house mouse lives about 2 years. Mr. Jingles died at 64 (it says in the book). That's 32 times the lifespan of a normal mouse. In 1930s USA, the average lifespan of a man was 63.5 years. By that math, Paul Edgecombe (Tom's character) could possibly live for over 2,000 years. That's one hell of an accidental curse. Here's some additional disturbing info - almost no one else had a peaceful death. A lot of the people who could have stopped the execution, or delayed it, did die soon after it. The warden (whose wife John healed) died 9 years later of a stroke. His wife died of a heart attack a year later. Dean (the younger guard who doesn't sneak John out with the others) is killed by a prisoner 4 months after the execution. The sheriff, who was a massive racist in the book and that arrested John, died of a heart attack shortly after the execution while having relations with an underage African American girl. Even the little girls' parents didn't get off unscathed. The mom died of a heart attack and the dad died barely a month after the execution of a stroke. Brutus, the tall guard, lived into his fifties and died 25 years after the execution of a heart attack. Percy died 33 years later in a mental hospital (I think his initial punishment may have been considered "enough"). Harry, the last of the guards, lived for another 50 years before dying of cancer. The Green Mile actually takes place in the same universe as several of Stephen King's other books, including Carrie, IT, and The Shining. This was John's power, or his Shine.
That is some really incredible insight on the film. I didn’t know any of the things that you described here. Thank you so much and if you haven’t already please consider subscribing! - Mikey
fantastic movie, and a tear jerker, I have seen this a lot, and cry at it everytime I watch it. The Urinary infection Tom Hanks describes in this movie is 100% acurite, it is like pi$$ing razor blades, take it from someone disabled 34 years who has had multiple urine infections over the years, and the relief of getting over the infection has the same great look as Tom Hanks has in this movie.
Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this but he is a classic sin eater. I am aware of the JC connection but this is also a talent in the typical sin eater realm but fairly strong but not unheard of.
They thought John was choking from the disease itself! He was choking trying to keep it in for Percy ... brilliant!!!
Take notice that the lawyer says there were no records on John Coffey at the time of his arrest. The lawyer says , "It's as if he dropped from the sky."
John Coffey= JC
@@michelle172ct There are a lot of Christian suggestions. Eduard De La Croix. De la Croix in French means of the cross. JC died next to 2 others on crosses. There were 2 other executions we witness in addition to Coffey's.
HE ALSO REFERENCES ANGELS IN HEAVEN AS IF HE'S SEEN THEM HIMSELF.
Which says he was put on the earth to do good. But it must be a rule to make him a figure of hate. Like Jesus. He was a jew at a time when the Ronans held Jerusalem in an iron grip. Being someone who claimed to be a masiah would bring him to the attentions of the authorities. Same with Coffer. I believe he was meant to be the second coming. Someone to bring good to the world and men together. But seeing how the world of men was, the evil humankind was capable of, he knew the futility of it. That's why he welcomed the execution
Stephen King wrote this book. Beautiful story, cry every time I watch people react to this.
Old man Hanks walks a literal green mile to give Mr. Jingles toast every day.
Nice catch sir.
😭
I've watched it a million times and never thought of that. Nice!
Damn. Thanks.
A good writer is a good writer. You might not like his usual genre but you can't deny the talent of Stephen King.
He also wrote the Shawshank Redemption. Stephen King is a genius.
Stephen King is amazing.
Stephen King and his mastery of storytelling and writing!
It's not just that though, the quality of adaptations of his work varies wildly from one to the next.
For example, to me Firestarter is an amazing novel - but the 80s film lacks the punch of the novel, and the recent remake is just all sorts of terrible.
Both versions of Carrie are pretty decent though.
It fits into the greater body of his works too. Dick Hallorann would say John has a very powerful "Shining". Roland Deschain would say he's strong in the "Touch", The True Knot would call him "big steam" and the Low Men would want to make him a "Breaker"
The only problem with movies like The Green Mile is you can only see it for the 1st time once. That's why I like channels like yours. I love watching others experience it for the 1st time.
No matter which time I'm seeing it, I always shed a tear.
The first time is impactful
The second time will show you hints you didnt see before
After that its just pure enjoyment.
Be happy there is a movie you can say its so good you wanna delete its memory.
Exactly THATS why you should watch it from time to time
Like i watch atleast 2 times LOTR each year since its one of my all time favourites
Even tho i already know every little detail.
Yeah, part of me wishes I could see this again for the first time but another part knows it would destroy me more now, as an older man, than it did when it came out. This is a beautifully brutal movie (no pun intended). The director, Frank Darabont, directed and wrote the adaptation for this, Shawshank and The Mist, all Steven King adaptations. He even changed the ending of The Mist and King loves his ending better than his own (I won't spoil it if y'all haven't seen it). Amazing stories and amazing movies. I also really enjoyed watching this reaction.
Yess! This!!! 👆
Same here. Which is why I’ve watched over like 10 different people’s reaction videos to them seeing this movie specifically (The Green Mile) for their very first time. And EVERY single one of them has absolutely bawled. This movie is SO amazing and made so well that I just love seeing other people see it and experience the emotion of it for the very first time.
