One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
U.S. (1975): Drama
Directed by: Milos Forman
Adapted from: Ken Kesey’s novel (1962)
Screenplay by: Lawrence Hauben & Bo Goldman
Rater R, Color, 133 Minutes
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, Scatman Crothers, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, and Will Sampson.
The decision to turn the novel, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey into a Broadway play and later into a film was definitely a good one. When the film was released in the mid-1970’s, it was received well by an audience moved by an insistence upon rights of the common man. The film’s director, Milos Forman, did an excellent job of keeping the message of Kesey’s novel intact. He changed minor things such as McMurphy’s appearance and the fact that the film was shot from an objective point of view rather than from that of Chief himself. This film shows us a microcosm of our society that has undergone numerous changes over the years, but still may have a long way to go. This microcosm also acts as a symbol for our society at large with McMurphy as the common man struggling with Nurse Ratched as the “Establishment.” All in all, this film does a great job of showing us the complications that ensue in a man’s struggle for human dignity for himself and those he has come to befriend.
CONTEXT:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was released at a dynamic period in history. Social welfare systems and programs were continuing to grow and expand as a result and, at times, militancy of the 1906s. Liberal political thought was in the vanguard, and the expanse between liberal and conservative was wide and defined.
The mental hospital in the film was interpreted by many to be a metaphor for modern society’s oppression. It has been said the film is a caustic indictment of the Establishment urge to conform to the rigid standards and expectations of an authoritative system. Modern society was viewed by resistors as a mechanical, domineering force, and the hospital in the film was seen as a sort of repair shop for people who don’t fit into their role as cogs in the machine. Nicholson’s character is seen as a critical threat to a program that is significantly dependent on total order and obliteration of chaos.
Lucia Bozzola, a movie reviewer at the time of its release remarked, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest effectively communicated the disillusionment of the waning counter-culture even as it optimistically asserted that one rebel could make a difference.” McMurphy represented life and vitality in the ward, as opposed to the sterile, robotic atmosphere of the hospital. Although the hospital eventually breaks McMurphy’s spirit, his vigorous influence left an impression on each person he came in contact with. (All Movie Guide: http://allmovie.com)
The storyline to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is one of deep thought provocation. After watching this film, persistent questions in the back of many viewers’ minds inquire, “who was crazy and who wasn’t?”, and “who or what exactly determines the difference between sane and insane?” In the film, many of the residents of the ward were people who were simply scared of society, couldn’t handle their fears, or had extreme difficulty in communicating their feelings and emotions. At many levels, the men on the ward were no different than the average person in America, yet they were labeled insane.
The movie was based on the book by the same title published in 1962 by Ken Kesey. Kesey actually once worked in a mental institution, and spoke extensively with the patients. His book was largely based on some of his experiences with mental patients. He believed the novel dealt with themes of individuality and rebellion against conformity, ideas that still animate much of American culture. The movie version of Kesey’s novel was released without his permission.
It has been said the greatest weakness of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is its apparent misogyny. The roles of the only women represented in the film are extreme, and are less than admirable characters. Nurse Ratched is dominating, manipulative and shrewd. Nurse Pilbow is meek, quiet, and almost withdrawn. Candy and Rose are portrayed as unintelligent, sexually promiscuous playthings for any man that wants a turn with them. Unfortunately, the use of sexist stereotypes to represent problems of modern society somewhat weakens the overall impact of the film.
The psychological drama was a near-sweep at the 1975 Academy Awards, granting Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor (Jack Nicholson), Best Actress (Louise Fletcher), Best Director (Milos Forman), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman). (All Movie Guide: http://www.allmovie.com)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest presents to the world an immortal saga of lunacy and delirium; of questioning authority and the definitions of society. At the same time its cynical and quirky sense of humor hits the irony of its messages home.
PLOT SYNOPSIS:
McMurphy enters
the ward: 
This first major scene of the film is used to introduce us to and characterize the other patients in the ward where Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) will be staying as well as introduce us to the setting. Before McMurphy enters the ward, the patient’s pills are dispensed from the nurse’s station as classical music is played over the loudspeaker (this music is an accepted leitmotif in the ward that always accompanies their “medication time”). McMurphy saunters into the ward and begins to introduce himself to the other patients. A towering Native American is introduced to him as “Chief” and he is told that he should not waste his time talking to him, as he is “deaf and dumb.” The other patients are in the middle of a game of cards and some of their bizarre tendencies are shown. McMurphy strolls around the table and observes Billy Bibbit’s stuttering, Dale Harding’s intellectual and serious veneer, Charlie Cheswick’s insecure neuroticism, Martini’s immature personality, and Taber’s cynicism.
Getting to the
bottom of R.P. McMurphy:
The next scene involves McMurphy’s first meeting with Dr. Spivey, the institution’s head doctor. Through their discussion we learn that he has been arrested numerous times for assault and that he was actually put in jail for the crime of statutory rape. The doctor also expresses his concern that perhaps McMurphy is simply faking insanity to be taken out of the prison work farm and placed into the mental institution. This scene serves as our exposition to McMurphy as we learn about his history and observe his wise-cracking, rebellious nature.
