IMDb > One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) More at IMDbPro »

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) -- 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.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) -- Clip: Opening Credits
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Milos Forman
Writers:
Lawrence Hauben (screenplay) and
Bo Goldman (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
26 February 1976 (Sweden) more
Genre:
Drama more
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 5 Oscars. Another 28 wins & 11 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(61 articles)
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User Comments:
A great order vs. chaos tale that everyone can relate to more (503 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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
Kay Lee ... Night Supervisor

Christopher Lloyd ... Taber
Dwight Marfield ... Ellsworth

Ted Markland ... Hap Arlich
Louisa Moritz ... Rose

Jack Nicholson ... R.P. McMurphy
William Redfield ... Harding
Philip Roth ... Woolsey (as Phil Roth)
Will Sampson ... Chief Bromden
Mimi Sarkisian ... Nurse Pilbow

Vincent Schiavelli ... Fredrickson

Mews Small ... Candy (as Marya Small)
Delos V. Smith Jr. ... Scanlon
Tin Welch ... Ruckley

Brad Dourif ... Billy Bibbit
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Anjelica Huston ... Woman in Crowd on Pier (uncredited)
Tom McCall ... News Commentator (uncredited)
James V. Shore ... Doctor (uncredited)
Saul Zaentz ... Captain on Shore (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Milos Forman 
 
Writing credits
Lawrence Hauben (screenplay) and
Bo Goldman (screenplay)

Ken Kesey (novel)

Dale Wasserman (play "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest")

Produced by
Michael Douglas .... producer
Martin Fink .... associate producer
Saul Zaentz .... producer
 
Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche (original music composed by)
 
Cinematography by
Haskell Wexler (director of photography)
Bill Butler (uncredited)
 
Film Editing by
Sheldon Kahn 
Lynzee Klingman 
 
Casting by
Jane Feinberg 
Mike Fenton 
 
Production Design by
Paul Sylbert 
 
Art Direction by
Edwin O'Donovan 
 
Makeup Department
Gerry Leetch .... hairdresser
Fred B. Phillips .... make up (as Fred Phillips)
 
Production Management
Joel Douglas .... unit production manager
Irving Saraf .... post-production supervisor
Joel Chernoff .... executive in charge of production (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Saint John .... second assistant director (as William St. John)
Irby Smith .... first assistant director
 
Art Department
Joe Acord .... construction coordinator
Tom Bartholomew .... production painter
Terry E. Lewis .... props (as Terry Lewis)
Rudy Reachi .... assistant property master (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Mark Berger .... post-production sound director
Pat Jackson .... sound editor
Larry Jost .... sound recordist (as Lawrence Jost)
Mary McGlone .... sound editor
Robert R. Rutledge .... sound editor (as Robert Rutledge)
Kirk Schuler .... assistant sound editor
Veronica Selver .... sound editor
Gene Radzik .... Dolby consultant: 2001 5.1 remix (uncredited)
Philip Rogers .... sound recordist: restoration (restored version) (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Alan Gibbs .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Butler .... additional photography
Dick Colean .... camera operator
William A. Fraker .... additional photography (as William Fraker)
Hugh K. Gagnier .... camera operator (as Hugh Gagnier)
George Hill .... key grip
Gary Holt .... gaffer
Dennis Marks .... gaffer
Walter Nichols .... best boy
Peter Sorel .... still photographer
Robert M. Stevens .... camera operator (as Robert Stevens)
Bill Tenny .... gaffer
Robert C. Thomas .... camera operator (as Robert Thomas)
Doug Willis .... best boy
Kyle T. MacDowell .... electrician (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aggie Guerard Rodgers .... costumer (as Agnes Rodgers)
 
Editorial Department
Richard Chew .... supervising film editor
Arthur Coburn .... assistant film editor (as Art Coburn)
Constance Field .... assistant film editor
Bonnie Koehler .... assistant film editor
Jay Miracle .... assistant film editor
 
Music Department
Ted Whitfield .... music editor
 
Transportation Department
Tom F. Thomas .... transportation captain (as Tom Thomas)
 
Other crew
Natalie Drache .... script supervisor
Wayne Fitzgerald .... title
Rhonda Kramer .... production office coordinator
Leonard Lipton .... production assistant
Frank Noonan .... location auditor
Denise Schreiter .... location coordinator
Jim Young .... location auditor
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

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]
more
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
133 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Canada:14+ (Quebec) (re-rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Ontario) | 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 more
Company:
Fantasy Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This story was based on author Ken Kesey's experiences while working at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When the doctors bring back Randle McMurphy from his treatment, they walk in, one doctor puts down his doctor bag, they lay Randle down, and as they walk out the doctor bag has disappeared and neither one is carrying it out. more
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.
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Neues aus der Anstalt: Jahresabschluss-Therapie (#1.10)" (2007) more
Soundtrack:
White Christmas more

FAQ

How closely does the movie follow the novel?
Is this film based on a book?
How does it end?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
97 out of 105 people found the following comment useful.
A great order vs. chaos tale that everyone can relate to, 18 June 2005
10/10
Author: b1lskirnir from United States

Based on the amazing novel by Ken Kesey, Randall Patrick McMurphy is an antisocial and dangerous man no different than a petty criminal, placed in a mental ward to have his behavior studied. He makes friends with lunatics and starts his own circle of admiration within the hospital, much to the dismay of Nurse Ratched, the central authority figure in the story and one of the greatest movie villains ever.

The movie exists to show not only how corrupt and poorly-constructed society's approach to the "mentally unstable" is, but it creates characters that we have all met in life and shows how the McMurphy-like figure that we all wish we had fights for freedom of choice and basic human rights. In addition to the movie's great spirit, the acting is fantastic. Jack Nicholson is at his best and Danny DeVito can be seen in his very first acting role ( which he absolutely triumphs in ). And of course, there's the unforgettable Chief Bromden. The directing by Milos Forman is very well-done, as the camera-work is excellent and follows the pace of the movie perfectly in how it is used. What really impressed me was the editing, especially as far as the use of audio goes: some parts just made me go "...wow."

My only complaint is that I believe the movie could've been slightly more effective if it were based more closely on the novel at certain points, but the modified point of view of the film does make a great point; anyone who has ever hated their job, been accused of something, had some person so self-righteous and convinced of their own authority and dependency on order get in your way, or attended the American public school system at any point in their life should be able to identify with this movie.

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