Michael-Duncan Movie Reviews

So what is the incredible draw this show seems to exert? As one viewer said during an interview, we love to watch people who are doing the same thing we are doing in homes just like ours. (Remember how popular "The Honeymooners" was?) Now that Acorn Media (bless 'em) has released a two-DVD set called "This Is Coronation Street" (AMP-6196), I had the chance to watch the first 5 black and white episodes and a 75 minute documentary about the history of this remarkable show.

When the fifth episode ended with the police at the door and looking for one of the younger characters, I have to admit I was angry that I could not see the sixth one and after that the seventh, right up to wherever they are now. The only actress I recognized was a daughter who just left her Polish husband and announces she is pregnant, which reunites them. (Her name is Anne Cunningham and I remembered her from an old "Avengers" episode and one from "Are You Being Served?"). The rest were unknown to me, and I found this a great advantage since I was able to see them as real people and not as actors whom I recognized from other roles.

First of all, I would recommend this as a Must to all sociology and British history majors since it accurately portrays life in northern England as it was in 1960 and as it changed down through the years. Obviously film and drama majors must watch to see how a writer can "get them where they live." Psychology majors will love to see the public's reaction to the jailing of one of the main characters. (If any of you has seen the bonus material on the 1967 "Forsyte Saga" tapes I so highly recommended a while ago, you will recall how the Brits reacted to the Rape Scene. Funny what people consider to be worth arguing about.)

As for the rest of us, lovers of good soap operas will adore not only the first five episodes but also the history of this show. In short, there are very few who will not love this Acorn Media set. Perhaps they will now issue a companion set about "East Enders."

The Green Mile is not a film that can be easily described. All of the characters are important. If there is a plot, it is submerged beneath a dozen important sub-plots. The characters are what keep us entranced during this three-hour celebration of morality. Our point of view is firmly glued to the senior guard on the Green Mile, Paul Edgecomb, played with feeling by Tom Hanks. Paul is a good man, surviving the great depression in a less than attractive job. We are witness to his strength early in the film as he deals with an excruciating urinary tract infection. This strength is displayed in other ways as the story progresses.

Based on a series of Stephen King novellas, we are not surprised when a new inmate arrives who fails to fit into any kind of prison mold. John Coffey, (J.C. - get it?), is a mountain of a man who exudes innocence and peace in equal measures. Every day that he stays on the row, increases Paul's belief that Coffey was wrongly convicted of killing two little girls. It is only after Coffey displays a miraculous healing gift that Paul starts to question the status quo.

But Paul's redemptive efforts, and even his work, are constantly hampered by a junior guard, Percy Wetmore, (Doug Hutchison). Percy is well connected in political circles and uses this form of protection to free his base desires. He likes to humiliate, frighten and hurt other people, never a good combination in a prison guard. Luckily, Percy is well matched by Paul Edgecomb. We have confidence that Paul will eventually master Percy.

Balance seems to be important in the story because just as Paul and Percy struggle on opposite sides of morality, John Coffey is soon introduced to his opposite, William "Wild Bill" Wharton, (Sam Rockwell). Wharton is a thoroughly evil man. Not content with enjoying his own warped hobbies, he seems driven to spread as much suffering as inhumanly possible. Unconcerned with his impending execution, he takes every opportunity to attack the guards. We even feel some sympathy for Percy when he comes within the diseased reach of Wharton.

All the support roles are outstanding, although Graham Green's character, Arlen Bitterbuck, was not so memorable. I'd like to especially praise David Morse, who plays Brutus, Paul's right hand man; and Michael Jeter, playing a Cajun prisoner, Eduard Delacroix, who has a comic dose of eccentricity. Eduard introduces another minor character, Mr Jangles the mouse.

There is a lot of symbolism in The Green Mile. The mouse, eventually adopted by Eduard, seems to represent freedom. He comes and goes without restriction. He can't be trapped and he enjoys life, as expressed through his simple circus tricks. Coffey's healing power clearly represents good or perhaps the power of God. The ephemeral black insects he releases after absorbing disease, imply more than illness. Perhaps sickness is supposed to be an evil of the body. Sadly, Coffey eventually embodies pure goodness in our minds, and then he renounces the world and its ubiquitous evil. We are almost convinced there is no hope in our lives but luckily, Paul's strength shows us that hope can never fully disappear.

In the end, a film that might have centered on the morality of the death penalty, takes us in another direction entirely. Our focus is always Paul Edgecomb. His moral strength and eventual spiritual test are offered to us as a testimony. Hank's performance forces us to examine our own lives. Can we recognize the good in those around us and, more importantly, can we resist the evil?

