One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest [M]

Antiestablishment and free-spirited petty crook, Randle P. McMurphy, arrives at the state mental hospital having been transferred there by the penitentiary for analysis of mental illness and rehabilitation if needed. Whilst there he wages an instant war against the cool and sadistic Nurse Ratched, introducing a little anarchy and chaos into her carefully structured routine. Whilst the change in pace is a disruptive but not unwelcomed treat for the patients, McMurphy’s actions prove to have consequences and it’s only a matter of time before things go too far. 

Author of the book, Ken Kesey, apparently never wanted to see this movie because it wasn’t told from the perspective of the character of Chief as he wrote it. Maybe after a little time and 8 Academy Awards, he changed his tune, after all the movie made history on Oscar night by being the second film to ever win 5 golden statues in the major categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress for those who are interested. Needless to say that One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a beautiful film that has the power to shock, frighten, sadden, and inspire its audiences still to this day. 

Antiestablishment and free-spirited petty crook, Randle P. McMurphy, arrives at the state mental hospital having been transferred there by the penitentiary for analysis of mental illness and rehabilitation if needed. Whilst there he wages an instant war against the cool and sadistic Nurse Ratched, introducing a little anarchy and chaos into her carefully structured routine. Whilst the change in pace is a disruptive but not unwelcomed treat for the patients, McMurphy’s actions prove to have consequences and it’s only a matter of time before things go too far. 

As a start, the story is special. It’s neither simple nor complicated, but a very happy medium. Movies set in clinics and mental hospitals we’ve seen before: Spellbound and The Snake Pit being two of my favourites, but this movie is something else. The villain is the establishment, the structure and the routine of the clinic and its staff, whilst at the same time the ‘protagonists’ are all violent and unstable in a plethora of ways so that no stability ever really comes round. It’s a movie that’s utterly captivating, but you can’t quite put your finger on why it is so. 

Jack Nicholson as Randle P. McMurphy makes his presence known right from the first scene he’s in and his character is one that’s really fascinating as he’s loud, aggressive, impulsive, and violent but his demeanour sort of shifts depending on who he’s interacting with and the circumstances surrounding him. Nicholson’s antagonistic scenes with Nurse Rached are amongst the most memorable in the film, but his strangely caring and inspiring interactions with his fell patients serve as a nice surprise and bring a pleasant balance. 

Starring Louise Fletcher, Will Sampson, Dean R. Brooks, Scatman Crothers, Mwako Cumbuka, William Duell, Josip Elic, Sydney Lassick, William Redfield, Danny DeVito and featuring debuts from Brad Dourif who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Christopher Lloyd, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is an utterly captivating movie filled with drama, chaos, friendship (watch out for the one that develops between McMurphy and the Chief, it’s so lovely and heartbreaking), and comedy. Whether you take it or leave it, it’s a classic in American cinema and I enjoyed it very much.