Cool Hand Luke

Name: Cool Hand Luke
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: November 1, 1967
Duration: 126 min
Rating: 92
Cast: Clifton James, George Kennedy, J.D. Cannon, Jo Van Fleet, Lou Antonio

1967

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Universal acclaim based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 65 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 65 Ratings

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Cool Hand Luke

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts | Release Date: November 1, 1967 | PG

Starring: Clifton James, George Kennedy, J.D. Cannon, Jo Van Fleet, Lou Antonio, Luke Askew, Morgan Woodward, Paul Newman, Robert Drivas, Strother Martin

Summary: When Luke Jackson (Paul Newman) is arrested for drunkenly vandalizing parking meters, he is sentenced to serve time on a prison chain gang. Although the warden, guards and prisoners all try to break Luke's spirit upon his arrival, it soon becomes clear that Luke is not about to play by anyone else's rules. He eventually earns the respect ofWhen Luke Jackson (Paul Newman) is arrested for drunkenly vandalizing parking meters, he is sentenced to serve time on a prison chain gang. Although the warden, guards and prisoners all try to break Luke's spirit upon his arrival, it soon becomes clear that Luke is not about to play by anyone else's rules. He eventually earns the respect of his fellow inmates by refusing to back down in a fight, and he earns their friendship by figuring out a way for them to get their hard labor done in half the time. Luke eventually becomes a symbol of hope and resilience for his fellow prisoners, but the more he becomes revered by the inmates, the more he becomes a symbol of rebelliousness that must be stamped out by the Captain (Strother Martin). [Warner Bros.]… Expand

Director: Stuart Rosenberg

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: PG

Runtime: 126 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Marjorie Baumgarten

One of the sharpest prison dramas ever, although it's graced with some very humorous portions as well. Read full review

100

Bosley Crowther

Mr. Newman is excellent, at the top of his sometime erratic form, in the role of this warped and alienated loner whose destiny it is to lose. George Kennedy is powerfully obsessive as the top-dog who handles things his way as effectively and finally as destructively as does the warden or the guards. Read full review

100

Roger Ebert

Luke is the first Newman character to understand himself well enough to tell us to shove off. He's through risking his neck to make us happy. With this film, Newman completes a cycle of five films over six years, and together they have something to say about the current status of heroism. But Cool Hand Luke does draw together threads from the earlier movies, especially Hombre, and it is a tough, honest film with backbone. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Brilliant study of hero-worship and bloody-minded individualism centering on doomed outsider Paul Newman, jailed on a minor charge, bullied by guards, and winning the respect of fellow convicts on a southern chain gang. Superb cast, unforgettable moments. [29 Nov 2009, p.29]

Staff (Not Credited)

It's based on a novel by a real chain-gang inmate, but the movie itself often seems slick and arch, like a conformist's yearning tribute to non-conformity. Yet the cast is superb: Paul Newman as the rebellious Luke, George Kennedy as his brutish sidekick, Strother Martin as a jailer ("failure to communicate") and about a dozen supporting actors who became widely familiar faces over the next decade. [16 Jan 2009, p.C6]

Dave Kehr

Paul Newman tells 'em where to get off in this slick, popular antiestablishment drama set in a prison camp. Stuart Rosenberg's direction is a horror, but the cast teems with so many familiar faces that this film can't help but entertain. Read full review

Bill Weber

Newman remains watchable and glamorous throughout, bloody, muddy or coated in torso-flattering sweat, but the film’s efforts to sentimentally humanize him by psychological revelation are clumsy. Read full review

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User Reviews

thelol

Nov 7, 2017

This film got me from the first frame to the last. It's not even because of the story (which I love, of course) - it's just so very well made. And so modern. The kind of angles and perspectives the camera uses, the way it zooms in and out or even allows itself (literally) to get dirty - theThis film got me from the first frame to the last. It's not even because of the story (which I love, of course) - it's just so very well made. And so modern. The kind of angles and perspectives the camera uses, the way it zooms in and out or even allows itself (literally) to get dirty - the way this whole picture was shot is just something I haven't seen in an American film released prior to this one.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

jjosephyzack

Oct 18, 2019

All-time favorite movie! Newman is a national treasure, full of humor in this inspirational epic!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

OriginalDanger

Sep 5, 2020

Cool Hand Luke is a 1967 drama film, I guess crime is another genre you could stick it under... I think they are stuck inside a prison but not sure but anyway, Cool Hand Luke stars Paul Newman and George Kennedy... Cool Hand Luke is a film I grew up with as a child so I'm very familiar withCool Hand Luke is a 1967 drama film, I guess crime is another genre you could stick it under... I think they are stuck inside a prison but not sure but anyway, Cool Hand Luke stars Paul Newman and George Kennedy... Cool Hand Luke is a film I grew up with as a child so I'm very familiar with the film and I surely remember it well. The acting is excellent especially from Paul Newman and all the actors are great in the film and it's full of excellent characters even the people who are dislikeable. The carwash scene is genius but the ending is a bit sad but didn't ruin the film. Only negative I have about Cool Hand Luke is we didn't know if Luke (Paul Newman) lived or died at the end of the movie after he got shot because it didn't show us so that was a shocker but besides that this film is perfect. A classic in all departments.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

keanex

Feb 4, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Cool Hand Luke is the first Paul Newman movie that I have seen, and is generally older than the films I watch, but I greatly enjoyed it. It's a prison movie where a newcomer rebel changes up the way things go around the prison, earning the respect and admiration of the biggest/baddest guy in the prison, as well as everyone else. There are some comedic moments (the eggs), some heartwarming moments (between Luke & Dragline), and moments of inspiration of Luke's determination. This movie reminds me a lot of Shawshank Redemption in those ways, though with very different outcomes. It's an excellent movie that grew on me as it continued.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Bitash

Jun 11, 2020

I love old movies and saw the great reviews of this one and I love Newman so i gave it a shot. Acting was perfect, well done...cinematography was great...but the story draaaaaaged..I kept thinking ok something exciting will happen......nada......waited some more and found that movie ended.I love old movies and saw the great reviews of this one and I love Newman so i gave it a shot. Acting was perfect, well done...cinematography was great...but the story draaaaaaged..I kept thinking ok something exciting will happen......nada......waited some more and found that movie ended. Lacked excitement for me that’s all. I love Newman and will watch his other older movies.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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