Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Classic: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Whats it about:
     Randle McMurphy (Mac) lands in a mental hospital for evaluation purposes. He isn't exactly retarded but is quite a handful. He encounters many different kinds of mentally disturbed persons. The nurse Ratched has an iron hand over the place and is unrelenting when it comes to the treatment schedule.
     Mac is a rebel and slowly the entire ward is behind Mac and they start enjoying basketball, escaping out to the seas for fishing, having fun with drinks and women in the hospital itself. Billy and Chief are 2 voluntary patients who are particularly close to Mac.
     These activities really annoy the management and what happens to Billy, Mac and Chief is the climax. A real gut wrenching climax that will surely touch every heart.

                                                                        
Hits

  • Jack Nicholson is the soul of the film. He is the live-wire forever looking to rebel and have fun. Be it begging for one extra vote to watch baseball on TV, teaching basketball to Chief, trying to lift a heavy plumbing equipment etc etc. He is super charming. His sudden downfall in the climax when he is lobotomized and brought back to the ward really makes one feel depressed and very sad. 
  • Brad Dourif as the stuttering Billy Bibbit is very natural and darn life like. His sudden outburst in the climax is again shocking. 
  • Will Sampson as Chief is robotic. But, his role gains significance once he starts talking and his climax escaping act is a great tribute to friendship. 
VERDICT
The movie grows on you and towards the climax it really impacts you and leaves you with a heavy heart. A great inspiration for the Bala brand of cinema. MUST WATCH

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