Can you imagine the horror if John Coffey hadn’t done to Percy what he did? And if Percy Wetmore were allowed to take that supervisory position overseeing the care of vulnerable mental patients? John didn’t just punish Percy, he SAVED all those poor people who would otherwise have been Percy’s future victims!
In the book there is a caretaker in the old folks home that abuses the elderly patients. Paul actually does think to himself that “this man is a coward, a coward just like Percy”
Also in the novel it was written that the mental hospital burned years later. That also means Percy burned alive trapped there. The ultimate retaliation.
@@Frangorra1210 NO WAY! Really?!? Okay, obviously I have never read the books but that…that…that is so (I hate to say “cool”) but that is so…fitting. I refuse to take pleasure in the death of another human being (don’t mean I don’t WANT to take pleasure in it) but this is a fictional character and I have to admit (I HATE to admit it but truth is truth) I am just…well, JUBILANT at the thought of Percy getting his final, just desserts.
Yeah here's the thing: fitting. All the characters in the novel have their place in the story and their death is due to what they did and how Coffey impacted in their life. I always recommend to read the novel. But for once I recommend to read after watching the movie. The novel says what all the inmates did to be on the Mile; in the movie they wisely avoided because you could not sympathize with them (except Coffey and Wharton for obvious reason). The movie is very aligned with the book, but the book gives all the answers to all the characters' role.
@@Frangorra1210 Thank you for your recommendation. I am now going to make it a point to actually read the thing. Yet again, thank you.
Michael Clarke Duncan was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this performance. It was awarded to Michael Caine for "The Cider House Rules." Mr. Caine is a fine actor, but Mr. Duncan as John Coffey is more memorable.
The Academy Awards are a joke. I stopped watching them long ago knowing them are run by a committee of old cronies who just vote for their friends in the inner circle. That is why other awards were created like the people choice award and Golden Globe. Haley Joel Osman was nominated for The Sixth Sense in the same catorgory but they gave to Michael Caine for an unworthy role in Cider House Rules and a dismal performance not worthy of an Oscar. I saw Cider House Rules and noting about was Oscar worthy. Who even talks about that movie of which there is one reaction where there are dozens of reactions to the Green Mile an The Sixth Sense. People were outraged for this knowing Duncan or Osman deserved the Oscar. Even until this day the Oscar's are damaged goods and lost most of its credibility.
@@mannys4036 Agreed. The Cider House Rules was a decent movie, but nothing special. It is certainly nothing along the lines of The Green Mile, or even The Sixth Sense (a great movie, but it is a fair bit overrated IMO).
What?? I've never even HEARD of that movie. Have you seen it?
@jeffthompson9622 so you never saw "The Cider House Rules" then because if you had you would have seen a marvelous performance from Michael Caine and calling him a fine actor is an insult, he's one of the greatest actors still on this world and won the Oscar fair and square.
@mannys4036 so you didn't see The Cider House Rules either because calling Michael Caines performance a dismal performance is once again a huge insult. It's people like you who give fantastic films a bad name all because you didn't like it GROW UP.
When the other executed inmates were offered a chance to apologize, they said "I'm sorry for what I did". When John Coffey was executed, he said "I'm sorry for what I am".
They took it the same way, and at the end of the day he did it gladly knowing that it would offer the parents some small measure of comfort.
@@mnomadvfx John Coffey didn't say what he said to comfort the parents. He wasn't offering them comfort. He was making a more meaningful statement about what and who he was, and how there was no place for someone like him, in the awful world we have made.
@pullcarsmelly8051 TLDR: Don't try to make your interpretation of art anybody else's.
The beautiful thing about art is that it can be interpreted differently by everyone. For you, it may be that. For them, it may be something else. I can see both sides. For instance, I saw a comment where someone said that he wanted the parents to think their babies' attacker was dead. He didn't want them feeling the hurt of knowing they let that man in their house eating their food at their dinner table before he attacked them. I think that's quite possible.
Yes, I think John knew how much it would crush the parents, especially the father, to find out that he had hired & fed the man that hurt his babies. I can’t imagine what that would do to me as a parent. He let them believe that he was the monster, & gave them some sense of justice.
And what is that supposed to mean?
I am 56 years old and THIS IS ONE of my FAVORITE MOVIES!!!!! Love your reactions!!!
Your face when you connected the dots from the phrase, "I tried to take it back" gave me such pleasure. I'm glad you guys discovered early on, that John was innocent.
Yes! That realization sent me reeling. I immediately stopped feeling guilty for loving him. What an amazing character. When Steven King is good, he's nearly perfect 👍🏼
Yeah, a lot of reactors don’t catch that right away
@@mikeyshowpresents
"When Steven King is good, he's nearly perfect"
To be brutally fair I've read the novel, and it isn't even a patch on the film.
I'd say it's vastly more credit to Michael Clarke Duncan and Frank Darabont in this case.
Likewise with The Shawshank Redemption which was little more than a novella that Darabont et al spun into cinematic gold.
