Cool Hand Luke (1967)

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Donn Pearce (screenplay) and
Frank Pierson (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 November 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Sadistic Warden | Chili Powder | Breasts | Isolation Cell | Exhaustion

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Lannistumaton Luke (Finland) [fi]
Leyenda del indomable, La (Spain) [es]
Llegenda de l'indomable, La (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Luke Jackson: O megalos drapetis (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
Luke la main froide (France) [fr]
Megalos drapetis, O (Greece) [el]
Morred, Ha- (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Nick mano fredda (Italy) [it]
Nieugiety Luke (Poland) [pl]
Parmakliklarin arkasinda (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Rebeldia Indomável (Brazil) [pt]
Rebell i bojor (Sweden) [sv]
Skrappe Luke (Denmark) [da]
Unbeugsame, Der (West Germany) [de]

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #21450) | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Norway:16 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | UK:15 | Singapore:PG | USA:GP (re-rating) (1970)

Filming Locations:

Lodi, California, USA

Company:

Jalem Productions

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.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Luke cuts his chains with the axe, he ties the chains to his ankles with a strip off his trousers. He ties his left ankle but not his right, yet as he gets up and runs away both are tied on.

Quotes:

Luke: Oh come on. Stop beatin' it. Get out there yourself. Stop feedin' off me. Get out of here. I can't breathe. Give me some air.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Moonlighting: Cool Hand Dave: Part 1 (#4.5)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

Plastic Jesus

real cool

Now that it has become sort of fashionable to speak or write badly about the films of the 60s and 70s, saying that people stopped going to the movie theatres during that fruitful period (which is not true), we must -more than ever-rate a flick as "Cool Hand Luke" as it really deserves. The rebel spirit of the lead character (played to perfection by the excellent Paul Newman) against that brutal and -most of the times- unfair "establishment" represented by the prison guards is a subject that remains as topical as ever. If this picture had been made today, it could also probably be good, but it would undoubtedly be much more unpleasant and filled with four-letter words. Besides, who could match the performances of Newman, George Kennedy (the deservedly Oscar-winner who has kept on making a brilliant career -do you remember him as "The Blue Knight"?), Strother Martin, J.D.Cannon, etc.? Jo Van Fleet´s character as Luke´s mother seems a sort of slightly-aged version of her role as James Dean´s mum in "East Of Eden", and it is really worthwhile. The scene of the hard-boiled eggs is a classic and a gem, but my favourite scene in the movie is that of the car-washing girl so wonderfully played by Joy Harmon (who is really a Joy for any man´s eyes); that character truly says a lot of things without speaking -her gorgeous body speaks for her! I must say that it´s not only one of the sexiest scenes I´ve ever seen in a film but also a very significative one: there is an enormous contrast between the image of the lass moving and shaking in complete and absolute freedom (even in her way of dressing) and the imprisoned men-at-work who watch her as something extremely desirable but, alas, completely out of reach. (The viewer can really feel like a prisoner too!). All in all, this is a fine film of the 60s, but also of the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, the 21st century and whatever God wants it to come.