One of the most mesmerizing performances I've ever seen from Tom Hanks was on the big screen version of Stephen King's book.
The Green Mile was not overtly terrifying as King's usual stuff but I had to reconsider a lot about my life.If you don't know, the movie follows the story of a group of Death Row guards who are introduced to a hulking black man who is accused heinous acts. SPOILERS AHEAD. But the movie had a bunch of cool things that happened behind the scenes, like...
1. The electrocution creeped out Stephen King. Stephen King sat in the electrocution chair, "Old Sparky," and was strapped in during a set visit but didn't like the feeling.
Tom Hanks said he didn't feel right sitting in the chair too.
2. There's a 2013 Reddit thread trying to figure out just how old the 108-year-old Paul will live after being given unnatural long life by John Coffey’s power.
The character wonders how long he has to live for. The theory uses the magically-infected mouse Mr. Jingles. Answers vary from 200 to 10 quadrillion years.
3. The intimidating yet gentile inmate John Coffey was difficult to cast so Bruce Willis stepped in and said he had just worked with Michael Clarke Duncan on Armageddon and said he was a boss.
Bruce told the director, "I've found your John Coffey." Director Frank Darabont too thought he was a boss.
4. There were 30... THIRTY different Mr. Jingles were trained for this movie, apparently.
Although estimates have the number of trained mice pegged at 15.
5. John Coffey AKA Michael Clarke Duncan ain't that tall.
They need Coffey to be 7 feet tall but Duncan was 6'5" which is two inches shorter than co-star James Cromwell. So they used camera angles and placing the actors strategically in the shot to get the look.
6. At nearly three hours, the movie is LOOOOOOOONG but Tom Hanks defends it saying “Hey, it's more movie for your dollar! It's like an extra inning. Wow! Now you can get a whole evening of entertainment!”
7. Tom Hanks was supposed to play his older self but the old-age makeup wasn't great.
So Darabont cast 82-year-old Dabbs Greer as the 108-year-old Paul Edgecomb, too.
8. Spike Lee criticized the movie because John Coffey fits the bill for a the trope of "magic Negro" who only exists to improve the lives of the white characters.
The vocal critic of the depiction of African American men and women in Hollywood productions was not thrilled.
9. There was an urban legend that because the production for the movie was one month behind schedule so the director allegedly threw a prop doghouse in a fit of rage.
In the movie’s audio commentary, Darabont denied doing that and said the urban legend came from Entertainment Weekly.
10. Tom Hanks said it REALLY felt like being in a prison because most of the movie was filmed on a Hollywood soundstage that was only about 1,000 square feet.
Some exterior shots were filmed in Nashville.
11. While Tom Hanks was holding one of the mice playing Mr. Jingles, one of them pooped on his hand. PS this is not Tom Hanks.
They kept that scene in the movie.
GREEN MILE!
12. Tom Hanks had to gain a bunch of weight for the role but lost it while shooting Cast Away.
Actress Bonnie Hunt had to gain 15 pounds and jokes, "It only took half an hour.”
13. Every Friday, the entire crew was treated to a meal on set by Tom Hanks.
Tom Hanks treated the entire crew to a meal every Friday night on set.
I love this movie!! And you should re-watch, watch, read The Green Mile. Like, now.
COMMENTand tell us what you think of The Green Mile!
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