Cool Hand Luke (1967)

Academy Awards, USA
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
1968	Won	Oscar	Best Actor in a Supporting Role George Kennedy
	Nominated	Oscar	Best Actor in a Leading Role Paul Newman
			Best Music, Original Music Score Lalo Schifrin
			Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Donn Pearce Frank Pierson

Warner Bros.
Directed by Stuart Rosenberg
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)

Paul Newman is sentenced to 2 years hard labor for screwing the tops off parking meters on a drunken lark. His irreverent attitude immediately clashes with the rules-oriented prison culture. Before long he is fighting with George Kennedy, the prisoner who more or less runs the place, as well as the "bosses" who look over them. However, he more than holds his own, and over time the other prisoners begin to respect him. Later, his escape attempts are met with harsh punishment, to the brink of death, and after his third he is shown no mercy. I was curiously unmoved by Newman's plight, a self-absorbed, stubborn character who seemed to be looking for trouble. His sentence was undoubtedly too harsh for the crime, and he would not serve it in today's overcrowded prisons, but I can't really say he didn't deserve what was coming to him either. Nonetheless, the film is overloaded with talented character actors in supporting roles and Conrad Hall's cinematography makes you feel the unrelenting summer heat.