Paul Newman, the late American film actor, starred in numerous movies in his career but none have shown the insight or the symbolism much like Cool Hand Luke, a drama filmed in 1967, filmed by Stuart Rosenberg. The title role Newman portrays, Luke Jackson, is imprisoned in a Florida prison camp after cutting the heads off parking meters, in the film’s opening.
For the remainder of the film Luke tries desperately to escape and to not conform to the prison’s routines. His inability to conform and his calm and cool demeanor (hence the film’s title) provoke the captain of the prison and make the other prisoners idolize him.
The film ends with Luke and another inmate stealing a truck to escape but to no avail; as they are later found hiding in a church where Luke is shot in the neck. Throughout the movie symbolism and parallels between Jesus Christ and Cool Hand Luke abound.
Christ Symbolism and Parallel in Cool Hand Luke
- Luke is looked up to as a leader and idolized by the prisoners around him just as Christ was looked up to as a leader and idolized by his disciples.
- The final shot of the movie pans back from a rural crossroads in the shape (obviously) of a cross.
- After eating 50 eggs in an hour Luke is shown lying down on the table in a crucified position. Some see the eggs as a symbol for the sins of the human race that Jesus wiped clean upon his crucifixion.
- Luke tries to escape three times from prison before he is finally shot and killed. Jesus fell three times carrying the cross before being crucified.
- When Luke returns from one of his escape attempts the other men are excited to know about his adventures in the real world. Luke is annoyed and finally shouts at the inmates to “stop feeding off me!” which can be viewed as a reference to the Eucharist. Later Luke is served an unhealthy serving of rice from the captain and told that if he doesn’t finish it he must spend a night in the “box” (a soundless, lightless, bedless room on the outskirts of the prison). The other prisoners help themselves to the rice to help Luke, another allusion to the Eucharist.
Cool Hand Luke and Popular Culture
Since the movies release in 1967, Cool Hand Luke, has won an academy award and was nominated for four. The movie is often cited as one of the top 250 movies of all time. It was also a driving force during the 1960s, with the nonconformist movement in popular culture.
In 2003 the American Film institue's Top 100 Heroes and Villains voted Luke Jackson to be the number 30 greatest hero in movie history. In 2007 the American Film Institue's Top 100 Most Inspiring Characters voted Luke Jackson number 71. The famous movie line, "what we have here is failure to communicate," is cited as one of the most recognizable quotes in movie history. AFI voted it the number 11 greatest movie quote in film history.
The movie's premise has been featured in numerous television shows and films as well as the famous quote included in the film.
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