Cool Hand Luke

An absolute classic, they just don't make movies like this anymore.

Dragline: My boy says he can eat fifty eggs, he can eat fifty eggs.

A great Movie, that has it all, well acted and filmed, real classic.

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

Paul Newman and George Kennedy both suck you right into this one. Two amazing performances! Anyway Cool Hand Luke has some scenes I won't forget any time soon. Like the egg eating scene, Luke who keeps getting up and never stops, Luke in that hole he dug with those chains around his feet. All amazingly performed by Paul Newman. But with the two leads in Paul Newman and George Kennedy (in a oscar winning performance) on top of their game, nothing could go wrong! Like Dragline (George Kennedy) says at the end, that smile Luke (Paul Newman) had, the Luke Smile was such a great thing to see. You really got the feeling those bosses and guards couldn't beat him, he would never give up. You see that in every scene. The egg eating, boxing, escaping. It was just such a joy to watch.

The movie is also very beautifully shot! Which helps out too! Along side a fantastic soundtrack and cast, this film based on Donn Pearce's 1965 novel of the same name should be seen by anyone who likes movies. It's cool, it's great, it's amazing. I just can't do it justice with words at the moment! Just enjoy it!

Beautiful and heartbreaking. While some of its anti-establishment nose-thumbing didn't age well, the spirit of the movie certainly has and it's a joy to watch. George Kennedy gives a wonderful, idiosyncratic performance and watching Dragline's heart crack open is gutting. Shoutout to the monstrously evil aviator sunglasses--one of my favorite costumes/props of all time.

Great movie.

I can see why this is a classic. It's not really a story line I care for, but to hell with that; I ain't marking the score down because I didn't like the plot. I'm rating the film based on production quality and so on. It's got quality in spades.

One of those character studies that’s still a pretty great watch, even though it probably doesn’t pack as much punch as it did in the 60s. I love how you can feel the emerging New Hollywood/punk spirit in this. It’s not the most bold or forward thinking conceptually but what it captures feels raw and honest. There’s also a playful side to this film which can be found in the dialogue and performances, however the tone always feels very controlled. It boasts some strong performances and character work, Luke’s arc doesn’t develop in the way I expected but I was still satisfied with the note it left on. Looking back on the experience, it feels like the type of film that must’ve been hugely influential to someone like Scorsese, at the very least thematically. Visually it’s immaculate; the blocking, framing and movement feel precise and purposeful. Early on there’s a scene where you get a look into the mind of these sex depraved characters and the way that’s captured just through exaggerated visual storytelling is brilliant (and I’m sure relatable to everyone at some point). There are so many great shots and edits that left an impression of me (any wide shot of the crew working in the burning sun; the western style zooms and edits which show up every now and then). I also enjoyed the strong country influence on the score, though on a few occasions it can feel goofy and of its time.

8/10

A listless former soldier gets himself arrested on a triviality, then shipped off to serve two years of hard labor on a sweaty deep south chain gang. There, he establishes a strong reputation with the inmates and tests his limits with the guards before tiring of the tough conditions and attempting escape. Evidently, prison wasn’t the panacea Luke sought and his particular brand of stir crazy still thrives behind bars. Shame, then, that this isn’t a hotel and he can’t check out on a whim. Upon re-capture, his relationship, with both guards and prisoners, changes overnight and he grows increasingly unraveled.

Paul Newman is superb as the confused, complex character at the center of all this noise. At the best of times, we’re drawn in by the raw strength of his personality, his anti-authority vigor and his chummy, jovial wit. At worst, we see why he’s never been able to maintain a serious long-term relationship with anyone, including his immediate family. He has a nasty tendency to self-sabotage when trapped or complacent, and to suddenly turn on those he once held dear when things aren’t going his way. His closest pal in the clink, the long-tenured camp leader Dragline (portrayed by a fresh-faced George Kennedy), experiences both sides of this duality. Luke will go through hell for you in the morning, then spit on your corpse in the evening. Their friendship confounds Dragline, start to finish, and leaves him a changed man at the end of the picture. Much like the viewer.

What struck me positively about "Cool Hand Luke" right from the start was the great cinematography. Prison dramas often struggle to provide variety on a visual level due to the limited setting, but this movie easily manages it. The performances are no less impressive, especially those of Paul Newman and George Kennedy. Newman manages to convey many emotions with just a few words. His transformation from indifferent to optimistic and finally to broken is palpable. Admittedly, you have to live with the fact that "Cool Hand Luke" is a movie with almost no female characters and with an almost exclusively white cast. But if you can accept that, you will be served a fascinating character study.