That being said, there are unquestionably Stephen King adaptations for which the film didn't do it justice.
Firestarter the novel for instance is one of my favourite reads of all time (probably the only King book I reread more than once), while the 80s movie was pretty lightweight by comparison, and the modern remake was just awful on multiple levels.
"I couldn't help it. I tried to take it back, but I couldn't."
Yeah - when he heals and says the inverse of that, my jaw dropped open on my first watch. Twists and turns all through the film, even to the very last moment. Chills.
I remember watching this with my sister for the first time and we both looked at each other when he finished healing Paul. Then we both got quiet and sad because we knew he was innocent and he was going to die. We were both BAWLING by that part in the movie and our other sister came in because we were sobbing so loud, she wanted to check in on us. She stared at us and then looked at the screen and after a min, she left saying if she stayed any longer she would end up crying too. 😂
The light from the movie projector surrounds John's head like a halo.
Finally someone noticing that as well!😃
Right as he exclaims that the actors look like "angels up in heaven" no less.
@@mnomadvfx John coffees initials are JC and the symbolism of Pauls character I read represented the centurion who cast the spear into Jesus on the cross who was doomed to walk the earth forever. The movie halo was to represent Jesus or the angelic quality of John. The burn marks on Johns head are like the markings of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore.
It just kills me that on his last walk John is comforting THEM!
That's his gift, magical as well as mundane.😢
Not just the guards, but the twin girls parents too.
He doesn't say "I'm sorry for what I am" to the guards.
He says it to the parents, to give them some small measure of catharsis.
Bruce Willis and Michael Duncan Clarke were friends. Bruce read the script for this film and told Michael the character was a good fit for him. Bruce then called the director about Michael and the rest is history 😊😊😊
Michael Clarke* Duncan
@@pc_buildyb0i935 Noted
RIP Michael Clarke Duncan. You deserve all the praise for this amazing performance in The Green Mile
Don’t forget how good David Morse is in this movie.
Michael Clarke Duncan, who played John Coffey, was 6'5"; the character of John was over 7' in the book. They had to do a good bit of movie magic to make him look even more gigantic than he actually was.
The director is Frank Darabont, who also directed The Shawshank Redemption, another Stephen King story set in a prison.
The tallest was, in fact, James Cromwell.
Rip Michael Clark Duncan
Yes. This is why I get a little giggle when Paul tells Brutus that surely John can't be bigger than him, as David Morse is 6' 4".
@@ChibiHoshiDragon
Jeez at 6ft 7in Cromwell is HUGE!
Frank Darabont doesn’t have many misses. He always gets a deep understanding of the characters and the feelings that he's meant to convey. Underrated director. Never brought up in the names of best directors when it's talked about.
43:34 I personally think John just randomly happened across the 2 girls. He didn’t know Billy had killed them until he saw into Billy's soul when he grabbed John's arm.
Yeah I agree
Yep. That tracks.
I've always said this... I've found my people 😊
That’s what it says in the book. He was traveling along and felt their agony and came to try to heal them. They were already gone and he was crying and holding them when the search party found them.
@@VeryFairygirl14 And they presumably took "I tried to take it back" to mean that he tried to control his urge to hurt them.
John was taking Dales' pain from the execution. That's why he was shaken in the cell and was so tired. Every time he perform a miracle, he tired.
I didn’t even realize that’s what happened. I just thought John could feel what Dale was feeling…That’s even more sad 😭
I think a big thing people miss is "we found each other in the dark" meaning John willingly went into the dark to help her even though he was scared of it.
I read it in another comment: Look at the initials of John: JC.
Then look at his "life", he was described as if he fell from the sky (out of nowhere), hes job was to go around and heal people. In the end he was killed for a crime he didn't commit.
look in to it very well
John was killed without mercy because he was a black
@@clintonitoe3004 plenty of 🤍s were ended in the same way lol not a racial thing. You totally missed the point of the movie, congrats
@@lucianaromulus1408 John Coffey is a character written by STEPHEN KING, there is no coincidence in the fact that he is a black man. The move is commentary on the the hatred of humanity, John literally states this, "it's like that everywhere, all over the world". Stephen personified Jesus's second coming and of course very intentionally made him black, so he again would be a victim of hatred. I implore you to rewatch with all of that in mind, it's a timeless masterpiece for a reason.
@@lucianaromulus1408 Stephen King literally said the premise is "How would Jesus be treated in 1938 America if he came back as a black man".
It's literally a racial metaphor. You people who undermine the racist history of our nation are weird, it happened, it _still_ happens.
Great reaction, guys! What I love is that John not only punished Percy, but saved the people who would have suffered under his "care" at the mental hospital, vulnerable people who nobody would believe or even care if they reported his abuse. I think the actor who played Percy deserves some shine, for doing such an excellent job at making us hate his guts :D
Well, I do not think the actor who played Percy deserves any praise because he wasn't really acting... He is quite the piece of sh*t irl as well. Doug Hutchison, 51 years old, married a 16 years old girl. I've seen news and some clips of them together. The way he looks at his child bride is quite disturbing... Him and Percy are quite literally the same person.
