Put a straightjacket on me, because I think this movie is insanely good! Based off, Ken Kesey's novel of the same name and directed by Milos Forman, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest tells the story of Randle P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a convicted criminal admitted to a mental ward, when he pleads insanity, to escape labor duties in prison. Once there, the rebel, wild-man, McMurphy bump heads against the authority figure, and head administrative nurse, the oppressive Nurse Mildred Ratched (Louise Fletcher) on the way, she treats her patients. McMurphy believes that they should be treated like real men with more personal freedom, while Ratched couther his argument by stating that any more freedom, would lead to chaos, anarchy, and death. In my opinion, while she play as the villain, she's in fact, she was somewhat, right and correct by her judgment, but the way, she enforced order on the mentally disable in highly crude and inhuman. In fact, by egging McMurphy on, she made things much, much worst. One might view this movie as anti-institution, anti-religion or anti-government. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest was written in 1959 and published in 1962 in the midst of the civil unrest. It deeply changes to the way psychology and psychiatry were being approached in America, while also challenging, how government should treat its people. By the end of the 1960s, the controversial movement towards deinstitutionalization has become, a real deal, while trust in government officials were in an all-time low. When 1975 came, most of the mentally ill found themselves, untreated and living in the streets and government being highly criticism for corruption and overused of power. The 1970's were bit anarchism at the time. It wasn't until later, that things became more balance and confinement. In a way, social institutions do serve a purpose; and the movie serves as allegory tale, showing how things like order vs chaos can become really off-balance. The movie really goes into deep detail on how different authorities, McMurphy and Ratched control individuals through subtle and coercive methods. A supporting character like the Chief (Will Sampson) talks about 'the Combine' in reference to the mechanistic way, both manipulate and process individuals. Nurse Ratched controls the inhabitants of the novel's mental ward through a combination of emasculation and subtle shame. While, McMurphy controls his fellow men by encouraging them to be wild men and challenge conformism. It was no surprise that both Louise Fletcher and Jack Nicolson won Best Actor/Actress at the Academy Awards that year, as both delivered such a gripping, gritty, and genuine performances. The movie has just as good, supporting cast with several unknown actors of the time, stars like Christopher Lloyd, Danny Devito, and Brad Dourif helping in. I like how the movie was shot. Forman's direction is dead-on, as he manages to capture the monotony of routine on the ward without allowing the film to drag. You get how eerily quiet it is. Order is impose on the patients with almost religious cult-like rigor. When the medicine is delivered. It's like communion. It's so zombie-like. The animal running along a man-made chain fence- representing wild vs civilize. The movie is full of hidden gem themes like those examples. Yet the movie was missing a few things from the novel such as the Fog which symbolize a lack of insight and an escape from reality and McMurphy's Moby Dick Boxer Shorts, which interpretation as a phallic symbol and blatant sexuality. It can also represents the pervasive evil that inspires Ahab's obsessive, futile pursuit. Both Ratched and McMurphy is trying to humiliation the other, by exposing the faults of each other's gender. A third interpretation is that Moby-Dick stands for the power of nature, signifying McMurphy's untamed nature that conflicts with the controlled institution. Although it's hard to find fault, it's certainly possible. Overpowering women are seem to evil by the writers and weak women are shown to act like sex object. It's somewhat noticeable that the movie is a bit misogyny. Another thing, is the movie's love letter message to society anarchy and black and white approach when it comes to, the hospital vs the patients. Another fault of the film is how the Chief was cut down as the narrator and put into a much smaller role. Much of his life prior to the hospital was not shown. You see a lot of Native-American themes throughout the film, despite that. The music by Jack Nitzsche, sounds something out of a western. It's represented the struggles of true freedom over confinement. Despite its dark and strong drama undertones, there were some comedic tendencies. It was a lot of fun to watch, as the drama slowly evolves into tragedy toward its conclusion. It's wasn't slow and painful. It was a very entertaining, well rounded film. The movie has aged well, with newer DVD copies, putting out the best quality for it. Overall: The film is powerful, and moving. It's a must-watch. I recommended it.
Review of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