John Coffey, as played by Micheal Clarke Duncan in a beautiful performance, is a man who physically feels the pain of the wrongs people do to each other. "I am tired of all the uglyness people do to each other", he is a man who feels the pain of all humanity's wrong doings. His size is symbolic of that, expressing years of absorbed pain. Now tired, constantly in tears, all he wants in the world is the ability to "take it back", undo everyone else's wrongs.

The Green Mile contains another pleasant surprise, Tom Hanks. After a last couple of years of playing characters with no edge, his Paul Edgecomb is a moraly conflicted man capable of violence, revenge and guilt. Welcome back Tom.

Amazing how this film balances all the different tones it does. One particular sequence involving the rehearsal of an execution will have you laughing out loud, only to be in shocked disbeleif at the actual execution just minutes later. A point of contention about this film is the nessecity of the present day framing sequences, and although I usually don't like this device, I think it works well here giving the story a larger scope, magnifying the effects of John Coffey.

Frank Darabont's last film was The Shawshank Redemption, one of the best films of the 1990s and obviously a hard act to follow. The Green Mile is not as good as that, but it is a moving, powerful and unique film in its own right. Don't miss this.

The Green Mile is not a film that can be easily described. All of the characters are important. If there is a plot, it is submerged beneath a dozen important sub-plots. The characters are what keep us entranced during this three-hour celebration of morality. Our point of view is firmly glued to the senior guard on the Green Mile, Paul Edgecomb, played with feeling by Tom Hanks. Paul is a good man, surviving the great depression in a less than attractive job. We are witness to his strength early in the film as he deals with an excruciating urinary tract infection. This strength is displayed in other ways as the story progresses.

Based on a series of Stephen King novellas, we are not surprised when a new inmate arrives who fails to fit into any kind of prison mold. John Coffey, (J.C. - get it?), is a mountain of a man who exudes innocence and peace in equal measures. Every day that he stays on the row, increases Paul's belief that Coffey was wrongly convicted of killing two little girls. It is only after Coffey displays a miraculous healing gift that Paul starts to question the status quo.

But Paul's redemptive efforts, and even his work, are constantly hampered by a junior guard, Percy Wetmore, (Doug Hutchison). Percy is well connected in political circles and uses this form of protection to free his base desires. He likes to humiliate, frighten and hurt other people, never a good combination in a prison guard. Luckily, Percy is well matched by Paul Edgecomb. We have confidence that Paul will eventually master Percy.

Balance seems to be important in the story because just as Paul and Percy struggle on opposite sides of morality, John Coffey is soon introduced to his opposite, William "Wild Bill" Wharton, (Sam Rockwell). Wharton is a thoroughly evil man. Not content with enjoying his own warped hobbies, he seems driven to spread as much suffering as inhumanly possible. Unconcerned with his impending execution, he takes every opportunity to attack the guards. We even feel some sympathy for Percy when he comes within the diseased reach of Wharton.

All the support roles are outstanding, although Graham Green's character, Arlen Bitterbuck, was not so memorable. I'd like to especially praise David Morse, who plays Brutus, Paul's right hand man; and Michael Jeter, playing a Cajun prisoner, Eduard Delacroix, who has a comic dose of eccentricity. Eduard introduces another minor character, Mr Jangles the mouse.

There is a lot of symbolism in The Green Mile. The mouse, eventually adopted by Eduard, seems to represent freedom. He comes and goes without restriction. He can't be trapped and he enjoys life, as expressed through his simple circus tricks. Coffey's healing power clearly represents good or perhaps the power of God. The ephemeral black insects he releases after absorbing disease, imply more than illness. Perhaps sickness is supposed to be an evil of the body. Sadly, Coffey eventually embodies pure goodness in our minds, and then he renounces the world and its ubiquitous evil. We are almost convinced there is no hope in our lives but luckily, Paul's strength shows us that hope can never fully disappear.

In the end, a film that might have centered on the morality of the death penalty, takes us in another direction entirely. Our focus is always Paul Edgecomb. His moral strength and eventual spiritual test are offered to us as a testimony. Hank's performance forces us to examine our own lives. Can we recognize the good in those around us and, more importantly, can we resist the evil?

John Coffey, as played by Micheal Clarke Duncan in a beautiful performance, is a man who physically feels the pain of the wrongs people do to each other. "I am tired of all the uglyness people do to each other", he is a man who feels the pain of all humanity's wrong doings. His size is symbolic of that, expressing years of absorbed pain. Now tired, constantly in tears, all he wants in the world is the ability to "take it back", undo everyone else's wrongs.

