One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

Year: 1975

Grade: A+

Country: USA

Director: Forman

Review

one of three films to win the big 5 in the AA (best pic, director, screenplay, actor, and actress). it’s also my favortie of those three (silence of the lambs and it happened one night being the other two). it’s in my top 25 primarily for the ending i suppose, but the rest of the film has plenty to offer. there’s a lot going on. i used to think that nurse ratchet was pure evil. i now see what milos forman intended (and says as much in the commentary) – that those in power in the hospital are basically well-meaning but deeply mis-guided. evil is a pretty rare thing. we don’t need evil to be present in order for bad things to happen.

chief, billy, nurse ratchet, mcmurphy.

there just so much interplay in this film. the power struggle, the spirit that mcmurphy brings. the latent power that chief has. billy’s internal guilt and mommy issues. the institution as a symbol of oppression yet most of them are there voluntarily. if i had the time and disposition i’d read the book because it’s probably even deeper. great film.