Plot
Paul Newman was nominated for an Oscar and George Kennedy received one for his work in this allegorical prison drama. Luke Jackson (Paul Newman) is sentenced to a stretch on a southern chain gang after he's arrested for drunkenly decapitating parking meters. While the avowed ambition of the captain (Strother Martin) is for each prisoner to "get their mind right," it soon becomes obvious that Luke is not about to kowtow to anybody. When challenged to a fistfight by fellow inmate Dragline (George Kennedy), Luke simply refuses to give up, even though he's brutally beaten. Luke knows how to win at poker, even with bad cards, by using his smarts and playing it cool. Luke also figures out a way for the men to get their work done in half the usual time, giving them the afternoon off. Finally, when Luke finds out his mother has died, he plots his escape; when he's caught, he simply escapes again. Soon, Luke becomes a symbol of hope and resilience to the other men in the prison camp -- and a symbol of rebelliousness that must be stamped out to the guards and the captain. Along with stellar performances by Newman, Kennedy, and Martin, Cool Hand Luke features a superb supporting cast, including Ralph Waite, Harry Dean Stanton, Dennis Hopper, Wayne Rogers, and Joe Don Baker as members of the chain gang. ~ Mark Deming, RoviReview
Paul Newman created one of the most indelible anti-authoritarian heroes in movie history with his dynamic portrayal of the title character in 1967's Cool Hand Luke. It's some of the best work of Newman's career, and he's ably backed by the excellent Strother Martin -- whose "What we've got here is a failure to communicate" speech took on a life of its own in popular culture -- and George Kennedy, who won an Oscar for the role of Dragline. Luke creates a rich portrait of prison life and the people on both sides of the corrections department. Co-writer Donn Pearce spent time on a chain gang for safe-cracking, and the work has an unmistakable authenticity. The story is ultimately about the senseless righteousness of authority, and about Luke, a man who manages to win even when he loses. The film would usher in a wave of unconventional heroes, from Bonnie and Clyde that same year to Jack Nicholson's McMurphy in 1975's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. ~ Matthew Doberman, RoviCast
- Paul Newman - Lucas (Luke) Jackson
- George Kennedy - Dragline
- J.D. Cannon - Society Red
- Lou Antonio - Koko
- Robert Drivas - Loudmouth Steve
- Strother Martin - Captain
Credit
Cary O'Dell - Art Director, Howard Shoup - Costume Designer, Stuart Rosenberg - Director, Sam O'Steen - Editor, Lalo Schifrin - Composer (Music Score), Gordon Bau - Makeup, Conrad L. Hall - Cinematographer, Gordon Carroll - Producer, Fred R. Price - Set Designer, Frank Pierson - Screenwriter, Donn Pearce - Screenwriter, Donn Pearce - Book Author| Cool Dog (2009 Film), Cool Dimension (2009 Film) | |
| Cool It (2010 Film), Cool It, Carol! (1968 Film) |
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