===
Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) is serving a sentence on a prison farm but hates it there, so he finagles his way to be transferred to a mental institution for evaluation. He's immediately rowdy once the shackles come off, kissing one of the guards and whooping like he's at a sporting event. Randle meets Dr. Spivey (Dean Brooks), who runs the hospital. Spivey reads that Randle was serving his sentence for statutory rape and gets into a lot of fights, having five assault arrests on his record. Spivey also says the prison farm officials think that Randle is lazy and just faking needing to be institutionalized. Randle insists he's here to work with Spivey 100%.
Randle enters the ward and meets the patients. Some are complete vegetables, but several seem to be able to communicate and interact with one another on differing levels. Some are playing cards. Randle shows his special deck with naked ladies on them to the card players. One, Martini (Danny DeVito), walks away from his game to check the cards out further. Randle also meets a tall Indian (Will Sampson) and tries to talk to him, but one of the orderlies says the Chief is deaf and dumb. Randle mimics Indian whooping and war dancing but the big guy stays silent and emotionless.
The lead nurse is Nurse Mildred Ratched (Louise Fletcher). She leads the daily group meeting with her assistant, Nurse Pilbow (Mimi Sarkisian). Ratched is discussing the martial problems that Mr. Harding (William Redfield) brought up. No one else seems to want to chime in with an opinion on the matter though. Randle just shuffles his cards. Harding is rambling incessantly until Taber (Christopher Lloyd) tells him to get to the point. This triggers an argument between several of the patients. Cheswick (Sydney Lassick) tries to take Harding's side but Harding tells him not to, which upsets Cheswick, who gets upset easily. As all this yelling goes on, Ratched just stares and Randle just laughs.
Outside, Randle tries to show the Chief how to play basketball, even getting on another patient's shoulders, to no avail. The orderlies tell him he's wasting his time, but Randle doesn't care. Later on, Randle tries to play blackjack with several of the patients, using cigarettes as dimes for wagering. Martini breaks a cigarette and tries to bet a nickel. He also keeps wanting cards even when it's not his turn or when he already has a good hand. Others also have trouble with the game. Randle gives up and goes to Ratched's window asking for the music, which is a bit loud on the PA system, to be turned down. Ratched kindly but firmly says the music is for everyone and some patients are hard of hearing. Randle tells the other patients he'll have Ratched crazy within a week.
Another day, another group meeting. Randle mentions that the 1963 World Series starts tonight and he'd like for the work duty schedule to be rearranged so everyone (mainly himself) can see the game. Ratched is against changing the schedule but allows for a vote. Randle only gets 3 votes, and Ratched smirks triumphantly. At night, the orderlies listen to the game on the radio while several patients are in the tub room on work detail. Many are playing Monopoly. Taber prods Harding, who doesn't quite resort to retailiation. Randle turns on a water jet and sprays down Harding. He then says he's going to lift the bathroom fixture, throw it through the window, and go to the bar to see the ball game. Randle tries to yank the fixture from the ground but it doesn't budge. Randle says at least he tried and leaves angrily.
Next day, group meeting. Billy Bibbit (Brad Dourif), a young man with a horrible stutter, talks about how he once proposed to a girl. Ratched asks why he never told his mom about the proposal, and is that what led to his first suicide attempt. Bibbit stammers and doesn't really give an answer. Cheswick chimes in and says that if Billy doesn't want to talk about it, why is she prodding him to do so? Ratched says it's therapeutic. Cheswick brings up the baseball idea again, and Randle would like another vote. Ratched allows for it. Every patient at the meeting eventually raises their hands for 9 votes. However, Ratched says there are 18 patients on the floor and a majority vote is needed. Randle can't believe she's counting the vegetables as necessary votes. Randle tries to get several to vote, and while he's doing this, Ratched adjourns the meeting and says the vote is closed. Randle then gets the Chief to raise his hand and he celebrates, but Ratched isn't having any of it. Randle decides to "watch" the turned-off TV set and commentate a baseball game himself. He gets riled up and the other patients join him in faux-celebration of an imaginary game-winning home run. Ratched gets on the intercom and demands they all knock it off.
Randle has now been at the hospital for 4 weeks, and he meets again with Dr. Spivey. Randle complains about Ratched, saying she plays a rigged game. Spivey defends Ratched's performance and says he doesn't think Randle is mentally ill. Later while outside, the orderlies have their backs to Randle, so he climbs on the Chief's shoulders and clears the barb-wire fence. The Chief smiles. Randle sneaks onto the bus parked outside, which has the patients all boarding a short time later. Randle hops in the driver's seat and takes off with everyone before the orderlies can board as well.
The first stop Randle makes is a trailer park to pick up his friend Candy (Marya Small). He then brings everyone to a marina and onto a boat, where they're all going to go fishing. Someone questions why they're on the boat and Randle introduces everyone as "Dr. _____". Well, everyone except "Mr." Harding. Randle says the captain gave them permission to use this boat. As the guy goes to verify this, they head out to sea. Randle has Cheswick drive the boat by just holding the wheel and going straight. He then gets everyone schooled on how to fish, and when they all cast off, he disappears below deck with Candy. Martini immediately puts down his reel and goes to peek. The others soon join him. Cheswick sees everyone gone, panics and stops driving, causing the boat to go in circles. Randle runs out yelling, and Taber catches a fish.
