The Green Mile Page #2

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ELAINE:

I saw you coming back, thought

you'd like some tea.

(beat)

Are you coming in?

PAUL:

Mr. Dolan and I were...chatting.

About the weather. I think we're

through now.

Brad lets Paul loose, leans close:

BRAD:

Paulie? You tell anyone I squeezed

your po' ol' hand, I'll tell 'em

you're having senile delusions.

Who you think they'll believe?

Brad walks off. Paul turns, watches him go. The screen door

opens and Elaine steps out, her face pale. Paul gives her a

strained, though grateful, smile as we

CUT TO:

INT. TV ROOM - DAY

Jerry Springer's on the tube, whipping his studio audience

into a frenzy. PAN OFF TO REVEAL DOZENS OF OLD FOLKS watching

on couches and folding chairs. An old black fellow named PETE

is grousing to a GROUP OF ELDERLY LADIES...

PETE:

Why we always watch this crap?

ELDERLY LADY #1

It's interesting.

PETE:

Interesting? Bunch'a inbred

trailer trash, all they ever talk

about is f***ing...

...and WE CONTINUE PANNING to Paul and Elaine sitting near

the back, talking quietly as Paul rubs his bruised hand:

ELAINE:

We should report him.

PAUL:

That might just provoke him all

the more, make things worse for

everybody.

ELAINE:

It's not everybody he has it in

for, Paul. It's you.

(off his look)

What did you do to provoke him in

the first place? Nothing. He's

just an abusive bully, and should

be made to stop.

PAUL:

Ellie, please...

Pete

is at the TV, switching channels while:

ELDERLY LADIES:

...no, the Movie Classic channel

is further down...past the Home

Shopping...keep going...

He finds the Movie Classic channel, which is playing an old

black and white musical--"Top Hat," with Fred Astaire and

Ginger Rogers. A delighted reaction:

ELDERLY LADY #2

Oh! This is wonderful...

Paul

idly shifts his gaze to the TV...and his expression goes

slack with recognition and dismay. Elaine sees the look in

his eyes.

He glances away...even briefly considers walking out...but in

the end, he can't help himself. The past just caught up with

him with a freight-train wallop, and, for one, he decides to

ride the rails...

He looks back at the TV. On screen, Fred and Ginger have

begun their famous "Cheek to Cheek" number, with Astaire

singing in that sublime, easy-go-lucky way of his:

FRED ASTAIRE:

Heaven, I'm in heaven...and my

heart beat so that I can hardly

speak...

SLOW PUSH IN on Paul, watching. He'd like to take his eyes

off the screen, but the movie has him in a grip tighter than

Brad Dolan's. Elaine is watching him with puzzled concern:

ELAINE:

Paul? What is it?

No response. All he can hear is that music, all he can see

are those dancers. The figures on TV are gliding with

ghostlike grace in their silvery, phosphor-dot world of long

ago...

Paul abruptly bursts into tears.

The room goes quiet, everything comes to a standstill. All

eyes turn, some concerned, others merely curious. Paul just

sits sobbing into his hands, shoulders heaving.

ELAINE:

Paul...my God...

ORDERLY:

(rushing over)

What is it? What's wrong?

PAUL:

It's okay...I'll be okay...

Another orderly appears--Brad Dolan. He puts his hand on

Paul's shoulder and leans close, feigning concern.

BRAD:

S'matter, Paulie? Why the boo-hoo-

hoo? Something nasty happen?

Elaine shoves his hand away, eyes flashing with anger.

ELAINE:

Mr. Edgecomb will be perfectly

fine without your help, thank you.

Brad back off with a "hey, suit yourself" gesture. Elaine

helps Paul to his feet and leads him out.

CUT TO:

INT. SUN ROOM - DAY

Paul is staring out the windows, pensive and drained. It's

raining now, pattering the glass and the lawn beyond. Elaine

waits across from him, wishing he would speak. Softly:

PAUL:

I guess sometimes the past just

catches up with you, whether you

want it to or not. It's silly.

ELAINE:

Was it the film?

(off his look)

It was, wasn't it?

PAUL:

I haven't spoken of these things

in a long time, Ellie. Over sixty

years.

She reaches out, gently takes his hand.

ELAINE:

Paul. I'm your friend.

PAUL:

Yes. Yes you are.

Paul wonders if he's even up to talking about it after all

this time...and decides that perhaps he is:

PAUL:

I ever tell you I was a prison

guard during the depression?

ELAINE:

You've mentioned it.

PAUL:

Did I mention I was in charge of

death row? That I supervised all

the executions?

This does come as a surprise. She shakes her head.

PAUL:

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.

(beat)

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...

FADE TO BLACK:

In blackness, a title card appears:

"The Two Dead Girls"

CUT TO:

EXT. GEORGIA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY (1935)

HUNDREDS OF PRISONERS work the fields, pickaxes rising and

falling in waves, a prison song being sung in cadence with

the work. GUARDS patrol on horseback, rifles aimed at the sky.

A late 20's Ford PRISON TRUCK comes chugging into view along

the road, kicking up a long trail of dust in the heat. It

seems to be riding unusually low on its rear suspension.

EXT. COLD MOUNTAIN PENITENTIARY - ESTABLISHING - DAY

A Depression-era prison in the south. The prison truck sways

down the rutted dirt road toward the main gate...

INT. E BLOCK TOILET - DAY

...while Paul Edgecomb, early 40's, stands in a cramped

toilet in his guard's uniform, trying to piss. His face is

pained, his forehead beaded with sweat.

INT. E BLOCK (THE GREEN MILE) - DAY

BRUTUS HOWELL(nicknamed "Brutal" for his intimidating size,

but he's actually rather thoughtful by nature) stands at the

entry door of the cellblock, peering out through a viewing

slot. He sees the prison truck arrive at the main gate.

He turns and nods to fellow guard DEAN STANTON sitting at the

duty desk, then cross the Green Mile--a wide corridor of

faded green linoleum running some sixty paces top to bottom,

with four large cells to a side.

Brutal steps to the bathroom, listen a moment, knocks softly.

BRUTAL:

Paul? Prisoner.

PAUL (O.S.)

Christ. Gimme a minute.

Brutal waits patiently, a bit embarrassed. He finally hears

a THIN TRICKLE, accompanied by a stifled groan of pain.

BRUTAL:

You all right in there?

PAUL (O.S.)

For a man pissing razor blades.

The door opens, revealing Paul's pale and sweaty face.

BRUTAL:

You should'a took the day off,

gone to see the doctor.

PAUL:

With a new arrival? You know

better. Besides, it's not as bad

as it was. I think it's clearing

up.

They hear the truck HONKING as it rumbles up outside. Paul

gives them a nod to resume their positions. Paul walks down

the Mile, passing the cells where two inmates reside--the

first is ARLEN BITTERBUCK, a Washita Cherokee; the second is

EDUARD DELACROIX("DEL"), a skinny Cajun.

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