Summary

• Coffey's willingness to accept his fate in The Green Mile highlights the tragedy of his character's innocence and ultimate sacrifice.
• The film's bittersweet ending, with Coffey's execution and passing on his abilities to Paul, raises deep questions about justice and morality.
• John Coffey's smile at his execution hints at a deeper knowledge and acceptance of his fate, symbolizing his role as a messianic figure.

With fantasy elements combined with the prison drama in its powerful ending, there are many audiences who still seek to have The Green Mile explained. Directed and written by Frank Darabont, The Green Mile concerns the 1935-set story of death row prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) as he meets and is forever changed by the mild-mannered John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a physically imposing Black man sentenced to death for the rape and murder of two white girls.

Over the course of the film, it not only becomes clear that Coffey is innocent, but that he possesses a range of supernatural abilities, including healing people and animals. Like many Stephen King adaptations, The Green Mile balances its supernatural plot elements with deeper themes and ideas. The Green Mile's ending ultimately sees Coffey executed for the crimes he didn't commit. However, before he dies, he passes some of his abilities on to Paul, forever changing the guard's life. It's a bittersweet conclusion, but it also leaves one or two burning questions that require closer inspection.

Why John Coffey Accepts His Fate In The Green Mile

Coffey's Willingness To Die Highlights The Tragedy Of The Character

As The Green Mile reveals that Coffey is innocent of the crime he was convicted of, his execution makes a sad ending for the 1999 movie that still has an impact decades later. However, despite his powers and his substantial size, Coffey makes no real attempt to resist his fate. Although some Stephen King endings are generally unsatisfying, The Green Mile's conclusion is as touching as it is heartbreaking, as it sees Coffey accepting the injustice of his death.

A man of Coffey's size could undoubtedly have made his execution difficult for the guards, and his powers could have potentially helped him escape. However, he opts not to use either of the tools at his disposal, telling Paul that he is tortured by the evil in the world and welcomes the escape. This makes his ending even sadder, as it highlights his innocence, but he's simply not capable of exploiting his own strength if it means hurting or upsetting others.

Why John Coffey Smiles At His Execution

What Is Coffey Communicating To Paul In His Final Moments?

Not only does Coffey allow his unjust execution to go ahead, but he actually smiles in his final moments. It makes Coffey's death even harder to watch, particularly as The Green Mile has some real-life inspiration behind it. As he's made no secret of how scared he is to die, it's a little odd to see Coffey offer one last smile before he dies, but it's likely more than just the big man putting on a brave face.

It's implied that Coffey knows he's passed on some of his abilities to Edgecomb, and it's possible that his smile is that knowledge reassuring him. Coffey knows that Edgecomb is a kind man so he knows that his gifts will be put to good use after he's gone. It's also possible that the smile was intended to comfort Paul, who was equally upset by Coffey's execution.

How Much Longer Does Paul Edgecomb Live & Is His Age A Curse?

Mr. Jingles Suggests Coffey's Healing Abilities Grant An Extended Life

Working out exactly how The Green Mile's Paul Edgecomb lives so long requires some logical estimation, as the film never fully discloses the nature or extent of Coffey's healing abilities. Still, using Mr. Jingles as the basis for how Coffey's healing affects the aging process, it's clear that Edgecomb might live for quite some time. In the film, Paul is shown to be 108 years old in its framing scenes - proof that Coffey's ability has extended his life.

Rough mathematical analysis of Mr. Jingles' aging relative to Paul's, it's possible that the former guard will live for a minimum of 600 years. Still, with Coffey having passed the ability on to Edgecomb, it could be that he now possesses a form of immortality - something which he sees as punishment for his part in Coffey's death. Even after already outliving many of the people he loves, Paul has no idea of how long he'll live, but if Mr. Jingles is anything to go by, he could be around for a very, very long time.

Is The Green Mile's Ending The Same In The Book?