@@iulia.bianca.b You’re right. He still did a great job at portraying a godforsaken piece of sh!t character. It may not have been a reach, granted. Still, Doug Hutchison DID make us hate Percy. (Ironically, as you have already insightfully pointed out, he ALSO made us hate DOUG HUTCHISON)!
When John transferred (disease) to Percy, he also showed him what Wild Bill had done. Percy's single redeeming moment, although hardly of his own volition, was making sure Wild Bill couldn't (for example) escape punishment. Perhaps on appeal.
Was this in the books?
No, it wasn't. He was a blank faced, slack jawed catatonic from the moment John let him go until the day he died. In the book he shot Wild Bill while he was still sleeping, then he wet & shit himself, coughed up the stuff, and that was the last time he ever did anything besides stand around drooling on himself. All the description of his demeanor in that scene was about how "not there" he seemed, zero emotion.
@alanfoster6589. I never looked at it that way. Wild Bill had humiliated Percy two or three times. I looked at it as revenge by Percy for being humiliated. Nice to think about another possibility.
In the book Percy shoots wild bill when he's sleeping.
I like that you guys pause to discuss the movie! I feel like reactors miss a lot when they don't pause what they're watching before they talk about it.
I adore the fact that, unlike most cuts that reactors post, they kept the whole line at the end.
Most live out the part of "if a mouse lived for this long, how much do i have" and only put the part of "the green mile feels so long".
Its important to let the line as a whole because thats what makes it fenomenal.
Yes! I hate when reactors don't pause when commenting
Another great Stephen King novella to movie is The Shawshank Redemption. Also directed and screenplay by Frank Darabont like The Green MIle. Considered best movie by many. Really enjoyed your reaction. Thank you.
Michael Clarke Duncan. What a performance. Taken too soon. Cast Away is another good Tom Hanks movie.
Cast Away was one of the worst films I ever saw. I fell asleep with all the dribble. It did win a couple of awards but not the Oscars. If Tom Hanks was not in this movie it would have been long forgotten.
@@mannys4036 Really?! I absolutely loved it!
@@mannys4036It may well be that without Tom Hanks Cast Away would not have worked. It's no small feat for a single actor to carry a narrative all by himself for almost an entire movie. I do agree that a lesser actor than Hanks could not have pulled it off. But with Hanks, it was magnificent.
A suggestion: rewatch Castaway as if you KNOW his g/f is cheating on him. A whole other film awaits oh and assume he suspects.
@@DawnSuttonfabfourwtf. That’s a different angle to think about. I’ve never thought that & don’t believe that would work. Why would you think like that?
I seen that movie 100 times and it gets me everytime. Especially the ending and the part of the vision of those poor little girls have me crying.
Not ashamed to admit I cried watching you guys react to this movie. Best reaction channel out there!
I can't remember if you guys said if you'd watched The Shawshank Redemption or not, but if not it is a MUST watch. Absolute masterpiece and for me it's easily the best film I have ever watched. Same director/writer as this film as well, which will be quite apparent if/when you watch it.
Brilliant reaction by the way, the end always gets the tears rolling for me
How to know a movie is a masterpiece? It has Tom Hanks in it.
@@darkwillow1451 Why do people always think that The Shawshank Redemption has Tom Hanks in it? 😅 Is it because Tim Robbins looks a bit like Tom Hanks?
@@iulia.bianca.b no no. It doesnt. It has the next best thing, Morgan Freeman :)))) though he did had one bad movie... that "now you see me" piece of crap.
I wongly posted my comment as a reply instead of directly as a comment
I like the way you IMMEDIATELY know what Coffey can do help (Mr. Jingles, Melinda Moores,etc), and you enthusiastically encourage the characters as though they can hear you: "Oh! Give him the mouse! GIVE HIM THE MOUSE!! HURRY!!!"
Hee hee! Could not help it, that movie pulls you right in!
This was a great reaction! The whole "We found each other in the dark" bit, along with Bitterbuck's speech, get me every time. This movie is a masterpiece.
I’ve seen this movie so many times. Each time it tugs at my heart but it’s so beautiful at the same time.
Stephen King is an absolute national treasure. His horror, suspense, fantasy and drama writings are the best books I've ever read. I have every single book he's ever written. His ability to touch us this way with this story is just masterful. King is the GOAT! I really enjoyed y'alls reactions. New sub. I look forward to more of your content!
Thank you so much for your sub - Mikey
Yes sir my favorite author... he can have you on a roller coaster of emotions. The Dark Towers was the best series to me.
I’m the book “The Lord of the Flies” The Devil or rather Beelzebub, is known as “the Lord of the Flies”. So I always made that connection to this story when Coffey takes pain, and turns it into flies, he’s absorbing the darkness within someone and releasing it as flies...
Oh, hey! I just made a similar comment! I felt kinda awkward because I thought I might have been going out on a limb. It’s nice and SO comforting to know somebody else had the same thought I did!
