- 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. I don't like it any more than you men.
- Dragline: He was smiling... That's right. You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end. Hell, if they didn't know it 'fore, they could tell right then that they weren't a-gonna beat him. That old Luke smile. Oh, Luke. He was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he's a natural-born world-shaker.
- Boss: Sorry, Luke. I'm just doing my job. You gotta appreciate that.
- Luke: Nah - calling it your job don't make it right, Boss.
- Dog Boy: Well, lookie here. I knew they'd get you. Them chains and a bonus of a couple of years... Your running days are over forever, boy. Hell, I'd like to see you try to run again. You know, you getting so you smell so bad I can track you myself.
- Luke: Yeah, well, that ought to be easy for a genuine son of a bitch.
- Carr: Them clothes got laundry numbers on them. You remember your number and always wear the ones that has your number. Any man forgets his number spends a night in the box. These here spoons you keep with you. Any man loses his spoon spends a night in the box. There's no playing grab-ass or fighting in the building. You got a grudge against another man, you fight him Saturday afternoon. Any man playing grab-ass or fighting in the building spends a night in the box. First bell's at five minutes of eight when you will get in your bunk. Last bell is at eight. Any man not in his bunk at eight spends the night in the box. There is no smoking in the prone position in bed. To smoke you must have both legs over the side of your bunk. Any man caught smoking in the prone position in bed... spends a night in the box. You get two sheets. Every Saturday, you put the clean sheet on the top... the top sheet on the bottom... and the bottom sheet you turn in to the laundry boy. Any man turns in the wrong sheet spends a night in the box. No one'll sit in the bunks with dirty pants on. Any man with dirty pants on sitting on the bunks spends a night in the box. Any man don't bring back his empty pop bottle spends a night in the box. Any man loud talking spends a night in the box. You got questions, you come to me. I'm Carr, the floor walker. I'm responsible for order in here. Any man don't keep order spends a night in...
- Luke: ...the box.
- Carr: I hope you ain't going to be a hard case.
- Luke: [Smiles, shakes head]
- Luke: Anybody here? Hey, Old Man. You home tonight? Can You spare a minute. It's about time we had a little talk. I know I'm a pretty evil fellow... killed people in the war and got drunk... and chewed up municipal property and the like. I know I got no call to ask for much... but even so, You've got to admit You ain't dealt me no cards in a long time. It's beginning to look like You got things fixed so I can't never win out. Inside, outside, all of them... rules and regulations and bosses. You made me like I am. Now just where am I supposed to fit in? Old Man, I gotta tell You. I started out pretty strong and fast. But it's beginning to get to me. When does it end? What do You got in mind for me? What do I do now? Right. All right.
- [Gets on knees, closes eyes and begins to pray]
- Luke: On my knees, asking.
- [Peeks up with one eye, waits. Then opens eyes and crosses arms]
- Luke: Yeah, that's what I thought. I guess I'm pretty tough to deal with, huh? A hard case.
- [Clicks tongue]
- Luke: Yeah. I guess I gotta find my own way.
- [Headlights shine through windows, backs up]
- Dragline: Luke?
- Luke: [Shakes head and smiles] Is that Your answer, Old Man? I guess You're a hard case, too.
- Luke's Nephew: [on visiting day] Uncle Luke? Why can't *you* have chains?
- Luke: John-boy, lemme tell you something. You know, them chains ain't medals. You get 'em for making mistakes. And you make a *bad* enough mistake, and then you gotta deal with the Man. And he is one rough old boy.
- [Discussing God and the rain]
- Luke: Let him go. Bam, Bam.
- Dragline: Knock it off, Luke. You can't talk about Him that way.
- Luke: Are you still believin' in that big bearded Boss up there? You think he's watchin' us?
- Dragline: Get in here. Ain't ya scared? Ain't ya scared of dyin'?
- Luke: Dyin'? Boy, he can have this little life any time he wants to. Do ya hear that? Are ya hearin' it? Come on. You're welcome to it, ol' timer. Let me know you're up there. Come on. Love me, hate me, kill me, anything. Just let me know it.
- [He looks around]
- Luke: I'm just standin' in the rain talkin' to myself.
- Arletta: [Speaking to her son Luke] You know, sometimes, I wished people was like dogs, Luke. Comes a time, a day like, when the bitch just don't recognize the pups no more, so she don't have no hopes nor love to give her pain. She just don't give a damn.
- Luke: Oh come on. Stop beatin' it. Get out there yourself. Stop feedin' off me. Get out of here. I can't breathe. Give me some air.
- [Discussing a new prisoner who has to spend the night in the box]
- Dragline: He ain't in the box because of the joke played on him. He back-sassed a free man. They got their rules. We ain't got nothin' to do with that. Would probably have happened to him sooner or later anyway, a complainer like him. He gotta learn the rules the same as anybody else.
- Luke: Yeah, them poor old bosses need all the help they can get.
- Dragline: [Dragline attacks Boss Godfrey after Godfrey fatally shoots Luke. The other prison guards subdue him to the ground. Sobbing and sitting against a car Dragline tells Luke...] You hang on in there Luke. You hang on. There's gonna be some world-shakin' Luke. We gonna send you a postcard.
- [Alone in a church, talking to God, as police lights begin flashing]
- Luke: Is that your answer, old man? Well, I guess you're a hard case too.
- Captain: You run one time, you got yourself a set of chains. You run twice you got yourself two sets. You ain't gonna need no third set, 'cause you gonna get your mind right.
- Luke: I can eat fifty eggs.
- Dragline: Nobody can eat fifty eggs.
- Society Red: You just said he could eat anything.
- Dragline: Did you ever eat fifty eggs?
- Luke: Nobody ever eat fifty eggs.
- Prisoner: Hey, Babalugats. We got a bet here.
- Dragline: My boy says he can eat fifty eggs, he can eat fifty eggs.
- Loudmouth Steve: Yeah, but in how long?
- Luke: A hour.
- Society Red: Well, I believe I'll take part of that wager.
- [Moving through the crowd, all excited about the record breaking egg eating about to take place]
- Dragline: Alright, stand back you pedestrians, this ain't no automobile accident.
- John: [Visiting hours are over and John Sr. gives Luke his banjo, last remaining possession, before leaving] Now there ain't nothing to come back for.
- Dog Boy: Look Cap'n, look what he done to Blue. He's dead, he's dead. he run himself plumb to death.
- Captain: You can have the easy way, Luke... Or you can have it the hard way, boy. It's all up to you.