<P> After a visit from his sick mother , Arletta ( Jo Van Fleet ) , Luke becomes more optimistic about his situation . He continually confronts the Captain and the guards , and his sense of humor and independence prove to be both contagious and inspiring to the other prisoners . Luke 's struggle for supremacy peaks when he leads a work crew in a seemingly impossible but successful effort to complete a road - paving job in less than one day . The other prisoners start to idolize him after he makes and wins a spur - of - the moment bet that he can eat fifty hard - boiled eggs in one hour . </P>
<P> After a visit from his sick mother , Arletta ( Jo Van Fleet ) , Luke becomes more optimistic about his situation . He continually confronts the Captain and the guards , and his sense of humor and independence prove to be both contagious and inspiring to the other prisoners . Luke 's struggle for supremacy peaks when he leads a work crew in a seemingly impossible but successful effort to complete a road - paving job in less than one day . The other prisoners start to idolize him after he makes and wins a spur - of - the moment bet that he can eat fifty hard - boiled eggs in one hour . </P>
who ate the eggs in cool hand luke
who ate the eggs in cool hand luke
Luke
Luke