Cool Hand Luke Page #3

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KOKO:

(sotto voce to Dragline)

Newmeat's a hog-gut.

Dragline looks up, goes back to his food. There is an off-

stage CRASH.

NEW ANGLE TRAMP:

He is sitting on the floor, between his knees a mess of stew

on the floor and his plate upside down. He has made the

mistake of taking Dynamite's seat. DYNAMITE, the champion

eater, has casually displaced him and is busy chowing. Dogboy

is serving; he is the only one to break the rule of silence

in chowlines.

DOGBOY:

These pigs is rollin' in thar slops

now, Boss!

Tramp makes terrified and ineffectual efforts to scoop the

stew back onto his plate with his hand, wiping his hand on

his uniform, etc., then trying to obliterate the stain on

the floor with a foot.

EXT. BARRACKS PORCH (NIGHT)

The men are being shaken down before entering the barracks

for the night. They sit and take off their shoes. They empty

their pockets into their caps. Carr inspects shoes, throws

them inside door, frisks men who stand with backs turned,

arms raised. Then Carr mutters a number.

INT. BARRACKS (NIGHT)

Through the Wicker Cage toward door. As the men enter, stoop

to pick up shoes, repeat their number to the Wicker Man, as

they go through the chute.

INT. BARRACKS NEW ANGLE (NIGHT)

The men are preparing for their hour of free time. Gambler

has layed out the blanket for the poker game and is shuffling

cards. Koko and BLIND DICK have their seats, are arranging

their piles of change. Luke sits at the other end of the

table, past the blanket line. Dragline who has been talking

to the Wicker Man now enters casually as we HEAR Dynamite,

change in hand, moving to the game berating Tramp.

DYNAMITE:

Next time you stay outa my place! I

earned it. You try that agin an'

I'll bounce you all over the floor.

TRAMP:

I didn't know. I was hungry.

KOKO:

You don't take another man's place,

boy.

ALIBI:

It wasn't his fault. Nobody said

anything about seats. We --

DRAGLINE:

(to Tramp)

You gotta mind your manners, you

actin' like a hillbilly tramp.

KOKO:

(delighted)

Tramp! Beautiful!

Dragline nods.

GAMBLER:

(to Tramp)

You got your bullgang name, boy.

TRAMP:

(good-naturedly)

Ain't no worse than some I been

called.

TATTOO:

In the Navy, we used to call guys --

DRAGLINE:

Fasten your flap! All you Newmeats

gonna have to shape up fast and hard

on this gang. We got rules here an'

in order to learn them, you gotta

keep your ears open and your mouths

shut.

Luke snorts.

OMITTED:

ANGLE ON DRAGLINE

looking up as if he has just heard a strange sound.

DRAGLINE:

Somebody say somethin'?

LUKE:

I didn't say nothin', Boss.

DRAGLINE:

Well, whatta we got here?

LUKE:

A Lucas Jackson.

SOCIETY RED:

(at mirror, back turned)

Dragline gives out the names here.

You'll get yours when he figures you

out.

DRAGLINE:

(to Luke)

Maybe we oughta call you No-Ears.

You don't listen much, do you, boy?

LUKE:

(smiling)

Ain't heard much worth listening to

yet. Just everybody handing out rules.

A feeling of discomfort. Koko assesses Luke, who has remained

at the poker table.

KOKO:

Newmeat looks like a poker player,

Drag.

DRAGLINE:

Wouldn't surprise me none.

(to Luke)

Wicker Man says you got a hundred-

twenny and some change in the

Captain's safe and you got your five

dollars pocket money... That'll buy

you a whole fistfull of cards. You

in or out?

Luke stares at him for a beat, then shrugs -- who needs it --

and walks over to his bunk.

SOCIETY RED:

Looks like you've got yourself a

redhot, Dragline.

Dragline just stares after Luke.

GAMBLER:

(dealing)

Awright, let's play some poker. First

Jack is the Man... a trey, a duck, a

neighter...

He continues to call cards as we PAN AWAY and DOWN the bunks

showing Alibi writing a letter, Loudmouth Steve reading a

sex book, STUPID BLONDIE working a rattleskin wallet, SAILOR

removing his pants through his chains, CHIEF rolling

cigarettes, etc.

CLOSE THE WICKER

The shadow of the Wicker Man behind it rises and moves to

the tire rim which he beats with a tire iron.

CLOSE CARR:

CARR:

First bell!

POKER TABLE:

The men break it up, some head for the urinal.

ANGLE ON LUKE:

He lies in his bunk staring directly into a flyspecked bulb

hanging from the ceiling about eighteen inches from his face.

It will be on all night. The tire iron SOUNDS again and men

hurry for their bunks.

CARR (O.S.)

Last bell. Last bell.

INT. BARRACKS MED. SHOT

Carr moves down the aisle, counting lips moving. The barracks

is silent. Finishing the count, Carr goes to the Wicker.

CARR:

Fifty, Boss.

WICKER MAN (O.S.)

Fifty. Okay, Carr.

ANGLE ON LUKE:

staring up at bulb.

LOUDMOUTH STEVE'S VOICE

Gittin' up here, Carr.

MOVING CLOSE SHOT CARR

Pacing along, his feet squeegeeing on the floor.

CARR:

Yeeahp.

ANGLE SHOWING LOUDMOUTH STEVE

In the sleeping barracks he gets up and moves toward the

toilets...

ANGLE ON BABALUGATS

He is crouched in a tortured position to pray, in the space

between his bunk and the one above.

CLOSE LUKE:

He rolls over and goes to sleep. SOUND OVER: Carr squeegeeing

along, the CREAK of the bunks as men toss and turn, the WATER

RUNNING in the toilets, the DOGS BARKING a little outside.

OMITTED:

OMITTED:

ANGLE ON CARR:

He sits at the poker table. The sound has dropped now in the

depth of the night, the chink, chink of the Wicker man

stopped. Carr simply sits staring at his half-finished game

of solitaire, a card in his hand, his eyes seeing something

far distant. He's breathing but he could be carved of stone.

OMITTED:

INT. BARRACKS LONG SHOT BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

All others sleeping. Carr at poker table. Suddenly the clamor

of the iron bar is HEARD.

CARR:

First bell! First bell! Let's go!

ANGLE ON ALIBI:

as, still asleep, he is unceremoniously dumped onto the floor

by Carr who goes right by. Pandemonium of rushing men all

around.

EXT. CHUTE MED. SHOT BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

Carr is barring the gate with his body. The door outside is

unlocked and opened. The gong SOUNDS. Carr opens the gate,

steps outside to the porch and the men begin counting out.

EXT. BARRACKS PORCH BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

The voices continue to count off as the men run to lockers

and quickly line up outside the mess hall. Watching them go

is Boss Godfrey.

GODFREY'S FACE

impassive behind the sunglasses.

EXT. MESS HALL INSIDE YARD BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

The men pour out. There is a little dawnlight, but the

floodlights are still on. The Yard Man opens the gate and

the men begin counting off again. Gambler is the last out of

the mess hall and gets a kick in the ass from Boss Paul to

get him up with the others.

ANGLE ON CAPTAIN'S PORCH BEFORE DAWN (NIGHT)

He sits in his rocket watching. We hear the SOUND of the men

counting, clanging of chains.

TRUCK BEING LOADED (DAWN)

The men clamber inside. The Little Bull Gang truck leaves.

EXT. ROAD NEAR CAMP

Caravan of the Little Bull Gang and Patch Squad trucks moving

off down the road into the dawn light.

INT. TRUCK (DAWN)

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