Cool Hand Luke (1967): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Cool Hand Luke is a 1967 crime drama directed by Stuart Rosenberg, starring Paul Newman, George Kennedy and Strother Martin. It is based on Cool Hand Luke by Donn Pearce. It runs 2 hours 6 minutes and earned $1,887 worldwide. It won 1 Oscar, including Actor in a Supporting Role. Critics gave it 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 92 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 6m (126 min)
- Director
- Stuart Rosenberg
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
- Based on
- Cool Hand Luke by Donn Pearce
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Cool Hand Luke About?
The premise of Cool Hand Luke without spoilers, adapted from Cool Hand Luke by Donn Pearce. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A rebellious drifter named Luke Jackson is sentenced to two years on a chain gang where he clashes with the brutal warden and corrupt system. Luke’s refusal to break, his quiet acts of defiance, and his enduring hope inspire his fellow prisoners, creating a complex dynamic within the harsh prison environment. He becomes a symbol of resistance against oppression, testing the limits of authority and sparking a tense power struggle.
Cool Hand Luke Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- prison
- fugitive
- hard boiled egg
- loss of mother
- eating contest
- egg
- rebelliousness
- anti hero
- rural setting
- vandalism
- hard labor
- escape from prison
+38 more Show fewer
- chain gang
- nickname
- friendship
- mother son relationship
- character name in title
- title spoken by character
- national film registry
- 1950s
- mirror sunglasses
- road crew
- rattlesnake
- blockbuster
- underwear
- convict
- punched in the face
- corporal punishment
- stubbornness
- car theft
- questioning authority
- freeze frame
- drunkenness
- arrogance
- shower
- tarmac
- hit in the face
- fistfight
- betting
- prison guard
- dignity
- deliberate cruelty
- shovel
- chili powder
- boxing
- axe
- famous line
- famous score
- wager
- sunglasses
Cool Hand Luke Cast
Paul Newman leads the cast, with George Kennedy and Strother Martin. Directed by Stuart Rosenberg; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Stuart Rosenberg
Also Starring in Cool Hand Luke
· 6 moreMore from Stuart Rosenberg
More films directed by Stuart Rosenberg, best-rated first: Brubaker, Pocket Money, The Drowning Pool and Love and Bullets.
Cool Hand Luke Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Cool Hand Luke 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 92 on Metacritic.
-
Rotten Tomatoes 100% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 95%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 92 Metascore
User score 8.3
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 77% User score
See on TMDB
Cool Hand Luke Plot Summary
What happens in Cool Hand Luke from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the early 1950s in Florida, Lucas “Luke” Jackson, played by Paul Newman, finds himself in a bizarre predicament after a night of drunken antics that leads to the destruction of multiple parking meters. His reckless behavior results in a two-year sentence on a brutal chain gang overseen by a strict warden known as the Captain and his silent enforcer, Walking Boss Godfrey, who is ominously referred to as “the man with no eyes” due to his ever-present mirrored sunglasses. Within this grim prison camp, even the smallest infractions lead to the dire punishment of “a night in the box,” a tiny wooden confinement that offers little air or space.
Full summary
The whole story of Cool Hand Luke, scene by scene
Cool Hand Luke Box Office
Cool Hand Luke grossed $1,887 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$1.9K
- International
- $680
Cool Hand Luke Awards & Nominations
Cool Hand Luke won 1 Oscar, including Actor in a Supporting Role. Its biggest night was the Oscars 1968, with 1 win from 4 nominations.
1 win8 nominations4 ceremonies
-
BAFTA 1969 1 nomination- Nominated Best Short Animation
-
Oscars 1968 1 win · 4 nominations- Won Actor in a Supporting Role – George Kennedy
- Nominated Actor – Paul Newman
- Nominated Music (Original Music Score)
- Nominated Writing (Screenplay—based on material from another medium)
-
Golden Globes 1968 2 nominations- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor) – Paul Newman
- Nominated Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Comedy or Musical (Supporting Actor) – George Kennedy
-
DGA Awards 1968 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Stuart Rosenberg
Cool Hand Luke Trailers & Videos
13 videos: 2 trailers, 8 clips, 2 featurettes and 1 behind-the-scenes video.
- Trailer 4K Trailer
- Clip Lalo Schifrin - Cool Hand Luke (1967)
- Clip A Night in the Box Scene
- Clip Failure To Communicate Scene
How Well Do You Know Cool Hand Luke?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What crime leads Luke to be sentenced to the chain gang?
Cars in Cool Hand Luke
14 cars on screen, including the 1941 Buick Special Estate Wagon and the 1942 Chevrolet BK.
-
1941 Buick Special Estate Wagon Important role -
1942 Chevrolet BK Important role -
White WA-Series Important role -
1941 Buick Minor role
Cool Hand Luke Also Known As
33 alternative titles, including “冷手卢克” and “Непокорният Люк”.
- Also known as
-
- 冷手卢克
- Непокорният Люк
- 폭력탈옥
- Rebell i bojor
- Хладноруки кажњеник
- 폭력 탈옥
- La leyenda del indomable
- Der Unbeugsame
- Nick mano fredda
- Frajer Luke
- Luke la main froide
- Bilincs és mosoly
+21 more Show fewer
- Хладнокровный Люк
- Parmaklıklar Arasında
- 铁窗喋血
- O Presidiário
- Skrappe Luke
- Ο Μεγάλος Δραπέτης
- המורד
- Nieugięty Luke
- Lannistumaton Luke
- Хладнокръвният Люк
- Холоднокровний Люк
- Luke, mână rece
- 鐵窗喋血
- Rebeldia Indomável
- 逃獄金剛
- لوک خوشدست, luke la main froide
- 暴力脱獄, გულგრილი ლიუკი
- La llegenda de l’indomable
- คน สู้ คน
- Rebell i lenker
- Không Khuất Phục
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Cool Hand Luke FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Cool Hand Luke, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Cool Hand Luke?
Cool Hand Luke runs 2 hours 6 minutes (126 minutes).
When was Cool Hand Luke released?
Cool Hand Luke was released on November 1, 1967.
Who directed Cool Hand Luke?
Cool Hand Luke was directed by Stuart Rosenberg.
More films by Stuart Rosenberg Who is in the cast of Cool Hand Luke?
Cool Hand Luke stars Paul Newman, George Kennedy and Strother Martin, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Cool Hand Luke make at the box office?
Cool Hand Luke grossed $1,887 worldwide.
How is Cool Hand Luke rated?
Cool Hand Luke has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 92 on Metacritic and 77% on TMDB.
Is Cool Hand Luke based on a book?
Yes. Cool Hand Luke is adapted from Cool Hand Luke by Donn Pearce.
What awards did Cool Hand Luke win?
Cool Hand Luke won 1 award from 8 nominations, including Actor in a Supporting Role at the Oscars 1968.
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