One flew over the cuckoo's nest

[HowardKennitby]

A radio version of this was broadcast today.
As probably the only person alive who has not seen the film I found it fascinating. Did anyone else listen to it?

[Prudie]

No. Have only seen the film once when I was quite young and found it deeply disturbing and not a tale I'd want to hear again.

[VHG]

I watched the film when it first came out and read the book afterwards and found them very different.

The film concentrates on the Jack Nicholson chartacer and the whole film seems to revolve around him.

The book I seem to remember sees everything through eyes of the "Red Indian" (who was dumb I think).

The Red Indian does feature in the film but I seem to rememeber he was a fairly minor and peripheral character.

I was very impressed by the film when I first saw it and thought it was one of the best films I had ever seen.

Have not seen it for years.

[HowardKennitby]

On the strength of this radio work I will look out for the film and maybe the book.

[starone]

I haven't seen it either Howard. That makes two of us.

[jno]

I thought it was manipulative and a bit of a cheat. It's saying how appalling the treatment of the mentally ill is... but it illustrates this by showing a sane man, which is taking the easy way out. How does that prove the treatment is cruel to those for whom it's intended?

[HowardKennitby]

To me, listening to the radio play, it was not clear that RM was 'sane', whatever that means.

[nungate]

Make that three of us who haven't seen it. You're never alone on AB Howard!

[thenry]

I have seen it several times. It is a brilliant film as the 5 Oscars recognised. Chief Bromden (played by Will Sampson) was not dumb and a key moment in the film was when McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) offered him a piece of gum as they were waiting for ECT treatment and the Chief spoke to the delight of McMurphy who, like everyone else, thought he was dumb. What was the point of the film ?

[HowardKennitby]

Since I haven't seen the film I can't relate it to the radio play or the book. I assume it is a comment on the use of lobotomy as a technique which, I believe, was 'popular' in USofA at that time.

[Clanad]

Actually, the film (in my estimation) is a comment on the indomitability of the human spirit...

McMurphy finds himself in a particular situation over which he has little control... but battles his nemsis anyway.

I particularly like the scene where he infuses "Chief" with a sence of pride... during the basketball game.

Next to this, the scene where McMurphy describes how he would break out of the institution by ripping ut the huge handwashing sink and throwing it through a window, attempts it, and of course fails, but "Chief" is quietly observing all this in the background. This achievement is repeated at the end of the film with Chief actually accomplishing this feat all the time with haunting Native American music playing in the background. Although ancient, I found it entirely moving and found revelance in McMurphy's triumph over Nurse Ratched, through Will Sampson's portaryal of
"Chief" ("Mmmm... Juicy Fruit" was a pivotal line in the entire movie)
Although more complex and at tiems, difficult to follow, Ken Kesey's book was also a searing commentary on our society.

[bigbadmarty]

its a wonderful book and movie , I'd love to listen to the radio play . The thing is Keeseys book and Nicholsons performance ask the same uncomfortable question - what exactly do you mean by sane or insane and who gives you the right to decide that etc...

[cupid04]

a nightingale sang in Berkley square!

[bigbadmarty]

hello cupid did you hear something sweet ?

[VHG]

A key scene i rememeber from the film was the boat scene.

All the people in the institution are drugged up to their eye balls and kept miserable by the staff.

The Nicholson character is not mentally ill, but just loves life and loves getting drunk.

He gets out of the institution and takes many of the inmates with him.

He steals a boat and takes them all out on the ocean and they all love it, there are huge smiles on the faces of the inmates as they sail over the waves.

Then they return to shore and the police are waiting for them.

They are all sent back to the institution and soon back in their miserable drugged up situation.

I seem to remember the nurse being particulalry sadistic and you began to think was SHE the one who was mentally ill rather than the actual inmates.

The Nicholson character and the nurse fought a lot in the film, where the Nicholson character represented "freedom" and she represented "repression".

[HowardKennitby]

From all of the postings here it is obvious that the radio play and the film are very different beasts. I suppose that would be inevitable as the radio play was developed from the stage play.
I must try to see the film sometime.

[andy-hughes]

I have never watched the film - it's a little too close to home for me ...