Continuity mistake: When Del finally dies his jaw is slack, but when it shows his body on the gurney his teeth are clenched tight.
The Green Mile (1999)
Ending / spoiler
Directed by: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tom Hanks, James Cromwell, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clarke Duncan
Melinda is saved from brain cancer. John Coffey punishes Percy (for sabotaging Del's execution) and Wild Bill (for raping and murdering two little girls) by putting Melinda's cancer stuff into Percy, making Percy shoot Wild Bill and leaving Percy as a vegetable.John gets electrocuted, even though he is innocent. When he touches Paul Edgcombe's hand to show him what Wild Bill had done, some of John's power transferred to Paul. Some of John's power also passed into Mr. Jingles, Del's mouse. Back in the present day, Paul Edgecombe and Mr. Jingles are still alive. Paul is 108, and has had to see all of his loved ones die over the years. The film ends with Paul waiting (and wishing) for death.
Natti-Lou
More mistakes in The Green Mile
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 it 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.
More trivia for The Green Mile
Question: What does old Tom Hanks drop out of his pocket when he walked out of the door of the old folks home?
Answer: Paul seemed to take the windbreaker in a random fashion. I'm not sure if it even belonged to him. I've no idea what it was but I agree. Not a piece of toast.
Answer: A piece of toast.
I've tried and tried to see what it actually was. It couldn't have been toast. This object hit the floor hard and rolled out of camera range, quickly. I thought maybe door knob or thread spool. Possibly a thread spool because of Mr. Jingles. Door latch was intact.
Join the mailing list
Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.
Suggested correction: How can you tell his jaw is slack when he had a hood over it the entire time?
lartaker1975
I have the movie and during Del's execution, the hood is partially burned off. After he finally dies, his jaw is completely slack.
I also have the movie and can confirm that not only is Del's jaw slack but, when the hood is burned off it looks like most of his face has been burned off leaving nothing but a skull. Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh3u3Kqdynw.
Suggested correction: Rigor mortis can occur as quickly as 2 hours after death. One of the first muscles of the body to stiffen is the jaw. It also depends on the age of the deceased and calcium amount.
lionhead
Suggested correction: The guards would have done what they could to make his remains less grotesque. Closing his jaw is probably one of their regular duties.
MovieFan612
Once the body dies, muscles can not constrict, and they relax. A guard could never close the jaw or mouth after death anymore than he could close a dead man's eyes shortly after death. That's a movie myth.
Bishop73