You rock! (And by that I mean “we rock” and by that I mean “I rock” and by that I mean I am cool and awesome and clever and definitely not overcompensating and desperately seeking attention. But this is not hubris! I really am quite humble. In fact, I dare say I’m more humble than Jesus!)
I’m gonna burn in Hell.
@@JohnWelsh-oz3jzI hope you DON'T burn in hell; I don't wish THAT on anyone!
Except for Percy & Wild Bill..
I've always thought that one of the main messages of this book and film is that people pray and wish for a true miracle, but a true miracle could not survive us. It's a dark message, but the idea that humanity is so far gone that even something purely good meant to help us sees the world and it's residents as a burden and cannot survive us makes this story all the more powerful and sad. The silver lining in the story is that there are those (such as the guards) that realize this, but still represent the willingness and hope that we can change.
This is the first reaction I've seen from you guys. I love your setup and how you pause the movie to talk about certain points rather than talking over everything. New subscriber and I look forward to seeing more.
Thank you so much for your sub, that means so much to us. - Mikey
I absolutely love this movie. R.I.P Mr. Duncan
Same
When I saw this at the movies, a couple had their mother with them. When John was executed, they had to take the mother who was an elderly lady, out of the theater. She was over come with what seemed to be grief!
I feel that. Well crafted movies can hit you like real life... sometimes harder than real life. Despite being so overcome, she was given a gift. I don't care if a movie makes me happy, sad, grief stricken, elated, but it must do SOMETHING to move me. If it does, that's a success. - - Sean
@@mikeyshowpresents I felt everything watching that movie. I still do. Even after all these years!
I've probably got a few years on both y'all. Michael Clark Duncan was 6' 5". He passed away 2012 at 54. He was so good in this role. RIP Michael. Remember, this is 1935. Percy has "short man" issues. They didn't have antibiotics, like we do now, in 1935. Remember, this movie is adapted from a Stephen King novel. It's going to be a little strange. John just found the girls.
For the scene in the jail cell, when John shakes Paul’s hand, they had John on a small stool, Brutal flat foot on the ground, and Paul in a small trench to really exaggerate the size differences.
I saw this at the show when it came out in 99 and yes I'm your age. Amazing movie and what a cast of actors. John Coffey deserved the Academy Award that year
The sincerity and truth of this movie made me cry like a baby after I watched it. The truths and realities were too much.
Thank you, guys. Your reaction has been one of the most relatable and beautiful I've seen. It's been so great that I felt like you were friends of mine, even if I don't know you.
Well we are your friends! We like to think of all MSPers as our friends. - Mikey
Amen🙏🏽
The Green Mile has a more spiritual meaning. The position of the desk and the light shining through the windows onto the floor is significant to the story. The name John Coffey (JC) is intentional as are the scars on John's body.
Could you elaborate? I’d love a little more insight
Look at John's "life", he was described as if he fell from the sky (out of nowhere), hes job was to go around and heal people. In the end he was killed for a crime he didn't commit.
Delacroix is French for Of the Cross.
Del and Bitterbuck were two guilty men executed before Coffey; Jesus was crucified with two guilty men.
Blacks were the subjugated people and wouldn't have received a fair shake; Jews were subjugated by the Romans.
Coffey died for the crime of another; Jesus died for the Sins of others
There is apocryphal writing that says that the unknown Roman soldier, Longinus, was cursed to wander the earth eternally in a miserable life of toil and suffering because he pierced the side of Jesus.
@jebronlames4600 the story is adapted from the crucifixion of christ. The scars were from when the centurions whipped and beat christ as he carried the cross to his crucifixion. John Coffey = Jesus Christ.
If you imagine the mouse being 40 times as old as mice usually get in human care, and if Coffey's magic was working proportionally on him, Paul Edgecomb will live for 3 thousand years.
Two or three years ago at work we hit a lull and I remember talking to friend of mine about this movie. Long story/short according to our calculations we figured it would be a MINIMUM of over two thousand years. Three thousand years, however, sounds most likely.
He already looks like he's in his 80s though when he's 108. His bodies not going to last that long. They should have used a younger actor because it looks like he's only aging about 27% slower than other humans .
One part that always tears me up is the scene when John heals Melinda and she explains to him how they found each other, etc. So powerful.
1. YOU WILL CRY😭😭😭😭
2. Dabbs Greer/old Paul was ill during production, so his part was done later. He also played Reverend Alden on "Little House on the Prairie".
3. Hammersmith was not a good lawyer. (most likely a racial thing. It was 1935 South.)
4. In the book King briefly covers why the Chief and Del are on death row.
5. This movie was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (MCD)😇 and Best Cast but unfortunately neither won.😭😭
6. Players in other King adaptations: Jeffery DeMunn: Shawshank Redemption, The Mist,
Storm of the Century and William Sadler: Shawshank Redemption, The Mist. David Morse: The Langoliers. Patricia Clarkson played Margarat White in King's remake of Carrie". Needless to say, it was a much different part.
7. Goof: Electricity makes the body contract. Del wouldn't be able to scream. I know it' just for the movie because of the length of the execution scene.
