"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest " (1975) - Movie Classics

Milos Forman directed “One flew over cuckoo’s nest” is a movie based on the book written by Ken Kessey. It is a story of a small time crook arriving at a Mental Institution and his acts making a difference. Jack Nicholson won an Oscar in the category of Best Actor in a Leading Role while Louise Fletcher won an Oscar in the category of Best Actress in a Leading Role. The movie itself won an Oscar in the category for the Best Picture Award.

Jack Nicholson nails the character of Randall P. McMurphy while the cold and icy Nurse Ratched played by Louise Fletcher proves she deserves the Oscar. Danny Devito, Brad Dourif, Will Sampson, Vincent Schiavelli, Christopher Lloyd, Sydney Lassick and William Redfield are the names everyone should learn to solemnly acknowledge their performance to remember in this lifetime. They have made their mark and their acting career does not require any more proof that they all can live a character without much strain.

The technique of showing the reactions of a person when some one else talks is definitely a not to miss factor in this movie. It is rumored that Nicholson and Forman had difference of opinion during the movie making and I guess those differences worked in their favor by giving their best to outrun each other in their respective department. It can be witnessed that the screenplay is so crisp and clean with no stuttering or confusion seen at any point in the movie. The dull and pale colour contrast makes the audience feel that they are watching all the events through a window outside of the institution.

There are enormous amount of information which are laid out in this movie. As for the content, lot of fun, emotion and values in life are scattered decoratively into this 133 minutes of motion picture. The institution as such can be compared to the perplexed, prejudiced and dictated world wherein everyone are bound by their own will, some are pushed while some are confused and thrown into their own prison.

When McMurphy arrives, his actions make him the superhero for the rest of the so-called “mentally ill” residents. They are amazed by his boldness and eloquence. While McMurphy feels like one, he realizes slowly that he and everyone else does not belong in this land of confusion. As for the “real world” where we live, every one of us looks out for a McMurphy to escape from Nurse Ratched constantly. Some times it is the battle with the others while most of the time, it is with them.

Like Nurse Ratched, all of us get addicted to the power of control over a period of time. The power of control, which makes us to do the most demonic things in an unexpected way. In that world, we find our “Chief”, we get our “Cheswick” and fight till our death. This is the success of this movie wherein it makes the audience think beyond the institution, think beyond the walls of constraints, think beyond the walls of judgments and of all think beyond the walls of ego. There the viewer can witness the one flew over the cuckoo’s nest.

(Thanks to Mathi for Proof Reading)