Frank Darabont followed his acclaimed 1994 release, The Shawshank Redemption with The Green Mile, another Stephen King prison tale adaptation. While The Shawshank Redemption grossed a disappointing $28 million at the US box office, this 1999 Tom Hanks starrer banked $136 million and more than $286 million globally.
The Green Mile is a better film than Shawshank – much less sentimental. Both films share a lot of the same themes and have a plot pivot which rely on a very similar twist of fate but the death row drama has much richer characterisation. The film isn’t compromised by its more supernatural elements and you don’t feel the 3 hour running time at all.
The Green Mile also has great performances with a wonderful cast that includes Michael Clarke Duncan Barry Pepper, David Morse, Michael Jeter, Sam Rockwell, Bonnie Hunt, James Cromwell, Patricia Clarkson, Harry Dean Stanton and others.