The boat returns to the dock. They've caught 2 or 3 huge fish. However, waiting at the dock are the Coast Guard, police and Dr. Spivey. Spivey meets back at the hospital with officials and they all think Randle isn't crazy, but he's definitely dangerous. Spivey wants to send him back to the prison farm. Ratched objects and thinks Randle should stay here instead so they can help him. Her argument wins out. What she doesn't know, or perhaps doesn't care to know, is that in reality, the anti-authoritarian Randle is starting to influence the other patients into rebellion against Ratched's strict regiment.
We're back outside again and Randle is with several patients against the orderlies in a pickup basketball game. Martini starts the game with a pass to no one, and the orderlies score. Randle gets the ball later and passes it to the Chief, who tosses it in the basket to wild cheers from the patients and pure shock on the faces of the orderlies. The Chief then walks to the other basket to defend. He illegally prevents a basket for the orderlies, then scores again (with a jump shot!) on his end. This time, he breaks out in a huge smile and jogs back to the other side.
Later, Randle is relaxing in the pool. He and an orderly get into a debate, but Randle says in 68 days he's out of there so it won't matter. The orderly is more than happy to correct him. 68 days would be the case if he were still in the prison farm. Here at the hospital, he's in until they let him out. Randle isn't happy to hear this, needless to say, and at the next group meeting he questions Ratched and the other patients on why no one told him that earlier. Randle learns through this that many of the patients are here voluntarily. This includes Harding, Cheswick and Billy. Another voluntary patient is Scanlon (Delos V. Smith, Jr.), and he questions why the dorms are locked during the day. Ratched says this encourages interaction with others. Cheswick continually demands to know why the patients are now having their cigarettes rationed. Ratched says it's because Randle's been winning everyone else's cigarettes and money in blackjack. Cheswick continues to yell, even cursing at Ratched. Others also start to get rowdy. Randle busts the nurses station window and tosses a carton of cigarettes at Cheswick, and then all hell breaks loose as Randle brawls with the orderlies. The Chief aids Randle until they're overrun by backup security.
Cheswick, Randle and the Chief are all brought to another wing of the hospital, where they're administered medication prior to shock treatment. Cheswick is then asked to go in first. He apparently knows what's coming because he protests and fights and screams, needing to be physically dragged into the room. Randle pops a stick of gum in his mouth and offers one to the Chief, who accepts it...and then quietly says, "Thank you." Randle isn't sure he just heard what he thinks he heard, so he repeats the gesture and offers a second piece. The Chief accepts it and says, "Ahhh...Juicy Fruit." Randle freaks out as quietly as possible, loving the fact that the Chief has everybody fooled. The Chief can hear and speak just fine. They both vow to escape the hospital. Cheswick is wheeled out of the room, unconscious and drooling. Randle goes in next. He has no idea what's coming and the treatment catches him completely unprepared.
Next day, group meeting. Randle stumbles towards the circle pretending to be in a vegetative state, but then he "recovers" and cracks jokes about the shock treatment. He also seems willing to adhere to Ratched's wishes during the meeting. That night, Ratched leaves and the night guard, Turkle (Scatman Crothers), takes over watch detail. Randle sneaks into the office and calls Candy, telling her tonight's the night, and to bring booze and a car. He then goes to the Chief, but the Chief says he can't make it out in the real world right now. Randle's next stop is the window, where he's waving at Candy and another friend, Rose (Louisa Moritz). Turkle tells Randle to get back to bed. Randle winds up bribing Turkle with $20 and the incoming booze and girls. Turkle lets them in and winds up in a back room with Rose while Randle and Candy head out for hijinks.
Randle gets on the intercom and wakes up the ward. Turkle hears the commotion and runs back out there, telling everyone he's going to get fired. He then notices the supervisor is on her way up, so he hides everyone in an office side room. The supervisor calls for Turkle to come out, which he does. He says everything is fine, but then there's loud crashing from behind the room door. Candy opens the door and apologizes. The supervisor tells Turkle to remove that girl immediately. He says he will. After the supervisor leaves, Turkle laments the huge mess now in the room and knows he's going to get fired.
The impromptu Christmas party ensues in the main area. Everyone chugs liquor. Even the vegetative patients are drinking and wearing garland. Eventually, Billy and Candy slow dance as Randle gets the keys from the passed-out Turkle, then unlocks the window. As he tells everyone goodbye, Billy skulks off. Randle checks on him and even tries to tell him to come as well, but Billy says he isn't ready yet. Billy asks if Candy will be there when he does leave, however. Randle decides Billy and Candy should have sex before they leave. Candy goes into a room and the patients all wheel Billy in as well. While sitting down waiting for them to finish, and with the room quieter now as many have passed out drunk, Randle's eyelids get heavier...and heavier...
