Cool Hand Luke (1967): cast, story & where to watch
1967 · Film · ★ 7.8
Released in 1967, Cool Hand Luke is a drama and crime film directed by Stuart Rosenberg, running about 127 minutes. “What we've got here is failure to communicate.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. When petty criminal Luke Jackson is sentenced to two years in a Florida prison farm, he doesn't play by the rules of either the sadistic warden or the yard's resident heavy, Dragline, who ends up admiring the new guy's unbreakable will. Luke's bravado, even in the face of repeated stints in the prison's dreaded solitary confinement cell, "the box," make him a rebel hero to his fellow convicts and a thorn in the side of the prison officers.
Who’s in it. Cool Hand Luke stars Paul Newman as Luke Jackson, George Kennedy as Dragline, Luke Askew as Boss Paul and Morgan Woodward as Boss Godfrey, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.8/10, Cool Hand Luke has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $16.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Criterion Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Cool Hand Luke page.
If you liked it. Fans of Cool Hand Luke tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Cool Hand Luke (1967)?
- In US, Cool Hand Luke is available to stream on Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Cool Hand Luke worth watching?
- Cool Hand Luke holds an audience score of 7.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and crime. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Cool Hand Luke?
- Cool Hand Luke stars Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Luke Askew, Morgan Woodward and Harry Dean Stanton.
- When was Cool Hand Luke released?
- Cool Hand Luke was released in 1967, with a runtime of about 127 minutes.