One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

There isn’t much to add. The label of one of the best films in history is very well deserved, as well as the five Oscars in the five major categories. It revitalised Miloš Forman's career in an incredible way, helping him rise to the position of a respected and successful great director. But where would this film be with a different cast? The praise here is not only due to Jack Nicholson, whose performance is brilliant and heartfelt, and I rank it among the best I've ever seen, but also to the other actors involved, who are incredible as the madmen and give the film a distinct authenticity and power. The story is precisely written and directed, Louise Fletcher is both charming and devilish at the same time, and the ending is an unforgettable experience that everyone should savour. (02/08/2012)

The immense power of this work lies primarily in its immensely evocative delivery and its relentless final impact on the viewer's emotions. Who is actually the biggest fool here is a very difficult question for each viewer to answer for themselves. Just writing the review here now and recalling snippets of this immortal Forman flick brings tears to my eyes once again. Miloš Forman has transformed all the apparent drawbacks (the closed setting, the limited space for Nicholson, the overall feeling of detachment) into major strengths that result in a gripping emotional spectacle with Jack Nicholson in the role of a lifetime. It's hard to say who is the king of this film, Forman or Nicholson, but what is certain is that this is an exceptional film whose intrinsic value will only increase with time. What is remarkable is that such a seemingly "small", human, intimate, and actually low-budget film has managed to appeal to such a wide spectrum of audiences and academics. Ultimately, this is a "great" film, a film great in its ideas, its production, its brilliant cast, and its absolutely breathtaking conclusion. (08/24/2013)

Clearly the best Forman, the best Nicholson, and one of the most respected works by me. If I had to objectively say one film that deserves the highest rating from everyone, I would say it's precisely "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". The actors compete to play better - whether it's Randall, the head nurse, or any of the other crazies, they are all incredibly believable. For me, it was the best Indian, also because of the ending, where my jaw dropped and stayed there for a long time. (12/31/2005)

It may be surprising in connection with the name of Miloš Forman, but his name always comes to mind whenever I think of political motifs in film-making, specifically left-wing political concepts. While his films don't feature revolutions or strike movements, nor are they simple and clear political manifestos, Forman works in a complex way with the basic ideals of intellectual leftism and depicts in his films the boundaries of human freedom, democracy, and equality. For example, in Ragtime, he explores the issue of racial emancipation, in Hair the anti-war movement, and in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, as an uninvolved observer, he follows the perennial conflict between authoritarianism, hiding behind competence and responsibility for the entrusted flock, represented by the "big" sister, and between free-thinking and anarchy represented by the volatile character portrayed by Jack Nicholson. On one hand, there is responsibility, but do we even know if those who decide are always selfless and just? On the other hand, are those who operate under the concept of absolute freedom capable of bearing the responsibility for the consequences of their actions, and would a society composed solely of McMurphys function? Wouldn't what we admire in his fight for his own rights soon be at our throats if it surrounded us? And above all, is democratic voting in a society composed of average individuals often with poor education, low intelligence, and minimal motivation the best way to govern society? Doesn't democratic choice when appointing a political position equate to voting by incapacitated patients in a psychiatric institution? From an acting, directing, and screenwriting perspective, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of the peaks of world cinema, and Forman has rightfully become a legend of American cinema. Overall impression: 100%. (01/14/2012)

Miracles happen sometimes. This low-budget film nobody expected anything from and by a director with almost no reputation, went on to become a worldwide hit, winner of five major Oscars and a pearl of world cinema. Louise Fletcher, as Nurse Mildred, is one of the most repulsive creatures and the final scene one of the most emotional and moving in the history of cinema. (04/13/2003)