Cool Hand Luke (1967)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

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

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:

Prison | Escape | Mother | Prisoner | Authority

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
John McLiam	...	Boss Keen
Wayne Rogers	...	Gambler
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Tramp (as Dean Stanton)
Charles Tyner	...	Boss Higgins
Ralph Waite	...	Alibi
Anthony Zerbe	...	Dog Boy
Buck Kartalian	...	Dynamite
Joy Harmon	...	The Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Don Baker	...	Fixer (uncredited)
James Bradley	...	(uncredited)
James Gammon	...	Sleepy (uncredited)
Norman Goodwins	...	Stupid blonde (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	...	Chief (uncredited)
Rance Howard	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
James Jeter	...	Wickerman (uncredited)
Kim Kahana	...	Convict (uncredited)
Robert Luster	...	Jabo (uncredited)
Donn Pearce	...	Sailor (uncredited)
John Pearce	...	John (uncredited)
Cyril 'Chips' Robinson	...	Ben (uncredited)
Eddie Rosson	...	Luke's Nephew (uncredited)
Rush Williams	...	Patrolman (uncredited)

Directed by
Stuart Rosenberg

Writing credits
Donn Pearce		(screenplay) and
Frank Pierson		(screenplay) (as Frank R. Pierson)
Donn Pearce		(novel)

Produced by
Gordon Carroll	....	producer
Carter De Haven Jr.	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
Conrad L. Hall		(director of photography) (as Conrad Hall)

Film Editing by
Sam O'Steen

Art Direction by
Cary Odell

Set Decoration by
Fred Price

Costume Design by
Howard Shoup

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor
Jean Burt Reilly	....	supervising hair stylist

Production Management
Arthur S. Newman Jr.	....	unit manager (as Arthur Newman)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hank Moonjean	....	assistant director

Art Department
Craig Binkley	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Wes Webb	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Larry Jost	....	sound
Dan Wallin	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael A. Jones	....	assistant chief lighting technician (uncredited)
Michael A. Jones	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Harry Sundby	....	chief electrician (uncredited)

Music Department
Barney Kessel	....	musician: guitar, soundtrack (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Jalem Productions

Distributors

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1981) (1986) (Finland) (TV)
• Scanvideo (????) (Finland) (video)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1968) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner-Tonefilm (1968) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1996) (1998) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

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

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Company:

Jalem Productions

Trivia:

In the "road-tarring" sequence, the actors actually blacktopped a mile-long stretch of highway for the county.

Goofs:

Continuity: During scene when Luke is cutting chains from ankles, he throws the axe off to his left. When one of the trackers arrives, the axe head is resting on the stump with the axe handle off to the right.

Quotes:

Dragline: That's my darling Luke. He grins like a baby but bites like a gator.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: The PTA Disbands (#6.21)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Plastic Jesus

One of the top ten films ever made

This is an absolute perfect movie in every way.Storyline,acting,settings---everything is perfect.Hollywood used to make great movies like this before it became the special effects driven computer generated movie making schlock capitol of the world.

The great Paul Newman plays a prisoner locked up in a Southern jail after a night of petty crimes.His constant struggle to be free even while locked up makes this one of the greatest roles ever seen in a movie.Newman is at his absolute peak playing the cool Lucas Jackson.I was so struck by Newman's performance in this movie I was determined to name my son Lucas Jackson,but alas,I only had daughters and my wife wasn't too thrilled about naming either of them Lucas.Oh well.

George Kennedy plays Jackson's enemy turned buddy and he is absolutely perfect also.His portrayal of Dragline is Kennedy at his finest.The sublime Strother Martin plays the prison captain and damn is he ever good.He was always so underrated as is Kennedy too,I think.

In fact this whole movie is full of familiar faces that would go on to other big time roles in TV and movies.In this movie everyone meshes perfectly to create an unforgettable movie that will stay with you long after many other movies you've seen fade from memory.

You must see this movie.