American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Cool Hand Luke" (1967)

'Captain' Identifies The Problem Behind Luke's Escape

Captain: You gonna get used to wearin' them chains after awhile, Luke. Don't you never stop listenin' to them clinking, cause they gonna remind you of what I've been saying -- for your own good.  

Luke: I wish you'd stop being so good to me, Cap'm.

Captain: Don't you ever talk that way to me. Never! Never!

[addressing prisoners]

Captain: What we've got here is failure to communicate.

Some men, you just can't reach.

So you get what we had here last week -- which is the way he wants it.

Well, he gets it.

And I don't like it anymore than you men.