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Rating: 5 out of 5
Many movies have been claimed as one of the greatest films ever. Hell, it seems like every year, a new film is claimed to be so good that it will become the greatest movie of all time. So, what are some of the greatest movies to ever grace the screens. Some say Casablanca. Others say, Citizen Kane. The list could go on and on based on genre and/or time period. This review is based on the 1975 movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Based on the novel with the same name and directed by Miloš Forman, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a movie that has been ranked many times on film lists but also won a few Academy Awards. Actually, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is only one of three movies, yes, only three movies, to win the “Big Five” Academy Awards. So, the movie must do something right. I will personally tell you that this movie is an absolute joy to watch. Jack Nicholson is an absolute BEAST in this film.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest begins when Randle Patrick “Mac” McMurphy (Nicholson) gets transferred for evaluation from a prison farm to a mental institution. McMurphy is serving time for statutory rape against a 15-year-old. He is only a few months away from his release. Not wanting to do hard labor, McMurphy believes that going to a mental institution will be the easiest and less restrictive way to serve the rest of his time. (Side Note: I don’t know about you, and this is just my opinion, but how many people have always thought about saying they are crazy because they don’t want to go to prison.) During the first meeting with the mental institution director, the mentions that Mac has used his “crazy” act before to get out of work. The director seeing through his BS and decides to have Mac undergo a psychiatric evaluation to prove he is not crazy, along with showing everyone that he is a con. Mac is soon placed in a ward with some very UNIQUE characters, to say the least. Mac continues to act out while using the other patients for his own amusement. The main thing Mac wants to do is annoy and tear down the ways that the iron fist tyrannical head nurse, Miss Mildred Ratched (Fletcher), has put in place. Nurse Ratched, on the other hand, wants to break the spirit of every single man under her watchful eye. As these two strong forces come to a head, Mac eventually tries to help the men in the ward find their own confidence and be the men he sees them to be.
What makes this movie so great??? Well, it is definitely the story and the acting. I guess we should start with the story. How many of us have said something or tried something to get out of a place we really didn’t want to be at. How about jury duty? Who honestly likes going to jury duty? Also, how many of us wanted to fight the power. Bring the person down and show them that they are not as powerful as they think they are. FIGHT THE POWER!! This film does both in a very comedic way. First, for the main character to say he is crazy and go to the mental institute just to get out of labor is standard. The war of wills between Mac and Nurse Ratched is phenomenal. One such way this is shown is with the whole trying to watch the Worlds Series. During a few sessions where Nurse Ratched stated it must be a majority vote to change things and watch the game, Mac goes to great lengths to have people vote on his side. After finally succeeding, Nurse Ratched throws a “curveball” at him to bring down his hopes. Mac, not one to give up, sits down at the television and commentates on what he thinks the game would be. This starts an exciting display of all the emotions and fun between the men in the ward.
The best parts of the whole film are seeing the evolution of the confidence that grows in the men. This to Mac and his anti-authority personality. During the first group session, you can see and feel that the men were terrified of Nurse Ratched. They hardly spoke or argued amongst themselves in a structured manner. With the presence of Mac, everything starts to turn around as he gives the men a belief in themselves. The whole fishing trip is funny as Mac steals a bus and a boat and takes the group fishing. He teaches the men how to bait a hook and fish. The best part is when they come back, and there is a police helicopter around them, but the smiles on the men’s faces are priceless as they caught a huge fish.
Another scene is when the group plays against the guards. They are genuinely outclassed in every way possible. With some clever cheating and the help of Chief, they win the game and celebrate to the fullest. This act brings an annoyance to Nurse Ratched.
The movie truly excels with the growth of a friendship between Mac and Chief. It is extraordinary and one to watch. Many of the men think Chief is death and mute. He pretty much just stands around and looks at all the commotion. Mac spends a considerable amount of time showing Chief how to use his height to Mac’s advantage but also showing him that it is okay to fight back. In the end, it is the saddest way for these two characters to end their beloved friendship.
Now the movie is exceptional with the acting of Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher. Nicholson was such fun to watch in his role as Mac. He was such a pain in the a** for the staff but truly a role model that the men needed. Nicholson was charismatic, funny, and spectacular in his role. Not to be outdone, was Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched. I have to be honest; I didn’t think she was that bad. She ranked as the fifth-greatest villain in film history (and second-greatest villainess, behind only the Wicked Witch of the West of The Wizard of Oz) by the American Film Institute in their series 100 Years… 100 Heroes & Villains. Really, that high? One tried to cook Toto! As I thought about it, one can see that she was a true B***h! Fletcher played her as an extremely cold, heartless, and passive-aggressive tyrant who used her power to do what she wanted. She had near-absolute control over her patients’ access to medications, privileges, and basic necessities such as food and toiletries. Her superiors turned a blind eye because she maintained order to the highest degree.
The rest of the cast would be an ensemble cast of today. First, there is a very young Christopher Lloyd before his crazy Doc days in Back to the Future. Then there is Danny DeVito. I didn’t even recognize DeVito in this film because he is so young and seems to blend in with all the other characters. Brad Dourif, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, plays the shy Billy, and this role was before his role in the horror franchise, Child’s Play. Vincent Schiavelli plays Bruce and says like maybe two words in the whole movie, yet Schiavelli is that person who is in everything, but you don’t know his name. There are a few more actors that appear in this film, but the list would be quite long.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a movie that everyone will enjoy to watch. It is funny, along with being heartwarming. If you want to see the fifth-greatest villain in all of movie history, then this movie is right for you. Watch when two opposing wills collide with each other and a movie to remember.
