One Flew Over The Cuckoo´s Nest (1975)
Director: Miloš Forman
Based on the book by the American writer Ken Kesey and adapted to cinema by the acclaimed Czech director Miloš Forman, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest presents the story of Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a recidivist in the criminal system, accused of various cases of aggression. Faced with a scientific evaluation of his mental state after being accused of raping a 15-year-old girl, the central character is declared as mentally ill.
McMurphy is transferred from the Oregon prison to the State Mental Institute. Upon arriving at the Institute and going through an interview with the director of the campus, he becomes an intern, being constantly evaluated by the medical-psychiatric team in order to define the remaining time of his sentence. During his time at this mental institution, McMurphy strives to build interesting links and relations with patients in conversation groups, card games, outdoor patio breaks, and other occasions. With the clear objective of meddling and becoming part of the community.
Since his arrival, McMurphy feels overwhelmed by the hospital routine; full of rules, norms, sanctions and psychiatric medications. In response to this overwhelming environment, he seeks to rebel against the established rules. He stops taking the medications and constantly starts to challenge the Institute’s officials, especially the Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), who is the main authority that coordinates the groups. This estrangement, opposition and courage against the authority converge to shape the cornerstone of the film: McMurphy’s actions lead him little by little to gain the confidence of the other patients, which start to see him as a true savior.
The management of the Institute begins to see him as a provocateur who needs to return to prison. Even with strict attention and control on his person, the protagonist of the film continues to perform rebel acts, taking patients out for a day to take a boat trip or allowing them to have a party inside the institution, including alcoholic drinks and women. Through the rebellion, McMurphy brings back excitement, joy and enthusiasm for life to all hopeless patients. In addition, he makes them reveal their most extraordinary qualities and talents.
The film shows a psychiatric institution that closely resembles a prison, the facility is composed of giant walls, barbed wires and extreme security. The scenes were shot inside a real mental institution, located in the state of Oregon. This fact adds authenticity to the scenes, and exalts the social criticism that unfolds in the film, the director dissolves a thought that persisted throughout many years: “the crazy people” are considered the plague that must be isolated and kept as far as possible from the social dynamics of humanity. In turn, the monotonous structure which the rebel McMurphy finds when he arrives coincides with the perspective of that particular time: the evil Nurse Ratched is in charge of an alleged “therapy group”, in which each patient must tell an event that has marked his life, and his companions are invited to comment on this particular event. The authoritarianism exercised by this woman, coupled with the pressure and discomfort felt by each patient, are the main problems that lead them to feel unsatisfactory therapy sessions. And here is when McMurphy displays the model of the uprising figure, the medical cure that heals the infected wound.
As French philosopher Michel Foucault said, “Where there is power, there is resistance”, and that’s exactly what the figure of McMurphy represents, the rebellion against arbitrarily imposed norms. Seen from the perspective of Nietzsche, we could take the concept of the will to power. This will wants to grow and dominate. The establishment represented by the medical body seeks to impose its truth endorsed by science. Meanwhile, Randle wants to impose his own will. Nietzsche conceives history as this constant dynamic. Who has more power in the end? The one who manages to win.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest shows us how human beings develop their own madness according to the regulations that the environment imposes on them. Each person’s behavior differs between what s/he considers morally correct or not. Emotional catastrophes occur because most people don’t know how to listen, they feel superior and want to impose their will to power. Why treat the patient as mentally ill and not as a person? A personal and adequate treatment is much more fruitful than the imposition of inhuman over-control. Finally, in Goethe‘s words:
“We don’t have to visit a madhouse to find disordered minds; our planet is the mental institution of the universe”.
by Octavio Carbajal González
Great film, but the book is better. The nurse was even worse in the novel, and she also had more power. But I really think that the wide cinema exposure made people get aware of lobotomies and electro shocks, and that this movie changed some things.
I don´t like to compare books with film adaptations, I believe that every form of art has its own identity. Indeed, the nurse was much more evil in the novel. But anyway, I´m so happy that this movie spread awareness on these horrible neurosurgical procedures.
Such a beautiful film! Heartbreaking.
I always struggled with this film, it’s kinda kitsch. A foreseeable plot, and then the symbolism with the Indian. Oh, man!
