One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is an academy award winning movie starring Jack Nicholson as McMurphy a likeable, small time criminal who attempts to avoid a jail sentence by pretending to be insane. His plan backfires when he is sent to a mental hospital.
His initial prison sentence was a short one in a work farm after he is found guilty of statutory rape. A crime McMurphy committed unknowingly after having sex with his girlfriend who had lied about her age. By pretending to be insane McMurphy unwittingly swaps this short prison term for a potentially endless stay in a mental health institution.
McMurphy's likeable nature and attitude actually has a beneficial effect on some of the patients who make progress. McMurphy livens up the hospital with the introduction of basketball and card games in an effort to enrich the lives of the patients. His efforts are not appreciated as he is not popular with the hospitals administration. Most notably Nurse Ratched who is played by Louise Fletcher.
Nurse Ratched is the hospital's head nurse and runs with an iron fist. She does not like the patients to be excitable and dislikes McMurphy to the point where they become the bain of each others life. The dialogue and tension between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched is a major aspect of the movie which helps to make it so entertaining. Both give excellent, award winning performances.
Although McMurphy quickly establishes himself as the alpha male and centre of attention, he is not the only excellent character featured in the movie. Several other patients have imports roles. These include Billy, played by Brad Dourif, an extremely nervous patient who suffers from a speech impediment, Charlie, played by Sydney Lassick, who is prone to temper tantrums. Other notable patients include Martini, who suffers from delusions and is played by the excellent Danny DiVito.
Dale Harding plays a well educated but incredibly paranoid patient. Perhaps McMurphy's biggest ally is the giant Native American known as The Chief played by Will Sampson. The Chief and McMurphy strike up a bond and friendship despite the fact that The Chief does not speak. He is presumed by the hospital staff and patients to be deaf, dumb and mute.
The movie has elements of drama as well as darkly comedic aspects and was very well received by critics at the time of first release and still is well received today. It is a film which has lasted well and stands out as one of the best movies from the 1970's.
At the time of first release it was hugely popular and was only the second movie to be the recipient of all 5 major academy awards. This feat was not repeated until 1991 when Silence Of The Lambs won the 5 major awards. The 5 major awards are best picture, best director, best actress, best actor and best screen play. Fletcher and Nicholson won the awards for their captivating performances and Milos Forman took the best director award for his work on the movie.
The screenplay is an adaptation of a 1965 novel of the same name which was written by Ken Kesey. The movie was filmed in Salem, Oregon at a real hospital named Oregon State Hospital which also was the original setting for Kesey's novel.
This is a must see movie.