The battle
begins:
During the first group therapy session that McMurphy sits in on, we are introduced to the domineering ways of Nurse Ratched. It is in this scene that we see the beginnings of the film’s main external conflict between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy. As the complication ensues, we see McMurphy bring some semblance of life to the otherwise docile environment. He attempts to teach Chief how to play basketball, gambles for cigarettes with the other patients, and lobbies for them to be able to watch the opener of the World Series. This idea is voted down by the other patients and McMurphy blows up at them later on in the tub room. He bets them that he can lift the watering station and throw it through the window so he can go watch the game downtown. McMurphy struggles to lift it, but the weight is too much and he finally gives up. As he leaves the room he points out, “at least I tried,” which lets us in on the internal conflict that the patients are facing. At this point we are also shown that the struggle between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched has become symbolic of something much greater. Nurse Ratched is now the “Establishment” and McMurphy is just a common man rebelling against the system. After the World Series is voted down again (this time by unfair methods on Nurse Ratched’s part), McMurphy turns to Dr. Spivey for understanding. However, all he is given is the assessment that he is still just faking it to get out of prison work detail.
McMurphy goes
“crazy”:
At this point McMurphy realizes that he needs to do something “crazy” or he will soon be sent back to prison. With Chief’s help he climbs the fence surrounding the basketball court and hijacks the bus with the non-restricted patients on board. He convinces a charter boat harbor manager that the other patients are in fact doctors and introduces each one of them in turn. This scene is very touching as we see that McMurphy is trying to show the other patients a sense of normal life. When the men return (after some zany occurrences out at sea), they are met by the police and various doctors from the institution. The next scene is of a meeting between various hospital officials and Nurse Ratched recommends that McMurphy stay on the ward and comments, “I think we can help him.” After a group therapy session that comes to blows with the guards when McMurphy breaks the glass of the nurse’s station to get Cheswick his cigarettes so he will calm down, Chief, Cheswick, and McMurphy are taken to the disturbed ward. Before they are “helped” with electro-shock treatments, McMurphy learns that Chief is not deaf and dumb after all and they decide to escape together to Canada. This is a very integral part of the film because we learn that McMurphy isn’t the only one “faking it,” and that the problems lie mostly in the institution rather than in the patients themselves.
Back and on
“best behavior”:
McMurphy returns to the ward during a group therapy session and tricks them into believing that he is catatonic from the treatment and then jokes with them about their belief in his acting. He puts on his best face for Nurse Ratched and tries to butter her up a bit. We found out why he is doing this in the next scene where he bribes the night watchman to let in two girls (Candy and Rose) with booze. The crew has a wild drinking party that lasts late into the night. McMurphy is about to leave with Chief and the girls (having stole the night watchman’s keys) when Billy asks about the possibility of a date with Candy. McMurphy jokingly forces them into a room together and falls asleep by the open window.
Morning has
broken:
The next morning, the orderlies find the ward in complete disarray. Nurse Ratched arrives and orders Rose to be “shown out” and for all the patients to be accounted for. Billy is found in a room with Candy and is scolded by Ratched and told that he should be ashamed and that his mother will be told all about what had happened. Billy breaks down crying and begs her not to tell his mother, but she just looks at him with her smug eyes and has him taken to another room. McMurphy tries to make a quick break through the window but is stopped by the guard and the piercing scream of the nurse when she finds that Billy has slit his own throat. The patients and staff all crowd around the door and see Billy lying dead in a pool of his own blood. The climax occurs when Nurse Ratched tells the patients, “The best thing we can do now is go on with our daily routine,” McMurphy snaps and tries to strangle her to death. He nearly succeeds, but is knocked off of her by one of the guards and dragged away. The screen goes black and there is a dead track to signify the death of the old McMurphy.
The end of the
road:
The last few scenes comprise the denouement of the film. The patients are sitting around playing cards and speculating as to what has happened to McMurphy. Some say he has escaped while others believe that he is simply being held in another ward. That night he is carried into the ward by two orderlies while the other patients are sleeping. Chief goes over to talk to him about their escape plan and realizes that he has had a frontal lobotomy and is no longer the wise-cracking, rebellious McMurphy that he once knew. He begins to cry and hugs McMurphy before suffocating him with his pillow in an act of mercy killing. Chief then goes to the tub room, lifts the wash station, and throws it through the window. The last shot is in slow-motion and we see the Chief running away from the institution.
QUESTIONS:
1. Give examples of external and internal conflicts surrounding McMurphy.
2. Which characters do we have in the movie ? Are they static, dynamic, flat or round?
3. How did McMurphy's presence influence the Chief? What about Chief's influence on McMurphy ?
4. What "glitch" can you notice related to Nicholson's appearance in the clip of rages for cigarettes and the broken window in the nursing station ? Look carefully at Nicholson.
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