The ABC’s Of Stephen King : John Coffey

Like the drink, but not spelled the same.

John Coffey is the centerpiece of The Green Mile, one example of a King story where I actually fell in love with the movie before I had even read the book. John Coffey is probably one of my all time favorite King characters. It’s funny because for as much as he is known for the horror, the doom and gloom, he also has the ability to create these amazingly bright characters. On one hand, they are so optimistic and perfect but on the other, so tragic.

Michael Clarke Duncan will always be John Coffey for me. I don’t think there is an actor on the planet who could have done this, in terms of both capturing the sheer physical presence of John Coffey but at the same time, portraying the child-like simplicity and innocence. I often find myself disappointed with the way King’s books translate to film but this casting decision was a master stroke of genius.

Coffey’s journey through everyone’s lives is so touching, funny and tragic, it’s one of the best I’ve seen, both in film and in print. He is the kind of character that many would immediately dismiss as absurd or childish, but once you spend some time around them you can’t help but admire and respect them. As I said at the start, it is hard to believe such a character could have come from such a dark and twisted imagination but there he is, confounding all your expectations and prejudices.

If you’ve seen the Green Mile, I would highly suggest the book as well. Not just a carbon copy, it actually provides quite a bit more depth to the narrative and makes an already great story even better.

And right there at the center, is John Coffey.

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