On its surface, Cool Hand Luke (1967) is a film about non-conformity, persistence and individualism — partly inspired by civil rights and anti-war movements during that time. But deep within the chasms of director Stuart Rosenberg's imagery, the movie portrays Lucas Jackson (Paul Newman) as a Christ-like figure in the not so holy, testosterone-fueled Southern labor prison.

Sentenced to two years for decapitating parking meters, Newman and his cool charisma draws the attention of inmates upon his arrival. Even after getting his butt kicked by adversary-turned-ardent ally Dragline (George Kennedy), Luke bathes in his peers' admiration while bathing in his blood. Their dialogue says it all:

Dragline: Stay down. You're beat.

Luke: You're gonna have to kill me.

Mentioned earlier was Luke's portrayal as Jesus. While it may be a leap to some, a deeper look into Rosenberg's editing reveals several parallels to the Stations of the Cross. For example: Both Luke and Jesus had reputations as saviors, war hero and religious leader respectively, before being sentenced. Jesus falls three times and is killed after the third; Luke escapes three times and is killed after the third. Jesus is visited by his mother before his death; Luke is too.

In the final scene after Luke's death, careful editing layers a patched photograph of Luke with women under his arms over the final shot of the dirt crossroad the chain gain is clearing. It's a stretch but it can be argued that this shot harmonizes Jesus' removal from the cross into Mary's arms.

All of these could be coincidences but there's just too many to ignore. There's even a Last Supper scene in which Luke's friends (apostles) eat his dinner, pledging their support. And like Jesus, Luke talks to God one last time, questioning the deity about the cards he's been dealt. God's answer to both men — death by betrayal.

Even when we think we're laughing at the classic egg-eating scene, we're really watching the epitome of the Jesus parallels. Luke eats 50 eggs, one for each soul of the 50 inmates. After gorging the eggs for the entertainment of his peers, Luke lays among the eggshells, arms and legs outstretched in the crucifixion pose. Might I also add that eggs are the seasonal food of Easter?

Posturing camera angles and quick shots carefully profile every character in the movie. Looking up into the mirror eyes of Walking Boss Godfrey (Morgan Woodward), viewers are instilled with subordination and curiosity.

Close-ups engage the audience into the inmates' jaw-dropped awe of Luke's charismatic and patronizing smirk. Low, de-humanizing angles show Luke getting up countless times — a blatant reminder to the audience of his diligence.

Newman's acting is phenomenal. His character pompously smiles in the face of castigation in the systematic penal system up until his "termination," as George W. Bush would call it. The only time he acts out of character is to get his bosses to stop beating him, but even then he's just buttering them up for his final exodus.

Also worth noting is Rosenberg's tactful use of drab and dry colors. All shades of brown, dirty yellows and the searing blaze of the blinding Southern sun. The only bright colors are quick shots of flashing red lights (police sirens, traffic light and parking meter violations) strategically placed in scenes where Luke's metaphoric hand in life is beaten by the clubs and spades of superiors.

The big house has long since been a mechanism of criminal purification and reputation rectification; Lucas Jackson is a character whose defiant reputation was won while serving his time.

These are hardly societal norms parents would want to infuse in their children, especially for a movie shy on curse words and violence despite its depiction of penitentiary life.

But sacrilegious rebellion was just one of the many facets of the many revolutions during the '60s. Subliminally embedding the obvious under the shiny surface of Newman's contagious smile made for a capturing and timeless movie.