Cool Hand Thursday...

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Thursday, March 13, 2008



TIME TO DONATE SOME RICE TODAY!
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Build your vocabulary, feed the hungry...
22,135,528,430 grains donated at this point!


Could not get to sleep last night...coughing and sneezing...turned on the tube and "Cool Hand Luke" was just coming on...one of the all time greats with the incredible Paul Newman...

Of course it brought us the great line "What we have here is a failure to communicate" spoken by the "Captain" of the camp, played by the great character actor, Strother Martin to Newman's "Luke"...this is where he introduces himself to "Luke" and the other new prisoners.


But one of our favorite 'monologues' is the one done by "Carr", who was the floor walker in the bunk...the role was played by Clifton James, another character actor of note, who appeared in many TV shows including "Gunsmoke", "Dallas" and "Murder She Wrote" to name a few, and also appeared in "Superman II", "The Untouchables" and "Eight Men Out" in addition to many other films...

The monologue in question is near the beginning when "Luke" first gets to the camp...it has to be read in a stream...without stoppages...personally we are not sure there should even be periods...

Carr: Them clothes got laundry numbers on them. You remember your number and always wear the ones that has your number. Any man forgets his number spends a night in the box. These here spoons you keep with you. Any man loses his spoon spends a night in the box. There's no playing grab-ass or fighting in the building. You got a grudge against another man, you fight him Saturday afternoon. Any man playing grab-ass or fighting in the building spends a night in the box. First bell's at five minutes of eight when you will get in your bunk. Last bell is at eight. Any man not in his bunk at eight spends the night in the box. There is no smoking in the prone position in bed. To smoke you must have both legs over the side of your bunk. Any man caught smoking in the prone position in bed... spends a night in the box. You get two sheets. Every Saturday, you put the clean sheet on the top... the top sheet on the bottom... and the bottom sheet you turn in to the laundry boy. Any man turns in the wrong sheet spends a night in the box. No one'll sit in the bunks with dirty pants on. Any man with dirty pants on sitting on the bunks spends a night in the box. Any man don't bring back his empty pop bottle spends a night in the box. Any man loud talking spends a night in the box. You got questions, you come to me. I'm Carr, the floor walker. I'm responsible for order in here. Any man don't keep order spends a night in...

Luke: ...the box.

Carr: I hope you ain't going to be a hard case.

Luke: [Smiles, shakes head]

Of course, our male readers will shout that the best scene in the movie is while the chain gang is out on the road working, and they witness a scene that makes them all stand up and notice...The woman is played by Joy Harmon...(listed in the credits only as "The Girl")



From her mini bio on IMBD.com, she was born in Flushing, New York, the impressively-endowed Patty Jo Harmon was discovered as a guest on "You Bet Your Life" by Groucho Marx and later invited to work with him on "Tell It To Groucho."

The TV exposure parlayed her into forgotten roles in obscure films like "Village of the Giants" (1965) or top movies like "Cool Hand Luke" (1967) where she was only limited to playing a pretty face. (you hardly see her face!)

With a handful of television appearances to her name (including; "The Odd Couple", "Love, American Style", "The Monkees", and "Batman" among others, she made a bigger career as a pin-up girl during the late sixties to early seventies, but she ultimately retired from acting to get married and start a family.

Baking has always been a favorite pastime and she since started Aunt Joy's Cakes. She first started sharing her treats in Disney studios and now runs a wholesale bakery based in Burbank, California.



The entire film is crafted so well. The cast was put together with an eye for the little details of each character.

George Kennedy as "Dragline", (Kennedy won the Oscar for Best Actor In A Supporting Role for his portrayal) the top dog of the chain gang who is immediatley disrespected by the new inductee, "Luke".

The scene in the yard when "Dragline" pummels "Luke" who refuses to stay down, until finally, the writers - screenplay by Donn Pearce and Frank Pierson (as Frank R. Pierson) from the novel by Donn Pearce - show us "Dragline" looking down at "Luke" with a mixture of pity and respect and he walks out of the fight circle, refusing to kill the man he befriends from that time on.

This ultimately results in the next scene the 'egg-eating' scene where "Luke" tries to win a bet by eating 50 hardboiled eggs in one hour before exploding like a pinada at a children's birthday party...the clip has been edited in spots...We love the sly, satisfied, "got ya f**ers" smile you see at the end of the scene...PERFECT!



"Luke", arrested for cutting the heads off of parking meters is sentenced to two years in the work camp. The silliest of crimes, it perfectly illustrates who "Luke" is...a man who has little regard for authority and will do whatever he can to subvert it without ever making a spectacle of himself. In a short time the men who hate him for his nature, begin to take to him.

And at the same time the "Captain" and the guards are determined to break "Luke".

If you have not seen it, rent it or catch it on broadcast TV, it has been on AMC channel.

Have to shout out to Dennis Hooper as "Babalugats" and Harry Dean Stanton (credited as Dean Stanton) as "Tramp" - seriously...check out his IMDH page and look at the credits for this gentleman...

