"...ahh, Juicyfruit."

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 2007)

Though it may not rigidly adhere to the novel, "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is still a riveting story, moved along powerfully by the roiling battle of the minds between it's principals, Randle P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) and Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). When I was much younger I often found myself with the same attitude as many of the reviewers here that find fault with a less than faithful line by line adaptation of the source material. However having seen enough films that stray from the original novel, I chalk it up to the poetic license taken by the screenwriter in an effort to tell an effective story. In my case, I had read Ken Kesey's novel before the film was made, and then again after seeing the film during it's original theatrical release. Honestly, unless you read the book and watch the film virtually back to back, I don't think you'll come away from the movie unimpressed. In fact, the one difference I can recall with clarity between the two concerns an element in the novel that I'm satisfied was changed for the movie. In the book, the character of Cheswick drowned during a recreational swim in the pool.
With Nicholson's first appearance on screen, you can note the glint in his eye that would also serve him well in 1980's "The Shining". His aggressive behavior has managed to secure confinement to a mental institution instead of a work farm where he quickly understands that his nemesis Ratched operates the asylum much like a a rigged carny game. It's interesting to note that throughout the story, Ratched's hairdo is uniquely styled to resemble a pair of horns, and she's more than willing to offer McMurphy and whoever takes his side a devil of a time.
My favorite scene of the film relates to my summary line above, when The Chief (Will Sampson) reveals he's not deaf and dumb, and McMurphy revels in the fact that the Indian might be an even bigger con man than himself. It was McMurphy's cultivating of that relationship along the way that helped The Chief understand that he could be as 'big as a mountain'. I can think of no other film ending that winds up being so depressing and uplifting at the same time; you'll want to believe the Chief when he tells his friend he's coming with him. It's a chilling moment. With a repeat viewing, take note of the Chief's expression when McMurphy attempts to lift the sink to win a bet in an earlier scene. It's where the seed was planted for the Chief's escape.
It's a tribute to all the talent involved in this movie that makes each character vivid and memorable, even those that don't have any lines. Danny DeVito, Sydney Lassick, and Christopher Lloyd are stand out in their respective roles, for each virtually their first major big screen appearance. Brad Dourif is probably my favorite modern day character actor, his work as Doc Cochran in the Western series "Deadwood" is tour de force.
Interestingly, in addition to 'Cuckoo's Nest', Ken Kesey also wrote what remains to this day my favorite novel, "Sometimes A Great Notion", telling the story of an Oregon lumber family. Even though that story is told from the perspective of differing narrators, it moves along seamlessly without confusing the reader, and in many cases, one doesn't even recall the switch taking place! That book was also made into a film with the same name, but you might find it broadcast under an alternate title, "Never Give An Inch".