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Quotes - G
Green
Mile, The
Paul Edgecomb: A big man is ripping your ears off
Percy. I'd do as he says.
Paul
Edgecomb: Your name is John Coffey?
John Coffey: Yes sir boss. Like the drink,
only not spelled the same.
Paul Edgecomb: Oh, you can spell can you?
John
Coffey: Just my name boss.
John
Coffey: I tried to take it back, Boss.
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.
Dean
Stanton: What did you do?
John Coffey: I helped Del's mouse become a circus
mouse, and go to that place Boss Howell was talking about down in...
Brutal
Howell: Florida?
John Coffey: Yes. Boss Percy bad. He stepped on Del's mouse.
I took it back though.
Bill
Dodge: I think this boy's cheese has done slid off his cracker.
Paul
Edgecomb: What do you want me to do John? I'll do it. You want me to let you walk
out of here and see how far you get?
John Coffey: Now why would you want to
do a foolish thing like that?
Paul Edgecomb: When I die and I stand before
God awaiting judgment and he asks me why I let one of HIS miracles die, what am
I gonna say, that it was my job?
Old
Paul Edgecomb: I guess sometimes the past just catches up with you, whether you
want it to or not.
Old
Paul Edgecomb: They usually call death row the Last Mile, but we called ours the
Green Mile, because the floor was the color of faded limes. We had the electric
chair then. Old Sparky, we called it. I've lived a lot of years, Ellie, but 1935
takes the prize. That was the year I had the worst urinary infection of my life.
That was also the year of John Coffey and the two dead girls.
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.
Paul
Edgecomb: The man is mean, careless, and stupid. Bad combination in a place like
this.
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.
How's that sit?
[a
rehearsal execution]
Brutus "Brutal" Howell: Arlen Bitterbuck, you
have been condemned to die by a jury of your peers, sentence imposed by a judge
in good standing in this state. Do you have anything to say before the sentence
is carried out?
Toot-Toot: [gleefully] Yeah! I want a fried chicken dinner
with gravy on the taters, I want to shit in your hat, and I got to have Mae West
sit on my face, because I am one horny motherfucker!
Percy
Wetmore: Adios, Chief. Drop us a card from hell, let us know if it's hot enough.
Brutus "Brutal" Howell: He's paid what he's owed. He's square with
the house again, so keep your goddamn hands off him.
Paul
Edgecomb: What do you want, John Coffey?
John Coffey: Just to help.
Paul
Edgecomb: What did you do, big boy? What did you do to me?
John Coffey: I
helped it. Didn't I help it?
Paul Edgecomb: Yes, but... how?
John Coffey:
[shrugs] Just took it back, is all. Awful tired now, boss. Dog tired.
Paul
Edgecomb: I just can't see God putting a gift like that in the hands of a man
who would kill a child.
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.
Melinda
Moores: Why do you have so many scars? Who hurt you so badly?
John Coffey:
Don't hardly remember, ma'am.
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.
Melinda
Moores: I dreamed of you. I dreamed you were wandering in the dark, and so was
I. We found each other. We found each other in the dark.
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: We each owe a death, there are no exceptions, but sometimes, oh God,
the Green Mile is so long.
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 is 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.
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! 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?
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.
Paul
Edgecomb: What happens on the mile stays on the mile. Always has.
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, barebreasted in the fire
light... that was my best time.
[Edgecomb
gives Coffey some cornbread]
Paul Edgecomb: My wife made it to thank you.
John Coffey: For what, boss?
Paul Edgecomb: [points to his groin] You
know.
John Coffey: Oh, was she pleased?
Paul Edgecomb: Yeah. Several times.
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?
[Watching
Jerry Springer]
Lady in nursing home: It's interesting.
Man in nursing
home: Interesting? Buncha inbred trailer trash. All they ever talk about is fucking.
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.
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 famous.
Eduard
Delacroix: I'll take it. Mr. Jingles'll take it. My mama'd take it too but she's
dead.
[About
Coffey's upcoming execution.]
Paul Edgecomb: 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.
Toot-Toot:
Gettin' to my knees. Prayin'. Lord in Heaven, sorry for all the bad shit I've
done, all the people I've trampled on, I hope they forgive me, I won't do it again,
that's for sure.
Brutal
Howell: You all right in there?
Paul Edgecomb: Yeah, for a man pissing razor
blades.
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.
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?
[about
toot-toot]
Paul Edgecomb: Is his head properly shaved?
Dean Stanton: Nope,
it's all dandruffy and smells.
Paul Edgecomb: I'll take that as a yes.
Eduard
Delacroix: [in the electric chair, about to be executed] Don't forgot about Mouseville.
[Paul and Brutal nod.]
Percy Wetmore: Hey. There's no such place. It's
just a fairytale these guys told you to keep you quiet. Just thought you should
know, faggot.
[After
Wild Bill causes havoc and nearly kills Dean]
Harry Terwilliger: We thought
he 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?
Percy
Wetmore: Deranged killer? He look more like a limp noodle to me. Hey!
[to
a doped Wild Bill]
Percy Wetmore: You've been declared competent, son, 'know
what that means? 'Means you gonna ride the lightning. Ha ha.
Dean Stanton:
Percy, shut up and give us a hand.
Harry
Terwilliger: Can you believe this? The son of a bitch pissed on me!
William
'Wild Bill' Wharton: Y'all like that? I'm currently cooking up some turds, to
go with it. Nice supply. Uhhh! Have'em out to y'all tomorrow.
Jan
Edgecomb: Honey, if you don't tell me what's on your mind, I'm afraid I'll have
to smother you with a pillow.
Percy
Wetmore: @Percy
[Brutal
gets his first look at John Coffey, before Paul]
Brutus "Brutal"
Howell: He's enormous!
Paul Edgecomb: Can't be bigger than you.