The Green Mile contains another pleasant surprise, Tom Hanks. After a last couple of years of playing characters with no edge, his Paul Edgecomb is a moraly conflicted man capable of violence, revenge and guilt. Welcome back Tom.

Amazing how this film balances all the different tones it does. One particular sequence involving the rehearsal of an execution will have you laughing out loud, only to be in shocked disbeleif at the actual execution just minutes later. A point of contention about this film is the nessecity of the present day framing sequences, and although I usually don't like this device, I think it works well here giving the story a larger scope, magnifying the effects of John Coffey.

Frank Darabont's last film was The Shawshank Redemption, one of the best films of the 1990s and obviously a hard act to follow. The Green Mile is not as good as that, but it is a moving, powerful and unique film in its own right. Don't miss this.

The Green Mile is not a film that can be easily described. All of the characters are important. If there is a plot, it is submerged beneath a dozen important sub-plots. The characters are what keep us entranced during this three-hour celebration of morality. Our point of view is firmly glued to the senior guard on the Green Mile, Paul Edgecomb, played with feeling by Tom Hanks. Paul is a good man, surviving the great depression in a less than attractive job. We are witness to his strength early in the film as he deals with an excruciating urinary tract infection. This strength is displayed in other ways as the story progresses.

Based on a series of Stephen King novellas, we are not surprised when a new inmate arrives who fails to fit into any kind of prison mold. John Coffey, (J.C. - get it?), is a mountain of a man who exudes innocence and peace in equal measures. Every day that he stays on the row, increases Paul's belief that Coffey was wrongly convicted of killing two little girls. It is only after Coffey displays a miraculous healing gift that Paul starts to question the status quo.

But Paul's redemptive efforts, and even his work, are constantly hampered by a junior guard, Percy Wetmore, (Doug Hutchison). Percy is well connected in political circles and uses this form of protection to free his base desires. He likes to humiliate, frighten and hurt other people, never a good combination in a prison guard. Luckily, Percy is well matched by Paul Edgecomb. We have confidence that Paul will eventually master Percy.

Balance seems to be important in the story because just as Paul and Percy struggle on opposite sides of morality, John Coffey is soon introduced to his opposite, William "Wild Bill" Wharton, (Sam Rockwell). Wharton is a thoroughly evil man. Not content with enjoying his own warped hobbies, he seems driven to spread as much suffering as inhumanly possible. Unconcerned with his impending execution, he takes every opportunity to attack the guards. We even feel some sympathy for Percy when he comes within the diseased reach of Wharton.

All the support roles are outstanding, although Graham Green's character, Arlen Bitterbuck, was not so memorable. I'd like to especially praise David Morse, who plays Brutus, Paul's right hand man; and Michael Jeter, playing a Cajun prisoner, Eduard Delacroix, who has a comic dose of eccentricity. Eduard introduces another minor character, Mr Jangles the mouse.

There is a lot of symbolism in The Green Mile. The mouse, eventually adopted by Eduard, seems to represent freedom. He comes and goes without restriction. He can't be trapped and he enjoys life, as expressed through his simple circus tricks. Coffey's healing power clearly represents good or perhaps the power of God. The ephemeral black insects he releases after absorbing disease, imply more than illness. Perhaps sickness is supposed to be an evil of the body. Sadly, Coffey eventually embodies pure goodness in our minds, and then he renounces the world and its ubiquitous evil. We are almost convinced there is no hope in our lives but luckily, Paul's strength shows us that hope can never fully disappear.

In the end, a film that might have centered on the morality of the death penalty, takes us in another direction entirely. Our focus is always Paul Edgecomb. His moral strength and eventual spiritual test are offered to us as a testimony. Hank's performance forces us to examine our own lives. Can we recognize the good in those around us and, more importantly, can we resist the evil?

John Coffey, as played by Micheal Clarke Duncan in a beautiful performance, is a man who physically feels the pain of the wrongs people do to each other. "I am tired of all the uglyness people do to each other", he is a man who feels the pain of all humanity's wrong doings. His size is symbolic of that, expressing years of absorbed pain. Now tired, constantly in tears, all he wants in the world is the ability to "take it back", undo everyone else's wrongs.

The Green Mile contains another pleasant surprise, Tom Hanks. After a last couple of years of playing characters with no edge, his Paul Edgecomb is a moraly conflicted man capable of violence, revenge and guilt. Welcome back Tom.

