Plot: After the Korean War, a small town Southerner is sentenced to a rural prison, but refuses to conform.
Stars: Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Stother Martin
Cool Hand Luke, along with the Great Escape, is probably the ultimate 1960s teenage boy movie. What teenage boy doesn't like Cool Hand Luke? He's so cool! He represents everything teenage boys love, rebellion against authority, competence, coolness, and lots of snarky, sarcastic one-liners
Luke, like any "cool kid" is tall, good looking, and good at everything. He's a war hero, wins at poker and an egg eating contest, and out-smarts the guards constantly. Sure, he loses a fight to "Dragline", but that's only because he's 50 lbs lighter. In sheer guts he's Dragline's equal. Its no wonder that in no time at all, Luke is the hero of the whole prison camp and Dragline's best friend.
And he smirks. Boy does he smirk. Nobody was better at smirking and looking cool then Paul Newman. He smirks at the Captains opening speech. He smirks at Carr (the floorwalkers) speech. He smirks and smirks at authority. And the snark. "I wish you wouldn't be so good to me Captain" Could any teenage boy have said it better?
And of course, he fools authority with fake sincerity. But he soon comes to his senses and rebels - for the last time - because no one who's "cool" believes in all that Jesus stuff and obeys the rules.
But are "The Captain" and the Guards really the bad guys?
Of course not, except at the end when they shoot Luke after his lies and his 2nd escape. Before then, they're telling Luke the truth. It really *is* for his own good not to try to escape, to obey the rules, and serve his time. And the "Captain" is honest. When he says "I can be a good guy or a real sum bitch" he's not joking. Luke smirks but the Cap isn't lying. When Luke escapes and recaptured the Captain takes no retaliation. But when Luke lies and escapes the 2nd time, he's shot.
Direction/Acting/casting/Script
While the direction is good, the acting in CHL is superb. Especially, Strother Martin and James Clifton. Newman, is a little too old at 42 but still very charismatic. As for the others, George Kennedy was born in NYC but in CHL he's the ultimate old time "Good ol' Boy" who acts first and thinks later. Later to be famous actors like Wayne Rodger, Ralph Waite, Harry Dean Stanton, and Dennis Hopper are prisoners. And some lines from the movie are still well known: "Spend a night in the Box" and "What we have here is failure to communicate".
Coming up Short Here, Boss
Of course Cool Hand Luke, isn't perfect. The middle part drags, especially during the silly egg eating contest. And the "Christian" imagery and the "Plastic Jesus" song are either offensive - or pretentious - depending on your point of view. Finally, all the crooks are really great guys, aren't they? You wonder how they ended up in Prison.
Summary: With all its flaws, one of Newman's best, and one of the best prison movies of the last 60 years. Tailor made for 14 year old boys.
