The Green Mile (1999)

Tom Hanks: Paul Edgecomb

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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.

• Paul Edgecomb : I just can't see God putting a gift like that in the hands of a man who would kill a child.

• Arlen Bitterbuck : Do you believe that if a man repents enough for what he done wrong, than he'll get to go back to the time that was happiest for him and live there forever? Could that be what heaven's like?

  Paul Edgecomb : I just about believe that very thing.

  Arlen Bitterbuck : I had a young wife when I was eighteen. We spent the summer in the mountains, made love every night. After we would talk sometimes till the sun came up, and she'd lay there, bare breasted in the fire light... that was my best time.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Burt Hammersmith : Let me tell you something. And you listen close too, because it might be something you need to know.

  Paul Edgecomb : I'm listening.

  Burt Hammersmith : We had us a dog. Just a sweet mongrel, You know the kind. Well, in many ways, a good mongrel dog is like a negro. You get to know it. Often, you get to love it. It is of no particular use, but you keep it around because you *think* it loves you. If you're lucky, Mr. Edgecomb, you'll never have to find out any different. My wife and I were not so lucky. Caleb, come here for a second. Come here. Please, son.

  [he turns his son's face to Paul to reveal Caleb is missing an eye] 

  Burt Hammersmith : He still has the one good eye. I suppose he's lucky not to be completely blind. We get down on our knees and thank God for that much at least, right Caleb? Okay, go on in now.

  [turns back to Paul] 

  Burt Hammersmith : That dog attacked my boy for no reason. Just got it in his mind one day. Same with John Coffey. He was sorry afterwards. Of that, I have no doubt. But those little girls stayed raped and murdered. Maybe he'd never done it before. My dog never bit before, but I didn't concern myself with that. I went out there with my rifle, grabbed his collar and blew his brains out. Is Coffey guilty? Yes he is. Don't you doubt it, and don't you turn your back on him. You may get away with it once or even a hundred times. But in the end, you'll get bit.

• 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.

• Harry Terwilliger : Paul, we're not gonna have some Cherokee medicine man in here whoopin', hollerin' and shaking his dick are we?

  Paul Edgecomb : Well actually...

  Toot-Toot : Still prayin'! Still prayin'! Gettin' right with Jesus!

  Harry Terwilliger : Do it quietly, you old gink!

  Paul Edgecomb : As I was saying, I don't think they actually shake their dicks, Harry. Be that as it may, Mr. Bitterbuck is a Christian, so I have the Reverend Schuster coming out.

  Dean Stanton : Oh, he's good. He's fast, too. Doesn't get 'em all worked up.

• Hal : Percy... Something to say?

  Percy Wetmore : I didn't know the sponge was supposed to be wet.

  Hal : How many years you spend pissing on a toilet seat before someone told you to put it up?

  Paul Edgecomb : Percy fucked up, Hal, pure and simple.

  Hal : Is that your official position?

  Paul Edgecomb : Don't you think it should be?

• Hal : [after Del's execution]  WHAT IN THE BLUE FUCK WAS THAT? There's puke all over the floor up there. And that smell! I had Van Hayes open both doors but that smell's not going out for five damn years that's what I'm bettin'. And that asshole, Wharton, is singing about it. You can hear him up there!

  Paul Edgecomb : Can he carry a tune?

  Hal : Okay, boys, what in the hell happened?

  Paul Edgecomb : An execution. A successful one.

  Hal : How in the name of Christ can you call that a success?

  Paul Edgecomb : Eduard Delacroix is dead.

  [to Percy] 

  Paul Edgecomb : Isn't he?

• Paul Edgecomb : A big man is ripping your ears off Percy. I'd do as he says.

• William 'Wild Bill' Wharton : [Eduard has just been executed, and Paul comes up to the Mile to find Wild Bill sitting on his bed, ripping out chunks of his pillow and throwing the feathers around, singing loudly]  Barbecue, me and you! Stinky pinky, pew, pew! Or dilly, Jilly, Hilly or Bob! It was a french-fried Cajun named Delacroix!

  Paul Edgecomb : [Paul roughly hits his baton against Wild Bill's bars]  You are about ten seconds away from spending the rest of your life in the padded room!

  [Wild Bill, who never takes an order or refuses to give out mayhem, stops immediately] 

• Paul Edgecomb : [Paul grabs Percy to face Del as he's being electrocuted]  You watch, you son of a bitch!

• 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?

• Paul Edgecomb : I've done some things in my life I'm not proud of, but this is the first time I've ever felt in real danger of hell.

• Paul Edgecomb : [whispers]  Goddamn, the sponge is dry!

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : Well, don't you stop it! Don't you do it. It's too late for that.

• 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?

• Paul Edgecomb : [about Toot-Toot]  Is his head properly shaved?

  Dean Stanton : Nope, it's all dandruffy and smells.

  Paul Edgecomb : I'll take that as a yes.

• Paul Edgecomb : [to Dean Stanton who is standing in the doorway with a broom]  You let him get past you.

  Dean Stanton : No, I did not.

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : Three grown men... outsmarted by a mouse.

• Dean Stanton : Well? What about Mrs. Moores? Was it like the mouse? Was it a... you know, a miracle?

  Paul Edgecomb : Yes. Yes, it was. Damn...

• Brutus "Brutal" Howell : You all right in there?

  Paul Edgecomb : Yeah, for a man pissing razor blades.

• Paul Edgecomb : [Dean is in tears as he kneels to strap John Coffey to the electric chair]  Wipe your face before you get up, Dean.

