When it comes to iconic American movies from the second half of 20th Century, there are a lot of films to choose from. From the gritty Taxi Driver to The Godfather and even The Magnificent Seven, there are so many classic titles and genres to choose from that it’s almost overwhelming for those wanting to revisit this era of filmmaking.
One of my personal favorites is Cool Hand Luke, the movie that arguably turned Paul Newman into one of the biggest stars of his age. Released in 1967, this film follows World War II veteran Lucas “Luke” Jackson who ends up going to prison in Florida and working on a chain gang after drunkenly destroying several parking meters. Though he accepts his sentence, he quickly finds himself at odds with both the other prisoners, as well as the various prison guards, who take a sick pride in treating the members of the chain gang as less than human.
However, by using wit, charm, and just a little bit of bravado, Luke is able to win over the other prisoners, and helps them begin to unite against the cruelty they experience in prison. If you’ve ever heard the line “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate,” that’s a direct quote from one of the guards in this film, after he physically assaults Luke in a key scene.
Though there are moments of action and comedy, the film is a drama at its heart, and has a truly impactful ending viewers won’t soon forget. No matter whether you’ve never seen this film before or you are a frequent re-watcher, Cool Hand Luke remains a shining example of American cinema from the 1960s, and now it is free to stream in one of the most easily accessible places on the Internet: YouTube.
- notable shows
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Kitchen Nightmares, Merlin
- notable movies
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Clueless, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, How to Train Your Dragon, Mean Girls, Star Trek
- Premium Subscription
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Yes, $13.99 per month
- Originals
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No
- Live TV
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No
Cool Hand Luke is streaming free on YouTube
The usual purchase options for ad-free viewing are also available
If you want to check out Cool Hand Luke for free, you can do so on YouTube, which has posted the film in its entirety with ads at the link here. If you would rather experience the film without ads, you can purchase it at Apple TV, Fandango at Home, or on Amazon Prime Video.
The film is also available on Blu-ray and 4K UHD at Amazon as well if you would like to own a physical copy.
There is another Paul Newman movie available to stream on YouTube for free
The Sting is free on YouTube right now as well
If watching Cool Hand Luke reignites your interest in Paul Newman, the good news is another one of his iconic films is also available to stream on the service. The Sting, which also stars Robert Redford and won seven Academy Awards is free with ads on YouTube and can be watched anytime. If you’re looking for more classic cinema on the service, including Network, Seven Samurai and more you can check out a playlist of all the free movies streaming on YouTube here.
- Release Date
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November 1, 1967
- Runtime
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127 Minutes
- Director
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Stuart Rosenberg
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Paul Newman
Lucas Luke Jackson
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