One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers:

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

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
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)

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

Production Companies

• Fantasy Films (presents)

Distributors

• United Artists (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1976) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Transmundo Films (1995) (Argentina) (theatrical) (re-release)
• United Artists Films (1976) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1976) (France) (theatrical)
• Ustredni Pujcovna Filmu (1990) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Aquarius TV (2005) (Greece) (TV)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Condor Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Pioneer Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Transmundo Home Video (THV) (1995) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Varus Video (Russia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Japan) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1998) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)  portions of the 1963 World Series broadcast courtesy of (as NBC)
• Fantasy Films  acknowledgement: produced through the facilities of (as Fantasy Films Berkeley, California)
• N.V. Zvaluw  acknowledgement: original musical score copyright ©1975 by

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:

This story was based on author Ken Kesey's experiences while working at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Cheswick is spilling the drink from the bottle to the jar, it is colorless. But when he is dumping the drink, with the hose, in the mouth of the patients, it is red.

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 Bernard and Doris (2006)

Soundtrack:

Row, Row. Row Your Boat

Both uplifting and disheartening, sometimes both at once

I went into this film with the knowledge that it had been the second film in history to win the 'top five' Oscars (for Best Picture, Best actor, Best actress, Best director and best screenplay) and has been praised as "one of Jack Nicholson's finest roles" and "one of the classics of the 70's". Naturally, after hearing all this, I had high expectations for One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. But nonetheless, I was surprised at how easily the film surpassed my expectations and easily led me to understand how it merited all that praise.

Based on the novel by Ken Kesey, the story follows Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), who, in an attempt to get out of spending more time in prison, pleads insanity for his crime, and is therefore sentenced to time in a mental institution. This was McMurphy's intention, as he believes the conditions in a "crazy house" will be significantly easier to contend with than another harsh stay in prison. However, he quickly finds out that surviving the institution with it's desolate patients (including Christopher Lloyd, Danny DeVito, Vincent Schiavelli and an absolutely brilliant Brad Dourif as the stuttering Billy Bibbit) and the monstrously repressive Nurse Ratchet (Louise Fletcher, in a career defining role) is considerably harder than he imagined. McMurphy plays pranks, horseplay, and is generally defiant to the rules of the institution in an attempt to raise spirits. His constant optimism and reckless defiance to the out of date rules in the institution can be very uplifting, and often quite funny as well, but much of the movie can be very depressing - the generally decrepit state of the institution is a consistently (and intentionally) bleak background to a superb story with a truly bittersweet ending.

Jack Nicholson is at his best here, head and shoulders above other excellent performances such as in 'Chinatown' or 'As Good as it Gets'. McMurphy is an apparently unquenchable optimist, refusing to succumb to the defeated spirit of all the other patients. His livewire antics, inspiring the patients are generally uplifting, and when his indomitable spirit is finally broken, we really feel for him and his fellow patients. Nicholson conveys the essence of McMurphy to perfection, demonstrating his excellent understanding and interpretation of the character. When McMurphy announces that he is going to lift a huge stone fountain and hurl it through the window to escape, the other patients are so caught up in his intoxicating spirit of freedom that they honestly believe he can do it, despite the fact it would be impossible for a man much stronger than him. When McMurphy finally discovers that despite his best efforts, he cannot lift the fountain, he is so openly crushed that we can't help but feel for him. Beneath the frequent profanities and livewire antics, there are real human emotions, which come across as truly touching.

What can be said about One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest which hasn't already been said? It has an excellent storyline, top notch acting, painfully bleak visuals, perfectly setting the tone for the movie, and alternates between being truly uplifting to devastatingly depressing. It features perhaps the most memorable film ending ever, next to a man on his horse riding off into the sunset, and leaves the viewer beaten down by the conflicting emotions, unaware what to think of the picture next to reveling in it's glorious entirety. It's hard to produce a final outcome any better than this.

-10/10