• Paul Edgecomb : [referring to Percy]  The man is mean, careless, and stupid. Bad combination in a place like this.

• Paul Edgecomb : We'll be doing this for real tomorrow night and I don't want nobody to remember some stupid joke like that and get it going again. You ever try to not to laugh in church when something funny gets stuck in your head? Same goddamn thing.

• Harry Terwilliger : [after Wild Bill causes havoc and nearly kills Dean]  We thought he was doped. Didn't we all think we was doped?

  Paul Edgecomb : You didn't ask?

  [Terwilliger shakes his head] 

  Paul Edgecomb : Well, I don't think that's a mistake you'll be needing to make again anytime soon, is it?

• Jan Edgecomb : [after they have sex all night long]  Paul?

  Paul Edgecomb : Yeah?

  Jan Edgecomb : Not that I'm complaining...

  Paul Edgecomb : Uh-huh?

  Jan Edgecomb : But we haven't gone four times in one night since we were 19.

  Paul Edgecomb : Yeah, we did at your mom's, yeah.

• 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.

• 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!

• Paul Edgecomb : I wanna hear about this new inmate, aside from how big he is!

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : Monstrous big!

• Paul Edgecomb : [to Percy]  Seeing a man die isn't enough for you, you gotta be close enough to smell his nuts cook?

• Hal : [during Del's botched execution] 

  [to Paul] 

  Hal : Why don't you shut it down?

  Paul Edgecomb : He's still alive! You wanna shut it down while he's still alive?

• Percy Wetmore : Well, well, well, looks like you've got yourself a new friend there, Del.

  Eduard Delacroix : Don't hurt him!

  Percy Wetmore : [to the guards]  That the one I chased?

  Paul Edgecomb : Yeah, that's the one. Del's been asking for a box' might keep it for a pet. What do you think?

  Percy Wetmore : You know what? We oughta find a cigar box and some paper from the dispensary to line it with. Yeah, yeah, that should do real nice.

  Paul Edgecomb : Man said get a cigar box.

• Brutus "Brutal" Howell : [Brutal gets his first look at John Coffey, before Paul]  He's enormous!

  Paul Edgecomb : [smirks]  Can't be bigger than you!

  [both snicker] 

• Paul Edgecomb : Men under strain can snap; hurt themselves, hurt others. That's why our job is talking, not yelling. You'll do better to think of this place like an intensive care ward in a hospital.

  Percy Wetmore : I think of it as a bucket of piss to drown rats in! That's all! Anybody doesn't like it can kiss my ass!

  [pause] 

  Percy Wetmore : How's that sit?

  [Brutal suddenly grabs Percy by the throat and pins him to the wall] 

  Percy Wetmore : Try it! You'll be on the bread lines before the week is out!

• Percy Wetmore : What's up his ass?

  Paul Edgecomb : You, always, you Percy.

  Percy Wetmore : What I got a hate in you, boy, that the way it is around here?

  Paul Edgecomb : Why don't you just move on and take that job down in Briar Ridge? Oh yeah, I know all about it. Sounds to me like a pretty good job.

  Percy Wetmore : Yeah, I might just take it too, soon as you put me up front. Yeah you heard me, I want Brutal's spot for the next execution.

  Paul Edgecomb : Seeing a man die, now that's not enough. You gotta be close enough to smell his nuts cook.

  Percy Wetmore : I just wanna be up front that's all. Come on, one time. And you know what, you can get rid of me, I swear.

  Paul Edgecomb : And what if I say no?

  Percy Wetmore : Well, I might just stick around for good, might make me a career of this... boss.

• Paul Edgecomb : Toot, one more remark like that I'll have Van Hay roll on two for real and I'll have one less crazy old trustee in the world.

• Paul Edgecomb : [while strapping him into a straitjacket]  C'mon, Wild Bill, you're gonna walk your walk.

  Wild Bill Wharton : Don't you call me that! Wild Bill Hickok was no range rider! He was just another bushwackin' John Law! Dumb sonofabitch sat with his back to the door, kilt by a drunk!

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : Oh my suds and body, a history lesson! Boy, you just never know just what your gonna get when you come to work everyday on the Green Mile.

• 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 : [to John Coffey]  I let Harry take those chains off you... you gonna be nice?

• Paul Edgecomb : We all know who your connections are, Percy. You ever threaten a man on this block again we're all gonna have a go. The job be damned.

  Percy Wetmore : You done?

  Paul Edgecomb : Get all this shit back in the restraining room; you are cluttering up my mile!

• 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.

• Percy Wetmore : [yells repeatedly as he brings John Coffey in]  Dead man! Dead man walking! We got a dead man walking, here!

  Paul Edgecomb : Jesus, please us! What is he yelling about?

  Percy Wetmore : [continues yelling]  Dead man! Dead man walking! Dead man! Dead man walking, here!

  [he walks inside, leading a cuffed John Coffey] 

  Percy Wetmore : We got a dead man walking, here! Dead man walking! We got a dead man walking, here...

  Paul Edgecomb : Percy!

  [Percy stops] 

  Paul Edgecomb : That's enough.

• William 'Wild Bill' Wharton : [Brutus Howell hands out cold sodas to the other guards]  Hey, hey, I'm gonna get some too, ain't I?

  Brutus "Brutal" Howell : My ass you get some too.

  Paul Edgecomb : What makes you think you deserve any?

  William 'Wild Bill' Wharton : [mutters]  'Cause I got a big pecker...