Cool Hand Luke (underlying meaning) (1 Viewer)

[Perry Jonkheer]

Cool Hand Luke is one of my favorite movies. Have seen it at least 5 times. However, I have always gotten the feeling it had some sort of underlying meaning. Is this true, and if so what is it?? Any and all comments are appreciated.

Thank You.

 

[Jon Bell]

I always felt there was a lot of imagery that made Luke into a Christ figure, such as: Luke talking to God in the church a la the Garden of Gethsemene, the inmates taking the rice from his plate a la the Last Supper/ holy communion, in the last scene as they pull up, the road forms a cross, Luke emerging from the "box" is a kind of resurrection, George Kennedy is an unintentional Judas just before Luke gets shot. Then, of course, there's that famous bible story where Jesus eats 50 eggs (just kidding about that one, but could you stretch the point and make that a loaves and fishes reference?). I'm sure there are others. My college roommate wrote a paper on this topic for a film class.

This is a great movie, one of my favorites, I must have seen it 20 times.

 

[Henry Gale]

I'm sure there are others.

Yep! Here's a couple; after the egg eating contest the camera pulls back to reveal Luke, alone, posed on the table with arms outstretched and legs crossed at the ankle. When he gets word of his mother's death, he consols himself with a slow, and fast version of Plastic Jesus.
I think all this was a creation of the screenplay. The novel by Donn Pearce (not a prolific writer) was probably just to exorcise the demons of his actual two years on a chain gang.

Jim

 

[John Spencer]

Don't forget his prisoner number: "37", considered by many Christian historians as the "perfect number". there are numerous others, and I wish I could recall them all.

Yes, the whole movie is a Christ allegory, and one of the best in terms of disguising it.

 

[Jon Bell]

John Spencer-- what's the significance of the number 37?

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Hmmm - Cool Hand Luke reminds me a lot of Shawshank Redemption. No matter how many rights are taken away from a person - no one can take away what makes you - you.

Your inner spirit, sense of self worth, the ability to have hope in the most direst circumstances - that is yours to control. Or to give control away to others.

 

[Henry Gale]

what's the significance of the number 37

May I humbly suggest a search at Google, or wherever...

The answer to this question is only going to speed this thread toward the discussion of mythology and superstition.

Jim

We don't do religion and politics and pan & scan here.

 

[Ben Motley]

what's the significance of the number 37?

Life, the universe, and everything?
Wait, that's not it.

 

[Perry Jonkheer]

Hmmm - Cool Hand Luke reminds me a lot of Shawshank Redemption. No matter how many rights are taken away from a person - no one can take away what makes you - you.

I agree. I had already perceived this from the film... I'm not sure if I buy the whole religious route yet.

 

[Jeff Pounds]

what's the significance of the number 37?

Isn't that the number of times that Dante's girlfriend had ... um... serviced guys in Clerks?

 

[Gary Tooze]

I adhere to the Christ comparison... there are many scenes where this is eveident... after eating the eggs he is lying on the table arms stretched and feet crossed, naked but for a small cloth around his waist... this is the most obvious of these shots...

Cheers,