Can you believe that is was more than 50 years ago that the classic movie Cool Hand Luke hit the scene and Paul Newman introduced us to the character Luke Jackson?
Luke doesn’t let the tough ins and outs of prison life get him down, instead he becomes a member of the gang. Here are some secret facts about Cool Hand Luke that you probably haven’t heard before!
01. Written by an Ex-Con
Cool Hand Luke is actually based on a novel with the same name, which was written by someone who had done time in prison himself. The author, Donn Pearce, served his sentence in a Florida Department and Corrections and was inspired to write his book about stories he heard about a con man named Luke Jackson.
Pearce was sent to the can for burglary in 1949, when he was just 20 years old, after working in forgary. Before his time in prison, Pearce used his forging skills to travel Europe and Canada while he was AWOL from the US army.
02. Finding the Lead Man
Finding the right person to play Luke Jackson took some time. Originally, Jack Lemmon was approached for the part, but turned it down. While Telly Savalas was actually cast as Jack Lemmon, he was filming Dirty Dozen in Europe and didn’t want to fly back to the US, preferring to travel by boat.
Production couldn’t wait for Savalas to make it back by ship, so Paul Newman was eventually given the lead role!
03. The Truth About the Eggs
No one can forget the scene where Luke wins a bet that he can down 50 hard-boiled eggs in just an hour. You’ve probably taken a few guesses as to how many eggs Newman actually ate while on set. Get ready to be surprised.
Newman said he ‘never swallowed an egg.’ Instead the actor had a trash can next to him, so he could spit out the eggs between takes!
04. Christianity on Display
Did you notice the Christian imagery used throughout Cool Hand Luke? Even the portrayal of Luke mirrors Jesus, as he is almost saintly until being sacrificed. Just think about the way Like lies on the table after the egg scene.
He takes the same position as the crucifixion. Christian imagery is a staple in the film, with Luke speaking to God and making plenty of references to his beliefs, like when he sings ‘Plastic Jesus.’
05. Banjo Lessons
Speaking of Luke’s performance of ‘Plastic Jesus,’ what did you think about his banjo skills? Hopefully, you were impressed because Paul Newman put in the work to learn how to play banjo just for the scene!
Another actor with a small role in the film, Harry Dean Stanton, taught Newman to play the song on banjo, a feat which delayed filming for a few weeks.
06. Author Makes an Appearance
What’s the fun of having your book turned into a movie if you don’t get to make a cameo? Donn Pearce, the author of the novel ‘Cool Hand Luke’ got his time on screen as a convict named Sailor.
Unfortunately for Donn, he wasn’t allowed back on set or invited to the premiere after he punched someone on the last day of filming!
07. True Accent
Paul Newman was serious about his portrayal of Luke and spent time in West Virginia studying the accent as part of his character research.
Newman wanted to get the accent just right, and even recorded locals speaking to make his accent authentic and believable.
08. Florida Feeling
Although the film had the true feeling of the Sunshine State, none of Cool Hand Luke was actually filmed in Florida.
Everything was filmed in Stockton, California on a set that was built to look just like the Tavares Road Prison. The set was as close to the real thing as possible.
09. Down in History
The film itself isn’t the only thing that has stayed on the minds of fans. There’s one line in Cool Hand Luke which has gone down in Hollywood history as number 11 on the American Film Institute’s list of most memorable lines. Can you guess which line it is?
‘What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.’ The line has become a pop culture staple and has even been used in songs. Go back and listen to Guns N’ Roses hits ‘Madagascar’ and ‘Civil War.’
10. Religious Symbols
Remember how we told you there was a lot of Christian imagery used in Cool Hand Luke? Another example is Luke’s prison number: 37.
There’s scripture from the Gospel of Luke, Luke 1:37, which mirrors the film’s depiction of Luke as Christ-like.
11. Big Success
Cool Hand Luke was made with a budget that was large for its time, $3.2 million. Luckily for the producers, the film did well at the box office and banked more than $16.2 million.
Not only did the film do well in theaters, critics also praised the work, calling Paul Newman ‘unforgettable.’ Roger Ebert even gave Cool Hand Luke four out of four stars.
12. Hidden Signs
You may not have noticed, but there were traffic signs highlighted throughout the film that were used to emphasize certain moments and points. For example, in the beginning of the movie, Luke is vandalizing parking meters, and the word ‘violation’ can be seen, along with stop signs in the background.
Traffic lights were also used as symbols, such as at the end of the film when Luke dies and the lights shift from green to red.
13. No-Name Newman
Paul Newman was already an established Hollywood figure before he played Luke, and he was constantly recognized while doing character research in West Virginia.
Not everyone follows show business, however, and Newman had a grounding experience when he picked his friend’s sister up from school and a nun asked him what he did for a living!
14. Relatable Crime
After getting drunk, Luke starts damaging parking meters, saying he was ‘settling an old score.’ This specific criminal act is unique and connects with the audience, creating a bond with Luke, as most people don’t like parking meters!
