Memorable quotes for
The Green Mile (1999) Plus avec IMDbPro »

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

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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. J-O...

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John Coffey: I couldn't help it, boss. I tried to take it back, but it was too late.

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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.

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

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Bill Dodge: I think this boy's cheese has done slid off his cracker.

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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 is was my job? My job?

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Old Paul Edgecomb: I guess sometimes the past just catches up with you, whether you want it to or not.

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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.

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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.

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Paul Edgecomb: The man is mean, careless, and stupid. Bad combination in a place like this.

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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.

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[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!

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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.

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Paul Edgecomb: What do you want, John Coffey?
John Coffey: Just to help.

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

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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.

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Melinda Moores: Why do you have so many scars?
John Coffey: Don't really remember, ma'am.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Old Paul Edgecomb: I think Mr. Jingles happened by accident. I think when we electrocuted Del, and it all went so badly... well, John can feel that you know... and I think a part of... whatever magic was inside of him just slept through my tiny friend here. As for me, John had to give me a part of himself; a gift the way he saw it, so that I could see for myself what Wild Billy had done. When John did that; when he took my hand, a part of the power that worked through him spilled into me.
Elaine Connelly: He... what? He infected you with life?
Old Paul Edgecomb: That's as good a word as any. He infected us both, didn't he, Mr. Jingles? With life. I'm a hundred and eight years old, Elaine. I was forty-four the year that John Coffey walked the Green Mile. You mustn't blame John. He couldn't have what happened to him... he was just a force of nature. Oh I've lived to see some amazing things Elly. Another century come to past, but I've... I've had to see my friends and loved ones die off through the years... Hal and Melinda... Brutus Howell... my wife... my boy. And you Elaine... you'll die too, and my curse is knowing that I'll be there to see it. It's my torment you see; it's my punishment, for letting John Coffey ride the lightning; for killing a miracle of God. You'll be gone like all the others. I'll have to stay. I'll die eventually, that I'm sure. I have no illusions of immortality, but I will await your death... long before death finds me. In truth, I wish for it already.

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[last lines]
Old Paul Edgecomb: We each owe a death - there are no exceptions - but sometimes, oh God, the Green Mile seems so long.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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John Coffey: I'm smellin' me some cornbread.
Paul Edgecomb: It's from my mises. She wanted to thank you.
John Coffey: Thank me for what?
Paul Edgecomb: Well, you know...
Paul Edgecomb: [whispering] 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 misses pleased?
[Paul nods]
Paul Edgecomb: Several times.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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[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.

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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.

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Brutus "Brutal" Howell: You all right in there?
Paul Edgecomb: Yeah, for a man pissing razor blades.

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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.

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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?

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Paul Edgecomb: 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.

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[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.

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Eduard Delacroix: [in the electric chair, about to be executed] Don't forgot about Mouseville.
[Paul nods]
Percy Wetmore: [whispering] Hey.
[Del looks at Percy]
Percy Wetmore: There's no such place. It's just a fairytale these guys told you to keep you quiet. Just thought you should know, faggot.

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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 soft 'uns. Uhhh! Have'em out to y'all tomorrow.

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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.

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[Brutal gets his first look at John Coffey, before Paul]
Brutus "Brutal" Howell: He's enormous!
Paul Edgecomb: Can't be bigger than you.

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[Percy, zombie-like, approaches Wild Bill]
William 'Wild Bill' Wharton: Whatch' you looking at, you limp noodle? Ya wanna kiss my ass? Ya wanna suck my dick?
[the two stare at each other for a moment. Percy then pulls out his gun and shoots Wild Bill]

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Brutus "Brutal" Howell: He's chokin'. Whatever he sucked out of her, he's choking on!

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Paul Edgecomb: I wanna hear about this new inmate, aside from how big he is!
Brutus "Brutal" Howell: Monstrous big!

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[after Coffey shares his cornbread with Del]
Eduard Delacroix: I thank you. Mr. Jingles thank you, my mom would thank you too but she's dead.

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

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[after finding Mr. Jingles alive after he steps on him]
Percy Wetmore: You switched 'em. You switched 'em somehow, you bastards.
Brutus "Brutal" Howell: Yeah I always keep a spare mouse in my wallet for occasions such as this.

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Harry Terwilliger: [to Paul] Percy met your mouse.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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Wild Bill Wharton: You love your sister? You make any noise, you know what happens. I'm gonna kill her instead of you. Understand?

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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...

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Earl the Plumber: I been fixing the plumbing in here for ten years. I ain't never had to wear no damn tie before.
Bill Dodge: Well you're a VIP today, Earl, so just shut up.

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Harry Terwilliger: Piss on ME?
[he sprays Wild Bill with a fire hose]

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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.

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[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]
William 'Wild Bill' Wharton: 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]

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Melinda Moores: [as John Coffey approaches her bed] Pig fucker!

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[Wild Bill grabs Coffey's arm]
William 'Wild Bill' Wharton: 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.

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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.

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Toot-Toot: This is a shocking experience!

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William 'Wild Bill' Wharton: [about to pass out from drugs] I don't see why white man has to sit in a nigger electric chair. White man should have his own damn electric chair.

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

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John Coffey: Boss? I gots to speak with you now, Boss.
Paul Edgecomb: [prostrate on the floor after being hit in the groin] This is not a good time, John Coffey. Not a good time at all.

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William 'Wild Bill' Wharton: [after being put in solitary confinement] All I wanted me was a little cornbread, motherfuckers! All I wanted me was a little cornbread!

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Dean Stanton: [after John Coffey helps Mrs. Moores] Well? What about Mrs. Moores? Was it like the mouse?
[no one answers him]
Dean Stanton: Was it a m-m... you know... a miracle?

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

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

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

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[after Wild Bill causes havoc and nearly kills Dean]
Harry Terwilliger: 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?

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Percy Wetmore: Hell raiser? 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, will you shut up and give us a hand here?

---

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.

---

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