History Film / CoolHandLuke

'''''Cool Hand Luke''''' (1967) is the story of Lucas "Luke" Jackson (PaulNewman) during his stay at a Florida prison camp in the early [[TheFifties Fifties]], and how he stands up to the system within the camp.

* ReturningWarVet: Luke is a decorated KoreanWar veteran. While it's never directly addressed, there's a possibility that his antisocial behavior stems at least in part from [[ShellShockedVeteran war-related trauma]].

* WorkingOnTheChainGang: What Luke did in-between several prison breaks

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Based on a novel by Donn Pearce, who co-wrote the screenplay with Frank Pierson.

* ReturningWarVet: Luke is a KoreanWar veteran and Silver Star recipient. While it's never directly addressed, there's a possibility that his antisocial behavior stems at least in part from [[ShellShockedVeteran war-related trauma]].

'''''Cool Hand Luke''''' (1967) is the story of Lucas "Luke" Jackson (PaulNewman) during his stay at a Florida prison camp in the early {{Fifties}}, and how he stands up to the system within the camp.

'''''Cool Hand Luke''''' (1967) is the story of Lucas "Luke" Jackson (PaulNewman) during his stay at a Florida prison camp in TheFifties, and how he stands up to the system within the camp.

'''''Cool Hand Luke''''' (1967) is the story of Lucas "Luke" Jackson (PaulNewman) during his stay at a Florida prison camp, and how he stands up to the system within the camp.

* ScaryShinyGlasses: Donned by Boss Godfrey, also known as "The Man With No Eyes." Who you do ''not'' talk to.

* ScaryShinyGlasses: Donned by Boss Godfrey, also known as "The Man With No Eyes." Whom you do ''not'' talk to.

-->"She don't know what she's doing!"

'''''Cool Hand Luke''''' is the story of Lucas "Luke" Jackson (PaulNewman) during his stay at a Florida prison camp, and how he stands up to the system within the camp.

-->'''Dragline''': Oh, god...she doesn't know what she's doin'!\\
'''Luke''': Oh, boy, she knows ''exactly'' what she's doin'. Drivin' us crazy and lovin' every minute of it.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Narrowly averted via MeaningfulEcho. The famous line, "What we've got here is a failure to communicate!" is used towards the end of the film. The first instance of the line is "What we've got here is... failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach" (notably, the version without the indefinite article was sampled by Music/GunsNRoses for "Civil War").
** Though it's also typically quoted with a thick southern accent, meaning the warden's version should be used.

* RoleAssociation: Among the convicts are [[{{Airport}} Joe Patroni]], [[BlueVelvet Frank Booth]], [[TheWaltons Pa Walton]], [[{{Series/MASH}} Trapper John McIntyre]], and Film/{{Mitchell}}.

* DarkestHour: [[spoiler:Luke comes back on his own after he runs away the second time after he grows tired of getting abused by people who threaten to call the police on him. The camp's punishment apparently breaks him, and no one thinks of Luke as a hero anymore... until he runs away the third time by pretending to be brainwashed and dutifully fetch some water from the truck.]]

* [[spoiler:TheHeroDies: Luke himself at the end.]]

* RuleOfThree: [[spoiler:Luke's punishment.]]
** And his [[spoiler: three attempts of running.]]

* GoOutWithASmile: [[spoiler: Luke dies this way.]]
* [[spoiler: TheHeroDies]]

* CrucifiedHeroShot: After the infamous Fifty Eggs contest... strangely enough. There's also the way [[spoiler:Luke's photo of him with two ladies is torn, and is slammed in your face at the end.]]
** Juxstaposed over a shot of two roads intersecting like a cross, just to drive the point home.

** "She don't know what she's doing!"