The Green Mile (1999)

Michael Clarke Duncan: John Coffey

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Quotes 

• Paul Edgecomb : On the day of my judgment, when I stand before God, and He asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I gonna say? That it was my job? My job?

  John Coffey : You tell God the Father it was a kindness you done. I know you hurtin' and worryin', I can feel it on you, but you oughta quit on it now. Because I want it over and done. I do. I'm tired, boss. Tired of bein' on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. Tired of not ever having me a buddy to be with, or tell me where we's coming from or going to, or why. Mostly I'm tired of people being ugly to each other. I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world everyday. There's too much of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head all the time. Can you understand?

  Paul Edgecomb : Yes, John. I think I can.

• John Coffey : He kill them wi' their love. Wi' their love fo' each other. That's how it is, every day, all over the world.

• John Coffey : Please boss, don't put that thing over my face, don't put me in the dark. I's afraid of the dark.

• John Coffey : You can't hide what's in your heart.

• Melinda Moores : What's your name?

  John Coffey : John Coffey, ma'am.

  Melinda Moores : Like the drink, only not spelled the same.

  John Coffey : No, ma'am. Not spelt the same at all.

• John Coffey : People hurt the ones they love. That's how it is all around the world.

• John Coffey : There's lotsa people here that hate me, lots. I can feel it. It's like bees stingin' me.

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : Well, feel how we feel then. We don't hate you. Can you feel that?

• John Coffey : You know, I fell asleep this afternoon and had me a dream. I dreamed about Del's mouse.

  Paul Edgecomb : Did you, John?

  John Coffey : I dreamed he got down to that place Boss Howell talked about, that Mouseville place. I dreamed there was kids, and how they laughed at his tricks! My! I dreamed those two little blonde-headed girls were there. They 'us laughing, too. I put my arms around 'em and sat 'em on my knees, and there 'us no blood comin' outta their hair and they 'us fine. We all watch Mr. Jingles roll that spool, and how we did laugh. Fit to bust, we was.

• John Coffey : Poor old Del.

  Paul Edgecomb : Yeah. Poor old Del. John, you okay...?

  John Coffey : I could feel it from here.

  Paul Edgecomb : What do you mean? You could hear it. Is that what you mean? You could hear it.

  John Coffey : He out of it now, though. He the lucky one. No matter how it happened, Del the lucky one.

  Paul Edgecomb : Where's Mr. Jingles?

  John Coffey : He run away under that door. Don't think he'll be back. He felt it too, through me. Didn't mean to hurt him none. All that hurt just spill out. Awful tired now, boss. Dog-tired.

  Paul Edgecomb : Me too, John. Me too.

• Brutus "Brutal" Howell : Well, there must be something we can do for you, John. There must be something we can do that you want.

  John Coffey : [pauses]  I ain't never seen me a flicker show.

• Paul Edgecomb : John, do you know where we're taking you?

  John Coffey : Help a lady?

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : That's right. But how do you know?

  John Coffey : Don't know. To tell the truth, Boss, I don't know much'o anything.

• John Coffey : Boss. Saw me a mouse go by.

  Paul Edgecomb : Can't put anything over on you.

• [repeated line] 

  John Coffey : I tried to take it back... but it was too late.

• Dean Stanton : What did you do?

  John Coffey : I helped Del's mouse become a circus mouse. Gonna live in a mouse city. Down in...

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : Florida?

  John Coffey : [John nods]  Boss, Percy bad. He mean. He stepped on Del's mouse. I took it back though.

• Melinda Moores : I dreamed of you. I dreamed you were wandering in the dark. And so was I. And we found each other. We found each other in the dark.

  [takes off her necklace and hands it to John] 

  Paul Edgecomb : Take it, John. It's a present.

  Melinda Moores : It's St. Christopher. I want you to have it, Mr. Coffey. And wear it. He'll keep you safe. Please... Wear it for me.

  John Coffey : [leans forward so she can hang it around his neck]  Thank you, ma'am.

  Melinda Moores : Thank you, John.

• Paul Edgecomb : What did you just do to me?

