OneFlewOvertheCuckoosNest(1975)

DirectedbyMilosForman

Cast
JackNicholsonas
R.PMcMurphy
WillSampsonas
ChiefBromden
LouiseFletcheras
NurseRatched
BradDourifas
BillyBibbit
WilliamRedfieldas
Harding
SydneyLassickas
Cheswick
DannyDeVitoas
Martini

Drama,Fiction
RatedR
forviolence,sexualcontent,alcohol,drugs,and
profanity.
134minutes

Caution:NotAllMadeittotheBigScreen

By:LaurenCarr

ThetransitionofapieceofliteratureintoafilmisalwaysachallengeandMiloForman
welcomedthatchallengewhenitcametoKenKeseysnovel,
OneFlewOvertheCuckoos
Nest
.Itsthesamestorywiththesameplot,butprojectedontoascreenfortheworlds
entertainment.AlthoughFormansinterpretationofthebookintothefilmresultedinthe
disappearanceoftheimportantperspectivesandcharacterdefiningmomentsofwhatpatients
livesintheCombinewerelikeafterRandleMcmurphyflippedtheirworldupsidedownwithhis
manipulationtacticsandhisdesireforpersonalgain,Formanestablishedafilmthatsent
audiencesintotheKenKeseyscharacterslivesintheinstitution.

IftheresonethingthatMiloFormanandhisfilmdeserveits:
praise.

Praiseforcastingchoices.Praiseforthesetdesign.Praiseformusicchoicesthroughoutthe
film.

TheactorchoicesarekeywhenitcomestomakinganymovieandFormansdecisionofJack
NicholsonportrayingRandleP.McMurphywaswhatputthestampofhavetowatchonthis
film.JackNicholsonistheperfectfitforMcMurphyduetohisworkinStanleyKubricksfilm
The
Shining
whereheplaysacharacterwhoslowlyloseshissanity.Howeveritwasntjust
Nicholsonspastexperiencethatmadehimtherightmanforthejob,itwashisimpressionof
RandleMcMurphyssignaturelaugh.HavingNicholsoncreatetheperfectimpressionof
McMurphyslaughwaskeybecausethesoundofMcMurphylaughingwashisintroductionto

theCombineandthefirstlaugh[thepatients]heardinyears(Kesey,12).Thatsjustwhat
Nicholsondid.HislaughdrawalleyestohiminthescenewhereMcMurphyentersthe
institutionandgreetsall.Experienceandimpressionthatsdeadoncreatestheaccurate
decisiontochoiceJackNicholsonandmakethisfilmworthyofpraise.

HavingtheperfectsetdesignjustshowshowMiloFormanwastherightmantodirectthisfilm.
Byusingarealinstitutionfacility,ithelpedcapturewhatamentalinstitutionisreallylike.Theres
alsothefactthatthesetdesignwentperfectlywithChiefsdescriptionoftheCombinebonus!

Letsnotforgetaboutthemusic.Formanschoiceofintenseandcreepybackgroundmusicadds
toeachandeverysceneasthemoviereachesitsending.Thefilmstartsoutwithatypeof
musicthattheaudiencewouldcategorizeasNativeAmericanthemedwhichalsotiesintoone
ofthecharactersbackgroundChief.Theuseofmusichelpedaudiencesgetthefeelingofthe
dangersandimportanceoftheiractionssuchasMcMurphysstandagainstNurseRatched.

WitheverygreattransitionfrombooktomoviecomescriticsandasgoodofajobasFormandid
itwasntperfect
.

Thelossofthenarratorsperspective.Thelossofkeyplotpoints.

Changingtheperspectiveofbookcancauseproblemswhenitcomestocomparingthepieceof
literatureandthefilm.InthiscaseFormanchoicetouseMcMurphyspointofviewratherthan
ChiefsKeseysnarratorthroughouttheentirebook.Thatwasa
badidea
.Notonlyisthe
characterizationofotherkeycharactersbasedonChiefsobservationslost,buttheabilityto
connectandrelatetowhoChiefisasacharacterissimplygone.Theresnoroomto
sympathizewithhim.TheresnoroomtoseehowMcMurphyisviewedinhiseyesTheresno
roomtoshowthetrueevolutionofChiefasacharacter.Alllostduetothechangeof
perspective.HoweverFormanintegratedasmallmomentwithinthefilmtodisplayKeseystrue
work,thatswhenMcMurphyisbroughtbackafternumeroustreatments(Kesey,289)
consistingofshocktherapyandfinallyalobotomywithinafewweeks.Theaudiencesees
therelationshipbetweenthetwowhenChiefadmitsMcMurphymadehimbigagainandthen
takesMcMurphy'slifethereforehewouldnthavetolivelifeasavegetableinthatplace.

Perspectivewasnttheonlythinglossthroughthecreationofthisfilmimportantplotpoints
missedthecutasthemoviewasfinalized.Manysceneswerechangedduetothefilmbeingin
McMurphysperspective.Havingtomissoutonmomentssuchastherightwaythepatients
wentonthefishingtripandthescenesthatshowedhowNurseRatchedhadsomuchcontrol
overtheemployeesandpatients.Italljustlessenedtheexcitingstoryline.

Allthebadandthegoodhavebeenlaidoutonthetable,butnowitstimetogivetheoverall
ratingforMiloFormansjobonthefilm
OneFlewOvertheCuckoosNest.
Thisfilmdeserves
4.5starsoutof5andahighrecommendationofthefilm.Allowmetoleaveyouwiththesethree
words:
readthenwatch.