Cool Hand Luke Page #12

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LOUDMOUTH STEVE:

Carr? Time?

CARR:

Six minutes to go, Dragline.

DRAGLINE:

(into Luke's ear)

Just shakin' it down, that's all,

settlin' them eggs down...

He sits him down, takes an egg from Koko and puts it to Luke's

lips, pursing his lips in a kiss...

DRAGLINE:

Come on, Baby... don't be that way.

Open your little ol' gator mouth.

Luke opens his mouth, in goes the egg, he chews, chews,

swallows. Another egg...

SOCIETY RED:

Forty-four...

CARR:

Two minutes to time...

DRAGLINE:

All right now:
get mad at them eggs.

Eat it there boy! Bite it! Gnaw on

it!

SOCIETY RED:

Forty-five.

CARR:

One minute, thirty seconds.

Another egg goes. Luke closes his eyes and motions to

Dragline; just stuff 'em in any old how!

DRAGLINE:

That's it, that's how to do it, chew,

chew, chew!

All eggs peeled, Koko is up and dancing wildly, and a couple

of men, even though they've got nothing but everything to

lose, are intoxicated beyond power to restrain themselves

and are yelling and jumping up and down.

CARR:

One minute, fifty-five... fifty...

forty-five... etc.

SOCIETY RED:

Forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven...

So that it all comes out in a near dead-heat, with Dragline

yelling and popping in eggs. At the last second before

deadline, two whole eggs are shoved into Luke's mouth, and

Dragline rams Luke's mouth shut for him...

DRAGLINE:

All in:
that's it: chew, chew, chew!

CARR:

Fifteen, ten, nine, eight, seven...

six...

Luke looks around, then takes a mighty swallow, as:

CARR:

One... zero!

Luke collapses with his head on the table, his arms flung

out.

SOCIETY RED:

He didn't swallow the last...

He grabs him by the hair and pulls his head back. Dragline

pries his mouth open with his fingers. Luke is out...

DRAGLINE:

You think so, huh?

NEW ANGLE PAST LUKE'S EAR

as they all peer down into his throat. Dragline grins, looks

around at Society.

DRAGLINE:

Where's the egg?

He slaps Luke on the cheek affectionately, closes his mouth

and lets his head fall back on the table with a loud thump,

his arms again sprawled out in the piles of egg shells. A

dance of victory for Dragline... he collects all over the

place. Dynamite, shaking his head, quietly knights the new

champion hog-gut by laying his big spoon on the table next

to Luke's head.

EXT. ROAD (DAY)

A car ROARS by, leaving a hint of laughter and music in the

air and a cloud of dust. The men are working rhythmically.

Godfrey watching.

ANGLE ON LOUDMOUTH STEVE GAMBLER

They have been observing Godfrey.

LOUDMOUTH STEVE:

Man looks like a goddamn bus driver.

GAMBLER:

(yoyoing)

He gets too close to me and I'll cut

his belly open.

OMITTED:

ANGLE ON KOKO:

He sees snake.

KOKO'S VOICE

Snake in the grass! Boss!

He runs. Men flail at the snake in the grass with their yoyos

and CAMERA MOVES WITH Snake though we can't see it and we

follow its progress only by the men jumping, hitting at it,

yelling.

GODFREY:

He rams his cane into the soft sand and Rabbit reaches into

the truck cab and hands him his rifle. Godfrey slams the

bolt in.

BACK TO MEN:

They jump and yell and chase the snake until they reach Luke,

who stoops, grabs cooly and comes up with the snake, holding

it by the tail.

LUKE:

Pickin' it up here, Boss!

GODFREY:

His EYES HUGE IN THE SCREEN: Luke seen there IN DUPLICATE,

standing tall in the sun, grinning, the rattler wriggling

and thrashing in his grasp. Godfrey's face holds for a long

beat then the rifle is brought up so that we can now see

Luke CLEAR IN ONE LENS and the other he is lined up in the

rifle sight pointing directly INTO THE LENS -- or just CAMERA

LEFT. There is a SHOT and the rifle is lowered enough so we

can see Luke IN DUPLICATE again.

LUKE:

looking at Godfrey, grinning, but a little tougher now. The

snake has no head. He walks down a little and throws the

body of the snake on the road at Godfrey's feet. It brings

him close to where Godfrey's cane still stands in the sand.

Godfrey kicks at the snake. He turns... Luke pulls the cane

out of the sand and holds it out to Godfrey.

LUKE:

Don't forget your walking stick,

Boss.

Godfrey turns to face him and stares at him. Luke just holds

the stick out to him. Godfrey slowly takes the bolt out of

the rifle, looks down the barrel, blows the smoke out, puts

the bolt in his pocket and hands the gun back to Rabbit before

finally reaching out and taking the stick from Luke. He turns

and walks away.

LUKE:

You shore can shoot, man.

Godfrey's shoulders almost jerk as though at every word he

were being hit with invisible bullets.

SKY CLOUD THUNDER LIGHTNING

EXT. ROAD DRAGLINE LUKE

working.

DRAGLINE:

Luke, why you actin' so strange?

What you wanna do somethin' like

that for? You gone too far when you

mess with the Man With No Eyes. You

gonna be outa here in a little bit --

whyn't you jus' take it a little

easy?

Luke has been staring up at the darkening sky which is growing

more ominous with clashing clouds and rolling thunder.

LUKE:

Man, it looks like the Big Boss is

getting ready to let us have it!

It begins to rain, large spattering drops, quickly turning

into a downpour.

BOSS PAUL (O.S.)

Awright, you kin git in that truck.

The gang rushes back into the shelter, all except Luke and

Dragline.

LUKE:

Look at Him go. Bam! Bam!

DRAGLINE:

Knock it off, Luke! You cain't talk

about Him that way.

Dragline begins to move off toward the truck.

LUKE:

You still believe in the Big Bearded

Boss, Drag? You think he's up there

watching us?

He grins at Dragline and then, after a beat, raises his bush

axe straight up to the sky, grinning at Dragline.

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

He is frightened as he backs off toward the truck.

DRAGLINE:

Get in here! Ain't you scared --

ain't you scared of dyin'?

ANGLE ON LUKE:

The rain is torrential. He has to shout to be heard.

LUKE:

Dyin'? He can take back this nice

pretty life any time He wants.

(looks up)

You welcome to it, Old Timer. Come

on! Make me know you're up there!

Kill me or love me, one or the other.

He holds his bush axe again, laughing, soaking wet.

REVERSE BACK OF TRUCK

The men jammed into the frame of the body, a frieze of shocked

faces staring out at him through the rain. There is a blinding

flash of lightning and a THUNDEROUS ROAR. They wince but

don't turn away.

LUKE:

He smiles and lowers the bush axe, walking toward the truck.

LUKE:

Standin' out here in the rain! All

alone! Talkin' to myself.

He smiles a little shamefaced, rueful, sad smile and climbs

into the truck and the men draw back from him.

ANGLE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF THE TRUCK PARKED BEHIND

Godfrey seen dimly through the rain-misted windshield.

EXT. YOYO SHIMMERING IN THE SUN TRANSITIONAL DEVICE (DAY)

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

It is the free hour. But instead of the poker game, Dragline,

Luke and Koko sit at the table dealing with their line of

debtors from the egg-eating. Koko acts as secretary, changing

the amounts as the men pay off or borrow more. As Blind Dick

receives his money and leaves:

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