The Green Mile/Headscratchers: Difference between revisions

* Just before Delacroix's execution, Paul notices that Percy has applied the sponge without dipping it in brine first; the movie is very deliberate in showing us the look of panic that crosses his face. Surely a man of Paul's experience would know that that's a very bad idea; hell, the guy who operates the switch flat-out tells us how catastrophic it would be. So why in the name of hell does Paul let the execution go on without stopping it if he knows what's about to happen? Surely he can't be so worried about maintaining protocol that he would stand by and watch a roomful of innocent people get traumatized as the prisoner burns alive in front of their very eyes?

** I got the feeling that he subconciously knew something was wrong when he noticed the floor was dry but he couldn't quite put his finger on it until it was too late. If you meant why didn't he stop it when he DID notice, it was too late, Delacroix was already as good as dead and stopping the execution to apply the sponge would just draw things out and make his death even MORE gruesome.

** In the book at least, Paul was about to speak when the switch got pulled. And then it was too late.

** Percy puts the sponge on and the other guard, standing behind Del, immediately places the headpiece over it. Del probably didn't know the sponge was supposed to be wet, and in any case was probably preoccupied. Paul didn't look at the bucket and floor untl a few seconds before Percy said, "Roll on Two", and looked like he was about to speak right before the switch was thrown. His thought process was something like:

 

* There seems to be only one shift of guards working the Green Mile even though it's obviously a 24/7 operation.

* * Usually it's clear whether or not a movie passes [[The Bechdel Test]]. Not here. Paul's wife speaks to the warden's gravely ill wife, who moves her mouth in response but doesn't speak audibly. Does this count as a "conversation" for test purposes?

** It pretty obviously violates it in spirit (since, y'know, the entire story is set in a male-only prison), making the [[Rules Lawyer]] aspects of it a fairly pointless exercise.

 

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[[Category:The Green Mile]]

[[Category:Headscratchers]]