Cool Hand Luke (1967)

A man refuses to conform to life in a rural prison.

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Donn Pearce (screenplay), Frank Pierson (screenplay),

Stars:

Paul Newman, George Kennedy, J.D. Cannon

Top 250 #134 | Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Newman	...	Luke
George Kennedy	...	Dragline
J.D. Cannon	...	Society Red
Lou Antonio	...	Koko
Robert Drivas	...	Loudmouth Steve
Strother Martin	...	Captain
Jo Van Fleet	...	Arletta
Clifton James	...	Carr
Morgan Woodward	...	Boss Godfrey
Luke Askew	...	Boss Paul
Marc Cavell	...	Rabbitt
Richard Davalos	...	Blind Dick
Robert Donner	...	Boss Shorty
Warren Finnerty	...	Tattoo
Dennis Hopper	...	Babalugats

Storyline

Luke Jackson is a cool, gutsy prisoner in a Southern chain gang, who, while refusing to buckle under to authority, keeps escaping and being recaptured. The prisoners admire Luke because, as Dragline explains it, "You're an original, that's what you are!" Nevertheless, the camp staff actively works to crush Luke until he finally breaks.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | prisoner | escape | guts | authority | 

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Taglines:

The man...and the motion picture that simply do not conform.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

GP

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

La leyenda del indomable

Filming Locations:

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jalem Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The music cue where Luke gets the men to work faster on the road was used later for many years by many ABC television stations as their "Eyewitness News" theme.

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Goofs

1960s vehicles are visible in the background of some scenes.

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Quotes

Carr: Them clothes got laundry numbers on them. You remember your number and always wear the ones that has your number. Any man forgets his number spends a night in the box. These here spoons you keep with you. Any man loses his spoon spends a night in the box. There's no playing grab-ass or fighting in the building. You got a grudge against another man, you fight him Saturday afternoon. Any man playing grab-ass or fighting in the building spends a night in the box. First bell's at five minutes of ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Dirty Jobs: Wetland Warrior (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Cotton Fields"
Written by Huddie Ledbetter
Performed by Harry Dean Stanton

User Reviews

The anti-hero

One of the reasons that the late 60s/early 70s was such a powerful era in filmmaking is the emergence of the anti-hero (defined as an individual with heroic qualities, but not in a position we would usually find a hero). This is symbolized greatly in `Cool Hand Luke'. We can identify with Luke because his crime is venial and his concerns over the great questions of life are ours. It is because of this and his persuasive charm that the other prisoners (played remarkably well by Kennedy and a host of others to include Wayne Rogers, Ralph Waite, Dennis Hopper and one of the actors who played a crewmember on `Alien') live vicariously through him.

Filled with memorable scenes (the boxing match, 50 eggs, the fealty of his fellow prisoners who help him finish his food after his stomach is shrunk in solitary confinement, `shakin' it here boss', the sneezing dogs, and of course the carwash part) and outstanding character development (created by what is said and what is not said, i.e. the visiting brother), one of screen history's most repeated lines and the great acting of Newman, this movie deserves to be called a classic. Released the same year as `Bonnie and Clyde', it makes one long for the days when you needed a real script to make a movie.