Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, based on Ken Kesey’s novel and Dale Wasserman’s play, delivers a sharp and ultimately tragic satire on mental institutions and the human spirit. This disturbing, witty, and electrifying drama won the 1975 Academy Award for Best Picture. R.P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a rebellious convict, feigns insanity to avoid prison labor, only to find himself in a worse predicament in an asylum. There, he clashes with the repressive Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), whose strict rules are designed to control the patients’ psychotic outbursts and stifle their spirits. McMurphy quickly tries to invigorate his fellow inmates, bringing life to the stifling environment. To Nurse Ratched, however, his free spirit is as dangerous as a schizophrenic impulse.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest features outstanding performances from an ensemble cast, including Brad Dourif, Christopher Lloyd, Vincent Schiavelli, and Danny DeVito.