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.
Acting
Newman's blue eyes have never looked more tragically hopeful.
Cinematography
Sweat-drenched Florida sun that makes you feel the heat.
Writing
Dialogue so quotable it became prison movie scripture.
Director
Stuart Rosenberg
Paul Newman
Luke Jackson
George Kennedy
Dragline
Luke Askew
Boss Paul
Morgan Woodward
Boss Godfrey
Harry Dean Stanton
Tramp
Dennis Hopper
Babalugats
Lou Antonio
Koko
Robert Drivas
Loudmouth Steve
Strother Martin
Captain
Jo Van Fleet
Arletta
Clifton James
Carr
Marc Cavell
Rabbitt
Richard Davalos
Blind Dick
Robert Donner
Boss Shorty
J.D. Cannon
Society Red
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Paul Newman ate 50 hard-boiled eggs for real—though split over multiple days, not one hour. The actual egg-eating record holder managed 141 in 8 minutes.
The 'failure to communicate' line became so iconic that Guns N' Roses sampled the warden's speech in 'Civil War'—decades later, it's still the sound of institutional cruelty.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
