15 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About The Green Mile

"Please boss, don't put that thing over my face, don't put me in the dark. I's afraid of the dark."

Right there. That's the exact moment that we start uncontrollably blubbing every time we watch The Green Mile, without fail. It's one of the most heart-wrenching, yet wonderful movies of the 90s and, as to celebrate its 15th anniversary, we've compiled 15 things you (probably) didn't know about it. 

(Images: Rex/YouTube/WikiCommons)

1.

Josh Brolin auditioned for the role of "Wild Bill" Wharton, while John Travolta was offered the role of Paul Edgecomb but turned it down.

2.

When Stephen King visited the set, Frank Darabont strapped him into Old Sparky (pictured). King didn't like the feeling at all. He offered Tom Hanks the chance to sit in it. Hanks refused as he remained in character and didn't feel it right for the character of Edgecomb to sit in the chair. 

3.

Michael Clarke Duncan credited his casting to Bruce Willis, with whom he had worked on Armageddon one year earlier. According to Duncan, Willis introduced him to Darabont after hearing of the open call for John Coffey.

4.

Originally set in 1932, the timeframe was bumped to 1935 so the movie Top Hat (1935) could be featured.

5.

Michael Clarke Duncan only came on board 3 weeks before principal photography started.

6.

15 mice played Mr Jingles, including Spunk, pictured. They had their own "set chair". Often actors are looking at a laser pointing at the floor and not a mouse.

7.

The movie had its own "Mouse Stunt Co-ordinator", the brilliantly named Boone Narr (pictured). Check out the never-ending list of movies he's animal stunt co-ordinated on, here.

8.

The electric chair featured in the film was built from the original designs of an electric chair named "Old Sparky" which is part of the museum/tour of the State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia. 

(Image: Wiki public domain)

9.

Despite his character towering over everybody, Michael Clarke Duncan is only fractionally taller than his co-star David Morse (right) and is even a couple of inches shorter than James Cromwell, who played the warden. Camera tricks were obviously used to make him look bigger plus more practical methods. Coffey’s bed was built shorter in order to make Michael Clarke Duncan look bigger and the electric chair he sits in is smaller than the chair used in other scenes, for example.

10.

The prison used in the film is the Tennessee State Penitentiary. Frank Darabont once considered using it in The Shawshank Redemption.

11.

Bonnie Hunt gained 15 pounds for her role as Jan Edgecomb. She jokes that “It only took half an hour.”

12.

Michael Clarke Duncan actually stopped lifting weights while filming to look more like a man from 1935. 

13.

Delacroix is reciting the Hail Mary in Cajun French when he’s in the electric chair. Actor Michael Jeter came up with the idea himself.

14.

In the scene where Hanks swipes his shoulder after the mouse has been on him, this wasn't in the script. He was genuinely pooped on by Mr Jingles.  

15.

Tom Hanks treated the entire crew to a meal every Friday night on set.

What. A. Legend.