The Green Mile Page #4

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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.

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