One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers:

Lawrence Hauben (screenplay) and
Bo Goldman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 February 1976 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

If he's crazy, what does that make you?

Plot:

Upon arrival at a mental institution, a brash rebel rallies the patients together to take on the oppressive Nurse Ratched, a woman more a dictator than a nurse.

Plot Keywords:

Nurse | Patient | Basketball | Asylum | Rebel

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 28 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Michael Berryman	...	Ellis
Peter Brocco	...	Col. Matterson
Dean R. Brooks	...	Dr. Spivey
Alonzo Brown	...	Miller
Scatman Crothers	...	Turkle
Mwako Cumbuka	...	Warren
Danny DeVito	...	Martini
William Duell	...	Jim Sefelt
Josip Elic	...	Bancini
Lan Fendors	...	Nurse Itsu
Louise Fletcher	...	Nurse Ratched
Nathan George	...	Washington
Ken Kenny	...	Beans Garfield
Mel Lambert	...	Harbor Master
Sydney Lassick	...	Charley Cheswick

Also Known As:

Vol au-dessus d'un nid de coucou (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
оПНКЕРЮЪ МЮД ЦМЕГДНЛ ЙСЙСЬЙХ (Soviet Union: Russian title) [ru]
Alguien voló sobre el nido del cuco (Spain) [es]
Atrapado sin salida (Argentina) [es]
Atrapados sin salida (Mexico) [es]
Einer flog über das Kuckucksnest (Austria) [de]
Einer flog über's Kuckucksnest (West Germany) [de]
En flög över gökboet (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Gökboet (Sweden) [sv]
Gøgereden (Denmark) [da]
Gaukshreiðrið (Iceland) [is]
Gjøkeredet (Norway) [no]
Guguk kusu (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Kakkou no su no ue de (Japan) [ja]
Ken Ha-Cookiya (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Let iznad kukavicijeg gnezda (Serbia) [sr]
Lot nad kukulczym gniazdem (Poland) [pl]
Prelet nad kukaccím hnízdem (Czechoslovakia: Czech title) [cs]
Prelet nad kukucím hniezdom (Czechoslovakia: Slovak title) [sk]
Qualcuno volò sul nido del cuculo (Italy) [it]
Sti folia tou koukou (Greece) [el]
Száll a kakukk fészkére (Hungary) [hu]
Um Estranho no Ninho (Brazil) [pt]
Voando Sobre Um Ninho de Cucos (Portugal) [pt]
Yksi lensi yli käenpesän (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14+ (Quebec) (re-rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (video rating) | USA:Approved | France:-12 (re-rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Austria:12 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1976) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:12 (re-rating) | West Germany:16 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Depoe Bay, Oregon, USA

Company:

Fantasy Films

Trivia:

The script called for McMurphy to leap on a guard and kiss him when first arriving at the hospital. During filming, director Milos Forman decided that the guard's reaction wasn't strong enough and told Nicholson to jump on the other guard instead. This surprised the actor playing the second guard greatly, and in some versions he can be seen punching Nicholson.

Goofs:

Continuity: Differences in clothing between McMurphy and his stunt double when McMurphy drops to the ground on the other side of the fence.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Attendant Warren: Good morning, Miss Ratched.
Nurse Ratched: Good morning.
Attendant Washington: Good morning, Miss Ratched.
Nurse Ratched: Mr. Washington.
Miller: Morning.
Nurse Ratched: Good morning.
Nurse Pilbow: Good morning, Miss Ratched.
Nurse Ratched: Good morning.
Attendant Washington: Morning, Bancini.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kyon Ki... (2005)

Soundtrack:

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man

Jack Nicholson at his finest

It's tough to really judge this movie. Is it Milos Forman's greatest directorial masterpiece or Jack Nicholson's best performance. Tough to say, but the marriage between both director and actor are quite phenomenal. From the first time we see Jack Nicholson to the sad, yet uplifting ending, one cannot escape the sheer power of the film. When a film is parodied as many times as this one has been, typically, greatness can be associated. Well, greatness was achieved, and let's hope this one never falls through the cracks.