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"What we've got here is failure to communicate."
One of the most quoted lines from film history, it has crept
into numerous songs and conversations since the film's release
in 1967. "Cool Hand Luke" is one of the greatest
motion pictures ever created, because it masterfully blends
drama and family entertainment in a way that had never been
attempted. No--it is not a movie for the entire family,
but it comes close to achieving that distinction. Why?
Because it teaches valuable lessons on life that people of all
ages should absorb and obey.
Paul Newman stars as Luke, a war hero who is arrested for
cutting the heads of parking meters. He is sent to a
working prison, where he is forced to participate on a 'chain
gang', alongside a variety of colorful characters, including
George Kennedy as the 'strong as a bull' Dragline (Kennedy won
an Oscar for his role). The film deals with Luke's trying
to reform into the prison life, but just not being able to.
He attempts escape after escape, forcing the guards at the
prison to inflict harsher and harsher punishments.
Strother Martin plays the Captain of the prison, sort of like
the warden. He recites the now famous lines mentioned in
the first paragraph and he delivers a powerhouse of a
performance. As he says: "Now, I can be pretty
good guy to get along with...or I can be one real mean sum
bitch."
This film teaches numerous lessons on life, the most obvious
being that people placed in the same situation as Luke should
just carry out their sentence and live to see another day.
It also teaches, however, that reforming to the system isn't
always good, when the reason for being placed in the system is
in question. Those are very contradictory, but they both
teach lessons in their own way, just depending on which one you
decide to follow.
The ending sequence of the film
is one of the most touching and painful scenes ever filmed, with
Dragline realizing he has nothing without Luke, and Luke
realizing he just cannot escape the system, no matter how hard
he tries. Along with the final scenes, other noteworthy
scenes involve Luke and Kennedy fighting it out in the prison
yard (a quite imitated scene) and Luke trying to eat a massive
quantity of eggs for a bet. This film is littered with
classic scenes from beginning to end.
This is truly one of the best films ever made, and is one of my
all-time favorites. Though it was made thirty-five years
ago, it still teaches pertinent lessons and has the same impact
as it did back then. This one is certainly worth checking
out, if not for anything but watching a true classic unfold
before your very eyes...I guarantee you will like this one.
-- Billy
Ray
( 4 out of 4 pops )
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