MovieChat Forums > Cool Hand Luke (1967) Discussion > Most Important Scene/Sequence and Why?

Most Important Scene/Sequence and Why?


I am trolling, sort of. I have my opinion, but I am asking the pollsters and readers. Keeping in mind that Luke is a courageous non-conformist, what is the most important or revealing scene or sequence in the movie?

The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank.

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When his mother and brother and nephew visit, giving insight into Luke's personality, and also setting up the captain putting him in the box when she died, which is what finally made him run instead of just doing his time.

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There are a few, but the one that sets up Luke's entire mindset is the "boxning match", where he simply refuse to back down, no matter how lost the cause is.
It shows that he isn't hell bent on winning (because he would never have won that fight, no matter what), instead he is just hell bent on not doing what he doesn't want to do.
I've seen this film a few times now, and I have more and more come to believe that the warden - who becomes increasingly interested in the fight - understands right there and then that he is eventually going to have to kill Luke, because he will never ever bend to fit the system.

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I think after the last escape when Dragline says "You planned the whole thing."
and he responds "I never planned anything in my life."

Think of the implications of your own life if you never planned or anticipated anything.


Ephemeron.

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“Don’t you NEVER talk to me like that!” says Captain as he knocks Luke to the sand.

He only raises his this one time, and he rages like a helldog. We’re surprised. Always so in control, we think of him as the other cool guy, Luke’s dark opposite. He blows because the one thing he isn’t used to and can’t abide is insubordination. All is well for those that go along, but challenge his authority and he loses it. Doesn’t really happen until he meets Luke, and then ... well, he’ll have him digging holes and filling them in till he begs them to stop. The minute he does, all is forgiven. That’s all Captain wanted from Luke, all he ever wanted from them all: conformity.

The human cost of that is the movie’s central theme.

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THE ROAD PAVING SCENE AND THE EGG EATING SCENE...BOTH FEATURE THE CLOSENESS OF LUKE AND THE OTHER GUYS AND BOTH SHOWCASE LUKES INABILITY TO CONFORM OR DO HIS TIME QUIETLY...AND BOTH SCENES END WITH AN OMINOUS FORESHADOWING OF WHATS TO COME FOR LUKE.

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"...AND BOTH SCENES END WITH AN OMINOUS FORESHADOWING OF WHATS TO COME FOR LUKE."


THE EGG EATING SCENE ENDS WITH LOOK BEING LEFT ALONE ON THE TABLE LAYED OUT LIKE HE HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED.

THE ROAD PAVING SCENE ENDS WITH A SHOT OF THE STOP SIGN.

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Most important scene was Lucille detailing her side windows.

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