OVERLAY REPORT

In the 1999 film Life, there are two main characters: Rayford "Ray" Gibson (played by Eddie Murphy) and Claude Banks (played by Martin Lawrence). The film follows these two New Yorkers who, after being wrongfully convicted of murder in 1932, are sentenced to life at a Mississippi prison farm. Their dynamic is the heart of the film, transitioning from bitter enemies to inseparable friends over the course of 60 years. ### Rayford "Ray" Gibson (Eddie Murphy) Ray is a fast-talking, small-time hustler and con artist. He is the more aggressive and street-smart of the two, often getting them into trouble while also providing the vision (his dream of "The Boom Boom Room") that keeps them going. * "The Cornbread" Speech: Perhaps the most famous scene in the movie involves a confrontation with a large inmate named Goldmouth. When Goldmouth asks to eat Ray's cornbread, Ray launches into a legendary tirade: > "You try and take my cornbread, Killing Spree, Part 2 gon' begin up in here on your ass... I'm from New York City, goddammit. Nobody take no cornbread from me. That goes for anyone of you motherf***ing farmers who wanna start some s***. You f*** around with me, there's gonna be consequences and repercussions!" * The "Nasty" Exchange: Early in their sentence, Ray and Claude argue about Ray's behavior: > Claude: "Why you got to say nasty s***, Ray?" > Ray: "‘Cause I’m a nasty motherf***er." * On Dreams (The Boom Boom Room): > "It exists in my mind. You've got to have that. That's where it all starts. As a man think it, so then shall he get, some s*** like that." --- ### Claude Banks (Martin Lawrence) Claude is a conservative, straight-laced bank teller who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He spent decades blaming Ray for their predicament, and his lines often reflect his frustration with their "life" sentence and his yearning for freedom. * The Reality of Innocence: When talking to the superintendent (Dexter Wilkins) about their 40-year sentence: > Wilkins: "40 years... that's a long time for any crime, even murder." > Claude: "It's a hell of a lot longer when you're innocent." * The Pie Scene: Late in the film, an elderly Claude snaps and makes a run for a cooling pie, resulting in a punishment where they must stand on glass bottles. When Ray asks if he was trying to commit suicide by "running for the gun line," Claude replies: > "The bullets weren't the problem, Ray. The pie was too hot! Burned my damn tongue." * The "Yard Boy" Insult: During one of their many years of not speaking, Claude mocks Ray (who is gardening) by pretending he is the plantation owner: > "Oh yard boy, this myrtle could use some attention—perhaps some fertilizer would restore its exuberance. Get yo' ass to work." ### Memorable Side Character Quote Though not a main character, Jangle Leg (played by Bernie Mac) provides one of the most quoted lines in the film. When the warden is trying to find out which inmate fathered a child with a local woman, Jangle Leg steps forward and declares: > "I da pappy!"