One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (film)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a 1975 American psychological comedy-drama film directed by Miloš Forman and based on Ken Kesey's 1962 novel of the same name.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a 1975 American psychological comedy-drama film directed by Miloš Forman and based on Ken Kesey's 1962 novel of the same name. It stars Jack Nicholson as Randle McMurphy and Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched. The film won the five major Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and was selected for the U.S. National Film Registry in 1993.
Plot and premise
The story centres on Randle McMurphy, a convict who enters a psychiatric hospital and clashes with Nurse Ratched's rigid control of the ward. The conflict becomes a broader struggle over authority, freedom, and individual dignity.
Production and adaptation
The film is based on Ken Kesey's 1962 novel and was directed by Miloš Forman, with a screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman. It was produced by Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas.
Reception and awards
The film was a major critical and commercial success. It won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay, a rare sweep in Oscar history.
Legacy
The film remains one of the most widely discussed American films of the 1970s. Its depiction of institutional power and psychiatric treatment has kept it influential in film history and popular culture.
Key facts
- The film is adapted from Ken Kesey's 1962 novel.
- Jack Nicholson plays Randle McMurphy, a patient in a psychiatric hospital.
- Louise Fletcher portrays Nurse Ratched, the hospital's authoritarian head nurse.
- It was the first film since It Happened One Night (1934) to win the five major Academy Awards.
- It was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1993.
The film is widely studied and screened in Canadian film and literature contexts as a major American work about institutional power, mental health, and rebellion.
Frequently asked questions
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References
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Flew_Over_the_Cuckoo's_Nest_(film)Supports: Basic film identification, release year, director, cast, and adaptation source.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/One-Flew-over-the-Cuckoos-Nest-film-by-FormanSupports: Release year, director, awards sweep, and National Film Registry selection.
- British Film Institute — https://www.bfi.org.uk/film/a7ab4976-a256-53a0-9019-a6aaeace068f/one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nestSupports: Plot premise, cast, production credits, and running time.
- EBSCO Research Starters — https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/film/one-flew-over-cuckoos-nest-filmSupports: Plot, themes, and award-winning status.