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Empire Magazine (2008) Greatest Movies List - #138: Cool Hand Luke

 


Some movies have their main characters fight against nature, some against armies and others have them fight against institutions, always with the odds against them. Cool Hand Luke (1967) falls into that last category as it follows a character who clashes against the often-troubled institution that is the American prison system. It helps that the people in charge of said prison are borderline sadists and that the convict rebelling against the system is the legendary screen presence that is Paul Newman.

I had a great first impression of this movie even though the first time I saw it was years ago while it had already started playing on TV. The dialogue was dubbed in Spanish since I was living in South America at the time, but once you get into the story it is hard to let go. Watching Paul Newman defy and outsmart prison guards is not on par with all the spectacle you see in cinemas nowadays, but it is certainly engaging. I recently rewatched the movie, from beginning to end, on a classic movie channel to get the full context for his character. It also gave me context as to why some of the movie’s dialogue is used by Guns N’ Roses in their song Civil War. Now there’s a true sign of achieving pop culture stardom.

Directed by Stuart Rosenberg, Cool Hand Luke set in a Florida prison and is based on a novel, which is evidenced by the number of characters. In addition to Newman’s Lucas “Luke” Jackson, there are 15 convicts at the prison. Look closely and you will spot young Harry Dean Stanton and Dennis Hopper among them. For the Netflix generation, this will feel like an all-white male version of Orange is the New Black. Just like that much more progressive and ground-breaking show, the audience learns the ins and outs of the prison through the eyes of first timers in the prison.

There is a hierarchy, first with the guards. The man in charge is The Captain (Strother Martin), who rules over the prison thinking he is stern and fair, but the convicts feel differently. Below him is the Walking Boss Godfrey (Morgan Woodward) nicknamed “the man with no eyes” due to his constant use of mirrored sunglasses. Looking at that man is like looking at a soulless machine programmed to kill if you cross a line. Carr (Clifton James) has more humanity as his job involves walking the floor of the prison barrack to make sure everyone is in place and that there are no fights. He practically lives with the convicts, which reminds him these are human beings after all.

The convicts have their own bit of hierarchy, with new convicts at the bottom while at the very top sits prison leader Dragline (George Kennedy). A tall and muscular man, Dragline is an imposing figure who fears no one. When Luke does not respect his authority they have a fist fight in front of the prisoners, which Dragline easily wins. Yet no matter how many times Luke gets knocked down he keeps getting back up. This fight and other incidents earn him the respect of Dragline, the other prisoners, and even some guards.

It is fair to compare Luke’s life in prison to a religious journey. As he encourages those around him to defy authority he is punished for his actions. He does not spend 40 days in the desert, but after his mother dies, he is locked up in a shed under the blazing sun to prevent him from going to her funeral. When he does eventually try to escape, his punishment includes having to wear chains and dig holes until he nearly passes out from exhaustion. Every time he gets back up, the prisoners rally behind him as though his words and actions are a gospel.

Although Luke is guilty, you cannot help but sympathize with him and root for every escape attempt. For one thing his crime is destroying parking meters while drunk, which some might say does not warrant a prison sentence. True, Luke did break the law and every crime deserves a form of punishment. However, when said punishment involves being locked in tiny shed while your mother’s funeral services are taking place, being chained like an animal, and being forced to perform hard labour for hours on end, you can’t help but think there is something seriously wrong with the prison system.

I don’t know if the movie was an accurate depiction of prison at the time and place where it is set. Regardless, my opinion is that prisons should be a place of rehabilitation and not punishment through hard labour. You see the effect this punishment has on Luke’s body as he sweats from digging for hours and the sun burns his skin. When his fellow convicts sing in his support it is a rousing moment that has you cheering for the underdog. Cool Hand Luke can sometimes be a tough watch, but thanks in large part to Paul Newman giving one of his best performances it is a hopeful movie about resilience in the face of adversity.  


   

 

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