Amazing how this film balances all the different tones it does. One particular sequence involving the rehearsal of an execution will have you laughing out loud, only to be in shocked disbeleif at the actual execution just minutes later. A point of contention about this film is the nessecity of the present day framing sequences, and although I usually don't like this device, I think it works well here giving the story a larger scope, magnifying the effects of John Coffey.

Frank Darabont's last film was The Shawshank Redemption, one of the best films of the 1990s and obviously a hard act to follow. The Green Mile is not as good as that, but it is a moving, powerful and unique film in its own right. Don't miss this.

The Green Mile is not a film that can be easily described. All of the characters are important. If there is a plot, it is submerged beneath a dozen important sub-plots. The characters are what keep us entranced during this three-hour celebration of morality. Our point of view is firmly glued to the senior guard on the Green Mile, Paul Edgecomb, played with feeling by Tom Hanks. Paul is a good man, surviving the great depression in a less than attractive job. We are witness to his strength early in the film as he deals with an excruciating urinary tract infection. This strength is displayed in other ways as the story progresses.

Based on a series of Stephen King novellas, we are not surprised when a new inmate arrives who fails to fit into any kind of prison mold. John Coffey, (J.C. - get it?), is a mountain of a man who exudes innocence and peace in equal measures. Every day that he stays on the row, increases Paul's belief that Coffey was wrongly convicted of killing two little girls. It is only after Coffey displays a miraculous healing gift that Paul starts to question the status quo.

But Paul's redemptive efforts, and even his work, are constantly hampered by a junior guard, Percy Wetmore, (Doug Hutchison). Percy is well connected in political circles and uses this form of protection to free his base desires. He likes to humiliate, frighten and hurt other people, never a good combination in a prison guard. Luckily, Percy is well matched by Paul Edgecomb. We have confidence that Paul will eventually master Percy.

Balance seems to be important in the story because just as Paul and Percy struggle on opposite sides of morality, John Coffey is soon introduced to his opposite, William "Wild Bill" Wharton, (Sam Rockwell). Wharton is a thoroughly evil man. Not content with enjoying his own warped hobbies, he seems driven to spread as much suffering as inhumanly possible. Unconcerned with his impending execution, he takes every opportunity to attack the guards. We even feel some sympathy for Percy when he comes within the diseased reach of Wharton.

All the support roles are outstanding, although Graham Green's character, Arlen Bitterbuck, was not so memorable. I'd like to especially praise David Morse, who plays Brutus, Paul's right hand man; and Michael Jeter, playing a Cajun prisoner, Eduard Delacroix, who has a comic dose of eccentricity. Eduard introduces another minor character, Mr Jangles the mouse.

There is a lot of symbolism in The Green Mile. The mouse, eventually adopted by Eduard, seems to represent freedom. He comes and goes without restriction. He can't be trapped and he enjoys life, as expressed through his simple circus tricks. Coffey's healing power clearly represents good or perhaps the power of God. The ephemeral black insects he releases after absorbing disease, imply more than illness. Perhaps sickness is supposed to be an evil of the body. Sadly, Coffey eventually embodies pure goodness in our minds, and then he renounces the world and its ubiquitous evil. We are almost convinced there is no hope in our lives but luckily, Paul's strength shows us that hope can never fully disappear.

In the end, a film that might have centered on the morality of the death penalty, takes us in another direction entirely. Our focus is always Paul Edgecomb. His moral strength and eventual spiritual test are offered to us as a testimony. Hank's performance forces us to examine our own lives. Can we recognize the good in those around us and, more importantly, can we resist the evil?

John Coffey, as played by Micheal Clarke Duncan in a beautiful performance, is a man who physically feels the pain of the wrongs people do to each other. "I am tired of all the uglyness people do to each other", he is a man who feels the pain of all humanity's wrong doings. His size is symbolic of that, expressing years of absorbed pain. Now tired, constantly in tears, all he wants in the world is the ability to "take it back", undo everyone else's wrongs.

The Green Mile contains another pleasant surprise, Tom Hanks. After a last couple of years of playing characters with no edge, his Paul Edgecomb is a moraly conflicted man capable of violence, revenge and guilt. Welcome back Tom.

Amazing how this film balances all the different tones it does. One particular sequence involving the rehearsal of an execution will have you laughing out loud, only to be in shocked disbeleif at the actual execution just minutes later. A point of contention about this film is the nessecity of the present day framing sequences, and although I usually don't like this device, I think it works well here giving the story a larger scope, magnifying the effects of John Coffey.

Frank Darabont's last film was The Shawshank Redemption, one of the best films of the 1990s and obviously a hard act to follow. The Green Mile is not as good as that, but it is a moving, powerful and unique film in its own right. Don't miss this.