8. IRL James Cromwell is a vegan and didn't want to grill meat for the BBQ scene but
was told that in 1935 people actually ate meat so he agreed to have some on the grill.
9. RE Percy: Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. KARMA's a Bitch. BTW Kudos to Doug Hutchison for the great job of playing Percy.👌EVERYONE hates him.
10. John also rescues the other patients at Briar Ridge.
11. IRL both David Morse and James Cromwell are about the same height as Michael Clark Duncan (RIP). They used planks, a small bed and smaller chair along with trick photography/angles to make John look taller.
12 The scene where John takes Mr. Jingles for safe keeping before Del's execution, they used a real mouse, and it pooped on Paul's shoulder, and he brushed it off.
13. Now we know what the "leftover is fine" dry toast is for.
14 EVERYBODY cries and has to take time to reflect. Congratulations you just experienced.
the GREATEST MOVIE EVER. (GOAT)
15. 4 words for you: Stephen King. You're WELCOME!
Great insights on the movie!! - Mikey
Alright somebody give mikey a hug. I appreciate any reactor who open with how this movie makes em feel. Give these fellas some comfort and maybe a cold one. Take care fellas both of yall.
“He killed them with their love, that’s how it is everyday all over the world” and that’s exactly what’s happening in that scene. They grew to care for him and saw the good in him. They ended up killing him with love in their hearts for him and his good nature and innocence
This was my first introduction to your content and it was a glorious watch. I adore this film, but watching you guys react to it was a dopamine filled excursion! Thank you!
Awesome! Thank you!
did you know who was also was considered to play the role of john coffey
shaquille o'neal
and also some fun facts for yall
1.Fifteen mice were used in the movie. Each spent months being trained to do different tricks
2. In the scene where Hanks swipes his shoulder after the mouse has been on him, this wasn't in the script. He was genuinely pooped on by Mr Jingles
One thing people don't consider about Stephen King writing is that the assumption of horror means there has to be a monster. But there are other horror elements like being forced to out live you loved ones. Or unable to save an innocent life that you could reach. One of King's strength in writing is not the super natural but his ability to capture our humanity. The good and the bad with obvious dichotomy of prison guards representing humanity. John being clearly a powerful entity what ever he was yet he was powerless at the same time.
Beautiful reaction. Thank you both❤
Our pleasure!
The exhaled "flies" represent whatever JC has "taken back" (removed from the sufferer). Or in Percy's case, later, transferred to another. They comprise a visual representation of the extracted (or delivered) disease.
Yes. That’s true. Now the question becomes, “Why flies?” (Stay with me here. I’m kinda thinkin’ this out as I type). Okay, once upon a time people thought all bad things such as disease, death, and misfortune were all caused by demons, right? So now when I hear “demon” I think of names like Lucifer, Satan, Leviathan, & (specifically) Beelzebub. HEY! Waitaminute! “Beelzebub?” Wasn’t he known as “the lord of the flies?” So now here (finally!) is my point: I think (I could be TOTALLY wrong!) that when John Coffey (J.C. a.k.a. JESUS CHRIST) heals someone; he is drawing out the evil, the “demon,” that plagues them! He then expels it in the form that physically best matches its spiritual nature: flies.
I actually think of it as "negative energy" or "dark energy", which generates illness or injury (maybe "generates" isn't the best word; "generated by", perhaps?), and John Coffey absorbs it, neutralizes it, and disperses it.
ive watched this movie years ago with my grandmother.. i am 33 now in 2024 and its one of the best movies i seen.
50-something subscriber here - I agree getting old is not fun but it beats the alternative ;D
This is my All Time favorite Tom Hanks movie, All the actors are Brilliant. The story line is Brilliant.
💯
I am always amazed when first time viewers who watch this movie realize that it's not just a movie about prison guards and death row inmates....then, BAM, you're suddenly confronted that it's also has a supernatural aspect. Genius writing.
The one thing that I cannot seem to find an answer to is why didn't the other guard who was helping Percy strap on the head piece say something about there not being any water on the sponge. It looks as if he noticed but didn't say anything,
It's possible they were distracted or upset about Percy's comment to Del about there being no Mouseville.
Fun fact, prior to this Michael Clarke Duncan was just hired musle/security. At that he time he'd been working for Bruce Willis who recommended him to Frank data out ( walking dead, the must a WHOLE BUNCH of other king 📖⏭🎥adaptations) so this was actually his first ever role, he got an Oscar nom for IT too! Truly R.I.P.
18:54 “it’s like me without my adderall” 🤣🤣😂 SAME DUDE….SAME!
ADHD club!
Truly one of the greatest movies ever made. I have watched it several times and every time it breaks my heart all over again. It really is a masterpiece, a beautiful story of a beautiful man with a beautiful heart.
It’s when John Coffey says the night before his execution that he’s tired of all the pain and hurt that my eyes well with tears.
Love your reactions to one if my favorite movies, i readbthe book first, which as usual goes deep explanation. . But the movie is Awsome ! Cant go wrong with Stephen King
John didnt work for them. He just showed up like an angel to help.