The scene set the tone for the anti-establishment theme of the film and got viewers on Luke’s side.
15. Bad Blood
Though fans came to love Paul Newman’s portrayal of Luke, the author of the book, Donn Pearce, wasn’t a fan of Newman, saying he was too ‘cute-looking’ for the role.
Pearce felt the role should have been given to an actor with a tougher look and said that Newman ‘wouldn’t have lasted five minutes on the road.’
16. Firsts
Did you know that the director of Cool Hand Luke was a total beginner when he got the job? He had directed a few television episodes for shows like The Untouchables and The Twilight Zone, but Cool Hand Luke was Stuart Rosenberg’s first feature film.
The work suited him and he went on to direct more than a dozen other feature films including Voyage of the Damned and The Pope of Greenwich Village.
17. Newman Gives Back
Other than being a Hollywood star, Paul Newman was a person who wanted to give back to those less fortunate than him. He did this by creating his own line of food products, which are still available today: Newman’s Own.
Chances are you’ve tried some of the line’s products which include salad dressings, sauces, and frozen pizzas. The money goes to Newman’s Own Foundation, which then distributes it to charities around the world. Since the foundation’s start in 1982, they have raised over $500 million for charity.
18. Working at the Car Wash
When watching the car wash scene, it certainly feels like it was filmed in one smooth fell-swoop. In reality, the footage of Joy Harmon washing the car and the prisoners’ reactions were actually filmed separately.
To get the job done, director Stuart Rosenberg gave Harmon specific instructions and cues about her movements and facial expressions. The car wash scene took three days to film for a scene just over one minute!
19. Finding a Starlet
Originally, Bette Davis was wanted for the role of Luke’s dying mother, but the actress turned it down because it was a bit part.
It seems that Bette Davis had bigger things to do, so the role went to another starlet, Jo Van Fleet, who was often cast as characters older than she was
20. Guys Club Only
In order to create a genuine feeling from the cast playing the chain gang, the director banned their wives from the set during filming hours.
Even Joy Harmon, who played ‘The Girl’ in the movie was forced to remain in a separate hotel room for two days before filming her scene.
21. Joanne Woodward MIA
You’re probably aware that Paul Newman was married to Hollywood actress Joanne Woodward. The stars had appeared in a collection of films together, and Woodward starred in five films directed by Newman.
So, it was glaringly obvious that she didn’t get a role in Cool Hand Luke. Perhaps it had to do with the lack of big female parts in the film!
22. Fortune Telling
Paul Newman was an established and experienced actor by the time he filmed Cool Hand Luke, and he knew the feeling on set was indicative of the success to come.
Newman reportedly said ‘there’s a good smell about this.’ Newman must have a good nose. The film went on to be a huge hit!
23. Boxing Perfection
The boxing scene in Cool Hand Luke is easily one of the film’s most iconic yet hard to watch segments.
Paul Newman and George Kennedy were committed to getting it right, taking the pain, and spending three days perfecting the scene for film.
24. Racer Paul
Paul Newman wasn’t content to sit on the sidelines as just an actor. He wanted to enjoy all the excitement of life, and he found some of that excitement in racing cars. Racing under the name P.L. Newman, he held a bunch of charity racing events and even filmed a TV special about car racing.
It was one of Newman’s passions, and he vowed to quit only when he began embarrassing himself.
25. All in the Eyes
Producers demanded that certain scenes be reshot, not for acting flubs, however. They felt like there wasn’t enough film time focused on Paul Newman’s blue eyes, part of his famous look.
The scenes were reshot to include more of Newman’s eyes and it seems to have paid off in ticket sales.
26. Back to the Car Wash
Joy Harmon couldn’t have prepared for just how iconic her car wash scene would become. As one of the only female appearances in the film, Harmon’s car washing made a big impact on viewers.
As for the shivering prisoners, that wasn’t acting. Filming temperatures were actually freezing!
27. True to Character
It sure looked like the chain gang in Cool Hand Luke was working hard, and that’s because they were! The actors did the real work of resurfacing a mile of a California highway.
Talk about commitment to make a film feel as real as possible!
28. Method Acting
The role of the ‘man with no eyes’ Boss Godfrey was played by Morgan Woodward, who took his job seriously.
Woodward went with Method acting and kept his sunglasses on, didn’t speak, and stayed in character on set. Woodward is well known for his appearances on Gunsmoke and Dallas.
29. Work It
George Kennedy was awarded an Oscar for his role in Cool Hand Luke, but it didn’t come easily. Kennedy’s character was Luke’s nemesis for the majority of the film, eventually turning into the main character’s friend.
Kennedy had to promote his character’s worth to the Academy voters by way of $5,000. It seems money can buy anything, even a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
30. Extras on Set
Donn Pearce wrote the book Cool Hand Luke, but had no screenwriting experience, so producers called in screenwriter and director Frank Pierson to help rework the script.
This was probably one of the best decisions made on the film, as it ended up becoming one of the best movies of all time.