One last two lines of dialog...between "Luke" and "Dragline" early on...
[Luke won a game of poker on a bluff]
Dragline: Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin'. Just like today when he kept comin' back at me - with nothin'.
Luke: Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.

PERFECT!



There is no other way to close today's post then to allow Mr. Newman to supply the Tutelage for the day...

The scene where he learned his mother; "Arletta", played by Jo Van Fleet had finally passed...Just "Luke" and his banjo...

Enjoy....






21 Of Your Sparks

  1. Travis Cody Says:
  2. This is a great film. It's been ages since I watched it.

    Hope you're starting to mend.

     
  3. Schmoop Says:
  4. It is a great movie. Hope you are feeling better Vin. Cheers!!

     
  5. Sorry Bond but you lost me for a bit looking at Paul Newman. Paul Newman circa 1950 is the only man I can think of who can hold a candle to Johnny Depp :P

    Awesome movie, one of my favorite. Cat and Long Hot Summer are two other good ones and I LOVE him in Exodus.

     
  6. Anonymous Says:
  7. Um... I've never seen it...lol. Thanks for the clips! Now I'll have to see the whole thing!

     
  8. DrillerAA Says:
  9. There are only a hand full of actors that I believe are truly great, and Newman is at the top of the list. I like Redford, and Jeremiah Johnson just may be my favorite movie. Robert Duvall is there and Open Range is just a great film. I've got others, but Newman is probably the pick of the litter.

    And yes, one of my posts addressed a controversial subject. You'll notice that there were only three commentors. No one wanted to touch it. That's OK. At least everyone knows where I stand.

     
  10. TRAVIS: Coming along slowly..thanks...One of my all time fav movies...so many great scenes

    MATT-MAN: TY Sir... almost...but not quite...I need to buy the DVD of this one

    STARRLIGHT: LOL...you are allowed to get lost occasionally... His list of movies is incredible...but I think this one is the tops

    KYRA: Girl....get to the video store and put the kids down and watch...do it girl...

     
  11. Anonymous Says:
  12. Are you gonna make it, Vinny or do I need to find me another co-host?!?

    By the way, "impressively-endowed", I like it!

     
  13. Carr's monologue is fantastic - especially the part about grab-assing.

    Is it bad that I had forgotten the car washing scene? There are a couple of good lines in that one too.

    “Come on, safety pin. Pop.”

    “Hey, Lord, whatever I done, don’t strike me blind for another couple of minutes.”

     
  14. OBLadyBug Says:
  15. Great movie, one of my favorites ... yes dear I have seen the movie from the beginning to end. The boys will watch it over and over again if they know it's on. I'm sorry you couldn't sleep again.

     
  16. Angell Says:
  17. *makes a note to check the movie out*

    Thank you so much for the film study Bond honey. Always looking for more GOOD films to watch.

    Hope you're feeling better sugar.

     
  18. katherine. Says:
  19. first time I saw this movie I was in about eighth grade....middle of hot summer....stuffed with popcorn and coke and candy and with a bunch of friends.

    when newman lost the eggs....I immediately followed suit....it was bad....

    great post...thanks for the memories....smile....

     
  20. DOC: I am trying dude...keep the seat warm..."co-host"...I made it to "co-host"??????

    RWA: yup grab-assing..spend the night in the box...Love the Dragline quote about not going blind too

    NANCY: Wow..would love to watch it with you darlin'

    ANGELL: Seriously...go rent it...

     
  21. Great movie! Great actor! Vinny are you Italian? I ask cuz I'm married to an Italian guy named Vinny and I'm Irish. Yes the Irish do have a lot of blessings and wishes...my Italian guy is glad for that! I wish you Erin go bragh! And Happy St. Patrick's Day!

     
  22. Kb Says:
  23. Delsym cough supp is the best friend you can have... it will let you sleep without feeling drugged up -- try it! Hope your drugs kick in!

     
  24. Jeff B Says:
  25. She had a face?

    I saw this for the first time about a year ago. Go ahead, say it, "Have you been living in a cave?"

    Great movie and a brilliant recap of it.

     
  26. TEACH: I am Italian/Sicilian...but find it in my heart to help my friends from the land of the green celebrate their holiday....hehehehehe

     
  27. KB: If this new stuff does not work, I will check it out..thanks

    JEFF: bwahahahahahahahahaha...yes she had a face! I never assume someone has seen a movie...this one just came from the heart after watching it...thanks...

     
  28. TopChamp Says:
  29. sorry to say I'm not listening today as I am suffering from music overload after 3 weeks of non-stop gigging.

    HOWEVER tomorrow is a night off... so I may be back then.

     
  30. Tug Says:
  31. I haven't seen that movie in forever...they just don't make 'em like that anymore, do they!

     
  32. RW Says:
  33. Awesome movie! I always thought the car wash girl was Susanne Summers, thanks letting me know I was fanaticizing over the wrong girl lol!

    Get to feeling better Vin!

     
  34. TOPCHAMP: We will be here when you get back

    TUG: Nope they don't....unforgettable movie

     

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