💯🙏🏼
54:04 “We each owe a death: there are no exceptions.” 😭
Actor Michael Clarke Duncan who played John Coffey was 6'5" in real life. The scenes where he appears really tall, he was actually walking on a platform.
The religous symbolism, emotions, characters and themes, well just everything in this movie is so beautiful and well done. Truly one of the best and up there with my favourite movies ever made
Tell you what guys I’m 61. I’ve seen this movie a bunch of times. I’ve watched a lot of reactors react to this movie but I enjoyed yours very much. I just subscribed I cried right along with you guys.
Thank you so much for your kind words and thank you so much for your subscription, it means so much to us. - Mikey
When Paul (Tom Hanks) tells John, right before carrying out the execution "May God have mercy on your soul" you could tell from his eyes that he was really saying "May God have mercy on MY soul".
Not my thoughts, but someone on another channel said if you notice when Eduard De la Croix gave his speech, he said im sorry for what i do (did), and when Jon gave his speech he said I'm sorry for what i am. Gets me every time.
My all time favorite move since the first time I saw it was a teenager. In my opinion, this is the best movie of all time. The only movie I can keep on watching again and again after every few years and experience the same feelings I experienced the first time I saw it.
I was born in ‘74. Fun Fact: If ever saw Little House on the Prairie, then notice the old Paul in this movie played Reverend Alden in Little House
You’re the same age as my little sister!
I knew he looked familiar!!!!!!!!! I’ve seen this movie a zillion times and never noticed it !! It’s been a while since I’ve seen Little house on the prairie but I used to watch it all the time when I was a kid !
You guys are great! I'm very pleased I found this channel. Have you guys ever seen "Field of Dreams" (1989) or "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" (2001)? I think those would be right up your guys' alley!
Thank you for the $2 holler!!! - Mikey
Fun fact: the actor who plays the older version of Tom Hanks' character in the beginning was the same actor who played the reverend in Little House On The Prairie.
John isn't slow.
Racial segregation and prejudice of the time period would have conditioned him to be extra polite and accommodating to avoid harassment. Especially since they are police.
He is kind and patient by nature, but he's smart enough to know that making enemies with white guards on arrival would only lead him to more suffering.
Edit: my friend in highschool had a few pet rats, they were so cute and friendly. They would crawl up your sleeves and take naps in the crook of your elbow.
Simply one of if not the best movies ever made
That movie is a f*cking masterpiece
My Wife and I saw this movie in the theater when it came out. The effect on the audience was amazing. When dale got burnt to a crisp the audience reaction was one of absolute horror. But when they came to John Coffey's execution, I felt so sorry for the guards especially Paul. But when they threw the switch on John there wasn't a dry eye in the theater. Paul had two lines that have stuck with me to this day. First when he asked John "when I stand before God and he asks why I killed one of his true miracles, What, am I going to say to him"". and second, if he can make mouse live so long, how much longer do I have"? I find myself wondering how long John Coffey Lived and had been walking the earth by the time he was executed? 100, 200, 300 years? This movie still invokes very strong emotion is this old combat ver.
I have seen this movie at least 15 times. Yet here I sit, watching you guys enjoy one of the best movies of all time.
I was 11 years old when I first saw this movie back in 2000. I had school the next day but for some reason this movie caught my eye and I ended up staying late watching it. When John coffey death came on I couldn't hold it. I cried my heart out. My dad came in my room in a panic when he heard me. When he saw me on the carpet Infront of the TV and saw what I was watching he just sat down next to me. I'm 35 years old now. And every time I see someone react to this movie and John's death comes on I can't help but shed tears and cry almost the same way like when I was 11 years old.
That is one of the best stories! 😢
@@mikeyshowpresents it's the truth . Gems like this should never be forgotten.
This is one of the best movie descriptions/reactions I've seen recently. Thank you.
"Its like mentally he has something going on"
I like the way that King described Coffey in the novel, " He looked like he could have snapped the chains
that held him as easily as you might snap the ribbons on a Christmas present, but when you looked in his
face, you knew he wasn't going to do anything like that. It wasn't dull-although that was what Percy
thought, it wasn't long before Percy was calling him the ijit - but lost. He kept looking around as if to
make out where he was. Maybe even who he was. My first thought was that he looked like a black
Samson ... only after Delilah had shaved him smooth as her faithless little hand and taken all the fun out
of him."
Coffey seems to be like someone whose mind is partially lost in a fog and the fog only seems to clear when he senses an urgent need close by. He seems like a benevolent trouble-seeking missile, always moving towards those in peril to help them.
Love this
Just great boys, just great. New subscriber as a result. I'd love to see a Shawshank Redemption reaction as another Stephen King movie and First Blood if you've not seen it. Keep up the great work!
We have been hearing Shawshank a lot so we will definitely consider that. Thank you so much for your subscription. - Mikey
@@mikeyshowpresents You're welcome, I'm looking forward to whatever you do next.
"He's paid what he owes. He's squared with the house."
Great line great attitude
Great Reaction! Looking forward to see other reactions to other classics. Like Shawshank Redemption.