Paul's Fate Is Better Understood In The Source Material

The Green Mile's ending is notoriously sad, but Stephen King's original book is actually even sadder. One of the biggest changes is that in the book, Mr. Jingles actually dies shortly before Elaine, and while that's sadder in one sense it does offer a better indication of Paul's eventual fate. Other notable changes have to do with the story's framing scenes - in the book, Paul is writing his memoirs, whereas in the film, the movie Top Hat is used to link Paul's past to his present.

The Green Mile's Karma Theme Explained

Coffey Is The Only Character Who Doesn't Experience Karmic Justice

Like with so many other Stephen King adaptations, The Green Mile explores some deeper themes, but perhaps none are more prevalent than the running thread of karmic payback. Coffey does his best to help the film's nicer characters, and he makes sure that the less pleasant guards and inmates meet their appropriate fates.

Ironically, the only person who doesn't seem to get the ending he deserves is Coffey himself, as he resigns to his death sentence despite his innocence. The film's karmic theme, and John Coffey's place within it, are actually a major factor in what The Green Mile's ending really means.

The Real Meaning Of The Green Mile's Ending

The Movie Embraces Coffey As A Messiah Figure

Within The Green Mile's narrative, John Coffey fits squarely within common messianic tropes. He's a powerful, innocent, and misunderstood character who faces persecution for something he didn't do. Regular Stephen King collaborator Frank Darabont doesn't avoid leaning into that trope, with Coffey "judging" those around him (by using a form of low-level telepathy or empathic abilities), and healing those he believes to be worth saving.

Ultimately, Coffey accepts his fate as he doesn't want to continue living in such a cruel world. This itself comes with some decidedly biblical connotations that further Coffey's status as a messianic figure. Of course, the film also sees Mr. Jingles brought back from the dead, and John Coffey's initials themselves could be seen as another messianic reference.

Exactly how many of these biblical ideas and themes were intended to be part of The Green Mile's story isn't clear. However, the film does make some statements about kindness and prejudice, which makes it at once unsettling and deeply moving. The specific point of The Green Mile's ending is to make the audience think, and its fantastical twist continues to do just that even decades later.

How Director Frank Darabont Explains The Green Mile

The Green Mile ending differs greatly from Frank Darabont's ending in The Shawshank Redemption, replacing hope and resilience with a bittersweet irony. Indeed, when discussing the movie (via Creative Screenwriting). Darabont acknowledged that Paul's ultimate fate is not an ideal one. He explained that he seems to take up the position of Coffey, someone who was good who is made to experience an unfair end:

"He is an honorable man, yet if he were any less honorable, he wouldn’t have gotten himself in the position of being the one to pick up the karmic baggage of events, whether it’s fair or not."

However, there are aspects to the story that Darabont himself still doesn't have an answer for. In fact, he admitted that when it came to Coffey's ultimate fate and what it meant, Darabont confesses "I haven’t the foggiest clue." Despite this, Darabont insists that is one of the most exciting aspects of The Green Mile. He goes on to explain "I’m not sure what The Green Mile is about. All I know is that it’s a hell of a story."

Why The Green Mile Ending Is So Important (According To Star David Morse)

The Green Mile ending is a big reason why the movie still impacts audiences all these years later. The film features individual moments of heartbreaking, levity, disturbing acts of evil, and uplifting acts of kindness. However, the way it all comes together, in the end, is where the power of The Green Mile can be found.

David Morse, who plays the powerful yet fair prison guard Brutus 'Brutal' Howell in the movie, pointed out (via Slashfilm) that there are modern areas where The Green Mile still feels relevant, pointing to "things that have been going on with Black Lives Matter and with injustice."

Indeed, the story of an innocent Black man put to death for a crime committed by a white man is sadly something not unfamiliar to modern audiences. However, much like how Darabont himself could not pinpoint exactly what the meaning of The Green Mile is, Morse acknowledged that what is special about the movie is hard to define."

"...thing that really matters is the heart and soul of this movie. That's why we're talking about it 25 years later, whatever it is."

Perhaps it is the bittersweet end to The Green Mile and the story of how good people sometimes have to suffer unfair fates that strikes a chord most with audiences.