  John Coffey : I helped it. Didn't I help it? I just took it back, is all. Awful tired now, boss. Dog tired.

• Melinda Moores : Why do you have so many scars?

  John Coffey : Don't really remember, ma'am.

• John Coffey : [singing as he's being strapped to the electric chair]  Heaven, I'm in heaven... heaven... heaven...

• John Coffey : [whispers]  Boss? Needs ta see ya down here...

  Paul Edgecomb : [rolling around the floor in pain from his urinary tract infection]  This is not a good time... John Coffey.

  [moans] 

  Paul Edgecomb : Not a good time at all.

  John Coffey : But I needs ta see ya, Boss. I needs ta talk t'ya.

  [Paul reluctantly gets up and stammers towards John] 

  John Coffey : Closer...

  Paul Edgecomb : I'm alone here right now, John. Figure this is close enough.

  John Coffey : Boss, please. I got to whisper in your ear.

  Eduard Delacroix : [as Paul moves up closer]  Boss? You know you not s'pose to do that...

  Paul Edgecomb : Mind your business, Del!

  [Paul moves up closer in front of John's cell] 

  Paul Edgecomb : [exhaustively]  What do you want, John Coffey?

  John Coffey : [Coffey stares at Paul]  Just to help.

  [John suddenly reaches out of the prison bars, grabs Paul and aggressively holds him up close. Thinking he is being attacked, Del starts screaming for the other guards as Paul instinctively tries to reach for his revolver] 

  Paul Edgecomb : [struggling in Coffey's grasp]  What... are... you... doing?

• John Coffey : Do you leave a light on after bedtime? Because I get a little scared in the dark sometimes, if it's a strange place.

• John Coffey : I'm smellin' me some cornbread.

  Paul Edgecomb : It's from my missus. She wanted to thank you.

  John Coffey : Thank me for what?

  Paul Edgecomb : Well, you know...

  [whispering] 

  Paul Edgecomb : For a helping me.

  John Coffey : Helping you with what?

  Paul Edgecomb : You know.

  [Paul points to his groin] 

  John Coffey : [John smiles]  Ohh. Was your missus pleased?

  Paul Edgecomb : [Paul nods]  Several times.

• Paul Edgecomb : What do you want me to do, John? You want me to let you run out of here, see how far you can get?

  John Coffey : Why would you do such a foolish thing?

  Paul Edgecomb : On the day of my judgment, when I stand before God, and He asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I gonna say? That it was my job? My job?

• John Coffey : He killed them with their love. That's how it is; everyday all over the world.

• John Coffey : That's a smart mouse, Del. He's like a circus mouse.

  Eduard Delacroix : Correct, that's just what he is, too. He's a circus mouse. When I get outta here, he's gonna make me rich.

• Paul Edgecomb : [about Coffey's upcoming execution]  Now how about a preacher? Someone to say a little prayer with?

  John Coffey : Don't want no preacher. You can say a prayer if you like.

  Paul Edgecomb : Me? I suppose I could if it came to that.

• John Coffey : Take my hand, Boss. You see for yourself.

• William 'Wild Bill' Wharton : [Wild Bill grabs Coffey's arm]  Where y'all think you're goin'?

  John Coffey : You a bad man.

  William 'Wild Bill' Wharton : That's right, nigger. Bad as you'd want.

  Paul Edgecomb : HEY! You keep a civil tongue on my block!

• John Coffey : [Just before the guards are attacked by Wild Bill while bringing him in the mile]  Careful, careful...

• Paul Edgecomb : Your name is John Coffey?

  John Coffey : Yessir, Boss. Like the drink, only not spelled the same.

  Paul Edgecomb : Oh, you can spell, can you?

  John Coffey : Just my name boss. J-O...

• Paul Edgecomb : John, do you know where we're taking you?

  John Coffey : Help a lady?

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : That's right. But how do you know?

  John Coffey : Don't know. To tell the truth, Boss, I don't know much o' anything.

• John Coffey : [after being locked inside his prison cell, he looks up at Paul]  I couldn't help it, Boss. I tried to take it back... but it was too late.

  [Paul glances at John Coffey for a second and walks away]