The pinnacle of Jack Nicholson's films, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is about work camp convict R.P. McMurphy (Nicholson) who ends up being evaluated for mental illness at an Oregon institution. The story follows how the individual personalities interact with each other. and the staff led by the understated bitchiness of Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).The thing that makes Cuckoo's Nest stick out are the characters. You of course have Nicholson's McMurphy and Flecthers Nurse Ratched, but you also have the other patients. Danny DeVito's laidback childlike Martini and his polar opposite Cheswick (Sydney Lassick). Christopher Lloyd's neurotic Taber. And of course, Will Sampson as the "mute" Chief. It's all these characters thrown together in this situation that makes the film interesting. Everything is ritual. Until McMurphy arrives and the real drama begins.
Milos Foreman brings the life on the mental ward to life. It's not all mad babbling and catatonics. Some people are there because they want to be with their little quirks and such. A comedy and a drama all wrapped up in one.
Cuckoo's Nest is one of those lightening movies. Most of the cast were unknown at the time of the films release and they proved their talent in making one of THE great films. It's a movie you remember for its amazing characters and its great script adapted from Ken Kesey's novel. A real cinema gem.
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