Michael Clarke Duncan was 6’5”, the same height as the actor playing Brutal. They used risers and camera angles to make him appear taller.
Awesome reaction. Subscribed. One additional point to keep in mind. I saw another commenter (Poor Finian) mention in a different reaction that a urinary tract infection had no cure in the 1930s, so even going to the doctor probably wouldn't help much. The first antibiotic, penicillin, was only discovered in 1928 and wasn't used on a patient in the U.S. until 1942.
We have been hearing from various people that they just didn’t have the medication available at that time. Thank you so much for your subscription it means a lot. - Mikey
Yay! It's great to see you two back. You are one of my top channels I look forward to.
I just found your channel and LOVED your commentaries! My understanding of what John Coffey (J.C. 😉) did to Percy is this: yes, he did transfer the cancer to him. Hal talked about the behavioral changes the tumor caused in Melinda, some of which we could also see onscreen: lack of impulse control, fits of anger, confusion... Percy was already a monster, but with the complete erasure of any impulse control, he was able to shoot and kill Wild Bill without a second thought. After this was done, we see the cancer in the form of the mysterious gnat-like critters/particles, leave his body. However, because John Coffey has divine powers (the laying of hands to heal, the absorption of pain/suffering through the laying of hands, supernatural empathy wherein he can physically experience pain and suffering from afar, clairvoyance such as when he sees Bill's crimes after Bill grabs his arm) John has not only the ability, but the authority to exact justice on evildoers. When Percy is catatonic even after the cancer left his body, this points to me that John Coffey's purity/holiness was too much for a mortal to walk away from, unscathed. John Coffey gave him the fear of God! 😂 It was unfiltered and complete. Percy saw the perfection of God, RIGHT NEXT to the severity of his own evil! He's lucky he didn't die on the spot. 😂😂😂
This movie... is one of my favorites. Thank you... I enjoyed watching parts of it again with you guys... I seem to delight in the torment of watching people react to this movie. I don't know what it is. But this movie is so wonderfully done... from the acting to the music, the directing... the whole thing start to finish... I do not think that it could have been done any better. You really feel it ... the suffering... the pain... the joy... the miracles... all of it. Even from the actors who played the parents of the two girls... you feel it.
No matter how many times I was asked what my favourite movies are, The Green Mile is always in my top 5.
The acting, across the board, in this movie is something else.
Fakking phenomenal performance of everyone involved.
An absolute MASTERPIECE!!!!
22:07 I love your guys’ raw reactions so much! You never fail to truly WATCH a movie. Very observant of details even ones people don’t usually care about!
With Percy, couldn’t have happened to a better person
The compassion you two have is so beautiful to see. This channel is amazing! Please never stop reacting!!
Loved your reaction - it's definitely one of MCD's best performances. Some interesting info: Most of the guards' tears during the execution was very real. In fact, the actor who plays the guard, Dean, was practically sobbing as they filmed it.
Here's an interesting fact about the age element. An average house mouse lives about 2 years. Mr. Jingles died at 64 (it says in the book). That's 32 times the lifespan of a normal mouse. In 1930s USA, the average lifespan of a man was 63.5 years. By that math, Paul Edgecombe (Tom's character) could possibly live for over 2,000 years. That's one hell of an accidental curse.
Here's some additional disturbing info - almost no one else had a peaceful death. A lot of the people who could have stopped the execution, or delayed it, did die soon after it. The warden (whose wife John healed) died 9 years later of a stroke. His wife died of a heart attack a year later. Dean (the younger guard who doesn't sneak John out with the others) is killed by a prisoner 4 months after the execution. The sheriff, who was a massive racist in the book and that arrested John, died of a heart attack shortly after the execution while having relations with an underage African American girl. Even the little girls' parents didn't get off unscathed. The mom died of a heart attack and the dad died barely a month after the execution of a stroke.
Brutus, the tall guard, lived into his fifties and died 25 years after the execution of a heart attack. Percy died 33 years later in a mental hospital (I think his initial punishment may have been considered "enough"). Harry, the last of the guards, lived for another 50 years before dying of cancer.
The Green Mile actually takes place in the same universe as several of Stephen King's other books, including Carrie, IT, and The Shining. This was John's power, or his Shine.
That is some really incredible insight on the film. I didn’t know any of the things that you described here. Thank you so much and if you haven’t already please consider subscribing! - Mikey
@@mikeyshowpresents Done and done!
fantastic movie, and a tear jerker, I have seen this a lot, and cry at it everytime I watch it. The Urinary infection Tom Hanks describes in this movie is 100% acurite, it is like pi$$ing razor blades, take it from someone disabled 34 years who has had multiple urine infections over the years, and the relief of getting over the infection has the same great look as Tom Hanks has in this movie.
the fist time i watched this movie it was on two two vhs taps and me and my wife watched it twice
Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this but he is a classic sin eater. I am aware of the JC connection but this is also a talent in the typical sin eater realm but fairly strong but not unheard of.
I recommend watching "Field of Dreams". Another awesome movie.
Will do!