Page One: “Cool Hand Luke” (1967)

Screenplay by Donn Pearce and Frank Pierson, novel by Donn Pearce

The movie version of the opening:

The movie cuts some of the dialogue, but it’s essentially the same scene. When busted, Luke doesn’t lie. Doesn’t try to escape. When informed by the cop, “You’d better come along with us,” he just grins and starts to laugh. Says a lot about his psychological state of being. He doesn’t give a shit what happens to him. And that right there creates a question: Why not? And that creates a mystery: Who is this guy and why is he this way?

You may read the screenplay here.

Speaking of reading the screenplay, here’s a photo of Paul Newman doing precisely that on the set of Cool Hand Luke.

Wanna be cool like Paul Newman? Start reading scripts!

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!

Page One is a daily Go Into The Story series featuring the first page of notable movie scripts from the classic era to contemporary times. Comparing them is an excellent way to study a variety of writing styles and see how professional writers start a story.

For more Page One posts, go here.