Poetic Film Review: Cool Hand Luke (1967)

In southern chains, where sunbeams fade,
A rebel's tale, of Luke, is made,
A man of war, with heart astray,
Destroying meters, in a drunken sway.

With Dragline's might, he clashes strong,
A boxing match, where wills are wrong,
Though beaten down, his spirit remains,
And earns respect, in prison's pains.

The Captain's rule, with tyranny cold,
Luke resists on, his soul to unfold,
Escapes and recaptures, a cycle dire,
His spirit crushed, yet mythic fire.

For Boomers then, his defiance rang true,
A proxy for youth, disillusioned anew,
Newman's portrayal, magnetic and bright,
A man who won't stay down, in the dark of night.

The film's themes timeless, of oppression and might,
Could unfold in any era's light,
Yet '60s aesthetics shine through the haze,
Conrad Hall's colors dance upon the daze.

Lalo Schifrin's jazz score sways and moans,
Bridging rural settings with urban tones,
Newman layers complexity with charm and vulnerability too,
Inviting admiration and pathos anew.

Religious symbolism weaves through the tale,
Luke as Christ figure sacrificing without fail,

George Kennedy shines as Dragline true blue friend indeed.
Strother Martin embodies petty power that we all need.
But flaws appear like jarring discordant notes so unkind.

Yet still Cool Hand Luke stands as cinematic gold.

(Note: The review in its original form can be read here.)

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