The next morning, the entire area is a shambles. Patients are passed out. The floors and walls are filthy. Empty alcohol bottles are everywhere. The window remains wide open. The orderlies and nurses arrive. Ratched has Rose removed and the window locked, then wants all the patients accounted for. The orderlies angrily wake everyone up and push them around to take attendance. It's eventually noticed that Billy is missing, and a subsequent room search has Nurse Pilbow find Billy and Candy in bed together. Billy runs out of the room to try and explain everything to Ratched as the rest of the patients all applaud Billy's conquest. Ratched asks him if he's ashamed. He says, with no stutter, that he isn't. The patients applaud again. She then asks him how his mother would take this. Billy, back to stammering, says she doesn't have to tell his mom. Ratched says they're old friends, of course she's going to tell her. She then asks if Candy (who's been removed from the premises by this point) forced him into the room. Billy says everyone did, led by Randle. Ratched then orders Billy be brought to Spivey. Billy screams and struggles as he's dragged off by the orderlies. Nurse Pilbow goes as well. Meanwhile, Randle still has the keys and he tries to unlock the window again. An orderly armed with a strap tells him to put the keys down. Randle does so on the sill of the open window. Just then, Nurse Pilbow runs back in screaming and covered in blood. The orderly goes to check, followed by the patients, including Randle. Billy took some broken glass and slit his throat. Ratched tells everyone to calm down and resume the daily routine. This sends Randle over the edge and he attacks Ratched, nearly choking her to death before the orderlies knock him unconscious.
Several days later, things are back to normal at the hospital. There's a rumor that Randle escaped the hospital. Harding quashes the rumor, saying he was told Randle is upstairs and is "meek as a lamb." That night, the Chief is lying awake and he sees Randle escorted into the room and into his bed. The Chief goes to talk to Randle, saying they should get out now. Randle is unresponsive even though his eyes are open. The Chief sits Randle up and sees that Randle has been lobotomized. The Chief embraces Randle before placing him back down and smothering him with a pillow as a mercy killing. The Chief then goes to the tub room, removes the bathroom fixture Randle had tried to remove at one time, and tosses it through the window to escape the hospital. The crashing glass woke up Taber, and when he discovers the Chief has escaped, he lets out a triumphant yell that wakes up everyone else. The Chief runs across the fields to freedom.
===
Ken Kesey participated in the early stages of script development, but
withdrew after creative differences with the producers over the casting and
narrative point of view. He later filed a lawsuit against the producers, which was settled out of court. Kesey, who died in 2001, claimed to never see the film but was glad that it was successful.....Michael Douglas was a co-producer. His father, Kirk, played Randle in the original stage version of Nest and owned the movie rights. Other actors in the stage version were William Daniels (Harding) and Gene Wilder (Billy). Kirk wasn't able to get the film rolling, but when Kirk had decided he was too old to play the role on film anymore, he gave up trying to produce it as well until Michael wanted to give it a shot. Milos Forman was chosen to direct. As it turns out, Kirk was trying to recruit Forman years earlier for the same thing.....Dean Brooks, who portrayed Dr. Spivey, was the actual director of the Salem hospital. He was hired as a consultant and ultimately was given the role since the original dialogue for the character was deemed unrealistic by him. He also maintained his medical duties, correctly diagnosing the leukemia in Redfield that ultimately would kill him less than two years later.....The film was shot in sequence, save for the fishing scene, which was filmed last and took an entire week. That first day, many cast and crew members got seasick due to the choppy winter seas.....Nicholson's character has a deck-of-cards gimmick. He'd also have that gimmick portraying The Joker in 1989's Batman.....Many actual doctors and patients took part on- and off-camera during filming. Mimi Sarkisian, who portrayed Nurse Pilbow, is believed to have been a nurse at the hospital. She never made another film.....With the women's lib movement in full swing in the mid-1970's, many actresses didn't want to touch such a bitchy role as Nurse Ratched. Fletcher wanted it though, and ultimately was cast just a week before principal photography began. This after Colleen Dewhurst, Geraldine Page, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Jane Fonda, and Angela Lansbury all turned down overtures to play the part.....Anjelica Huston is one of the onlookers at the dock when the fishing boat returns. She and Nicholson were dating at the time.
I remember my first time seeing this movie. I was a teenager and was starting to really get into Jack Nicholson's body of work. I learned this film won all these Oscars, Jack's included, so I found it on TV one day. Seeing it edited and with commercials didn't lessen the impact. I was floored. When I saw it again a few years later in its original form, I was even more bowled over. This is just great. There isn't a wasted moment. The collaborative performances are awesome, and you can see why the likes of Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito and Brad Dourif went on to have such successful careers. Louise Fletcher is especially magnificent. You want to smack the shit out of her, and that's a glowing compliment. Excellent storytelling, pacing...everything. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, of the three films that won Oscar's Big Five, reigns supreme.
No comments:
Post a Comment