Well, it depends on your overall view of the human exploitation systems and on your scientifical/social updates with psychiatric medications and hospitals. About Indian symbolism, there’s a very interesting allegory with the story of the Chief’s father. The Chief uses the word “shrunk” to describe what his father did to him (the father’s alcoholism was an escape for his own suffering) . Chief’s father was a victim of the environment, he felt small against it. The Chief perceives the struggles against oppression in his own life and Indian community as similar to the way the hospital is oppresing McMurphy.
Great film and review. There has always been something about this film that bothered deeply. It’s the bureaucratic authority of Nurse Ratched that is used to shock and terrorize those that these very same rules are supposed to protect. Bullies who pretend to be protectors are the worse kind of authoritarians. The lead female character, Nurse Ratched Humiliates and destroys the men under her care. Stripping them of bit of dignity that may remain in their lives. The film also tells us something about the falseness that matriarchy would be more humanitarian. Thank you Octavio.
Thanks, Shawn!. You have always supported my writing, I am truly grateful with you.
This movie delivers an effective claustrophobic anguish of the 50’s-60’s psychiatric landscape. Not everyone is able to perceive the greatness of this film in a simple viewing. It’s such a beautiful and well-crafted script, efficiently executed by masterful interpretations. I strongly agree with your perception of the bureaucratic system, there are so many nurse Ratcheds out there (I’ve been in hospital rotations). They have an absolute lack of passion and commitment for their work, that kind of indifference hurts the patient on many levels.
thanks for the great review of this classic! i have this on dvd and watch it from time to time. although it is McM‘s personal tragedy in the end, the movie is a constant reminder for every one of us to offer resistance against authorities and other idiots! anytime…
You’re welcome, Christof. Thanks for taking the time to read. Totally agree, rebellion is absolutely neccesary in cases like this. Fortunately, Mac knew how to control the situations, I love the moments when the camera remains static on his face for long periods of time. We imagine the thoughts of burning rage and how he’s going to handle the situations.
Thanks for the great review, it’s good to remember these special classics. Whilst a work of fiction, the general theme is the same across psychiatric hospitals over the world- a bit of a false dichotomy between those on one side of the line and those on the other. All the staff can do to preserve their position is keeping the other side down by pathologizing them. This comes through well in the film, and is a fact of the hocus pocus of psychiatry.
First, thank you so much for sharing this, Saliha. It’s a classic that needs to be constantly revisited.
Ok, there has always been a cruel system inside many psychiatric hospitals, the medical staff often portray cruelty and indifference with their patients and interns. But (in the 50’s) , there was a much more cruel and intense physical and psychological abuse against the patients, the medications were highly agressive, and neurosurgical procedures like lobotomy were used very often. Fortunately, there has been positive advances in medicine. Now, the psychiatric medications are much more effective, and most psychiatric hospitals are in better conditions. But, the abuses haven’t been erradicated. What I like most about this movie is the enormous joy and self-confidence that McMurphy delivers to the patients, the hope for life gets back for them. Also, there are interesting analogies with philosophy.
This is one of the first films that got me engaged into cinema, I have a kinda special and nostalgic relationship with this one. The laughs, the emotion, the moments. Fantastic and incredibly uplifting story.
Octavio,
Enjoyed reading your review of this complicated observation of imprisoning social institutions and how the “insane” and “mentally ill” may actually be outcasts and rebels against this brutal system.
Thanks, Mark!. I really appreciate your reply. That’s right (sadly) , there’s a huge wave of rebel and outcasts inside psychiatric hospitals.
One of my favourite movies! I agree with you, Nicholson embodies all the important values in human groups, a sense of fun, a sympathy for one another’s problems, a need for relaxation and games, sex and spontanity. The film shows what happens when these values come into contact with complacent, insensitive authority. You realize the patients featured in the film aren’t crazy at all, it’s their way of dealing with the system they find themselves in. Nicholson’s peformance is pure genius, so winning, funny and charming.
Thanks, Ilona!.
“Mac” is the breath of fresh air that changes the course of things, he vanishes the monotony and changes the established order. As you mention, the patients aren’t crazy at all, some of them are just too afraid to face the world. Agree, Nicholson’s performance is almost perfect.
Terrific film. If I remember correctly, the film at that time caused a complete change in dealing with mentally ill people and the management of psychiatric institutions in the USA.
You’re right, Ralph. This movie has an undertone of criticism against the inhuman treatment that psychriatric patients received in the 50’s decade. Take for example, the case of the Pennhurst Asylum (Pennsylvania, USA). The numerous cases of abuses and aggresions against the patients were absolutely horrible.