IMDb > One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany credits
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guidemessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsmemorable quotes
Did You Know?
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
box office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (See all 59 | slideshow) Videos (see all 4)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest -- Clip: Opening Credits

Overview

User Rating:
Top 250: #10  (login to vote)
8.8/10   322,409 votes »
Your Rating:
Saving vote...
Deleting vote...
/10   (delete | history)
Sorry, there was a problem
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Milos Forman
Writers:
Lawrence Hauben (screenplay) and
Bo Goldman (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 November 1975 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Drama See more »
Tagline:
If he's crazy, what does that make you?
Plot:
Upon arrival at a mental institution, a brash rebel rallies the patients together to take on the oppressive Nurse Ratched, a woman more a dictator than a nurse. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Won 5 Oscars. Another 30 wins & 11 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(290 articles)
Clip joint: Ghosts
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 16 May 2012, 1:42 PM, PDT)
NBC Promises End-of-World Drama, More Spinning Chairs at Upfronts
 (From PEOPLE.com. 14 May 2012, 1:00 PM, PDT)
Comic Book Bites: Marvel not buying back rights from other studios; Avengers director Joss Whedon thanks fans
 (From The Geek Files. 14 May 2012, 10:42 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
One Flew Over One of the Best Movies Ever Made!!! (And that person was me) See more (614 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Michael Berryman ... Ellis
Peter Brocco ... Col. Matterson
Dean R. Brooks ... Dr. Spivey
Alonzo Brown ... Miller
Scatman Crothers ... Turkle

Mwako Cumbuka ... Warren

Danny DeVito ... Martini
William Duell ... Sefelt
Josip Elic ... Bancini
Lan Fendors ... Nurse Itsu

Louise Fletcher ... Nurse Ratched
Nathan George ... Washington
Ken Kenny ... Beans Garfield
Mel Lambert ... Harbor Master
Sydney Lassick ... Cheswick
Kay Lee ... Night Supervisor

Christopher Lloyd ... Taber
Dwight Marfield ... Ellsworth
Ted Markland ... Hap Arlich
Louisa Moritz ... Rose

Jack Nicholson ... R.P. McMurphy
William Redfield ... Harding
Philip Roth ... Woolsey (as Phil Roth)

Will Sampson ... Chief Bromden
Mimi Sarkisian ... Nurse Pilbow

Vincent Schiavelli ... Fredrickson

Mews Small ... Candy (as Marya Small)
Delos V. Smith Jr. ... Scanlon
Tin Welch ... Ruckley

Brad Dourif ... Billy Bibbit
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Anjelica Huston ... Woman in Crowd on Pier (uncredited)

Audrey Landers ... Actress on TV Screen (uncredited)
Tom McCall ... News Commentator (uncredited)
James V. Shore ... Doctor (uncredited)

Saul Zaentz ... Captain on Shore (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Milos Forman 
 
Writing credits
Lawrence Hauben (screenplay) and
Bo Goldman (screenplay)

Ken Kesey (novel)

Dale Wasserman (play version "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest")

Produced by
Michael Douglas .... producer
Martin Fink .... associate producer
Saul Zaentz .... producer
 
Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche 
 
Cinematography by
Haskell Wexler (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Sheldon Kahn 
Lynzee Klingman 
 
Casting by
Jane Feinberg 
Mike Fenton 
 
Production Design by
Paul Sylbert 
 
Art Direction by
Edwin O'Donovan 
 
Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers 
 
Makeup Department
Gerry Leetch .... hairdresser
Fred B. Phillips .... makeup artist (as Fred Phillips)
 
Production Management
Joel Douglas .... unit production manager
Irving Saraf .... post-production supervisor
Joel Chernoff .... executive in charge of production (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Saint John .... second assistant director (as William St. John)
Irby Smith .... first assistant director
 
Art Department
Joe Acord .... construction coordinator
Tom Bartholomew .... production painter
Terry E. Lewis .... props (as Terry Lewis)
Rudy Reachi .... assistant property master (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Mark Berger .... post-production sound director
Pat Jackson .... sound editor
Larry Jost .... sound recordist (as Lawrence Jost)
Mary McGlone .... sound editor
Robert R. Rutledge .... sound editor (as Robert Rutledge)
Kirk Schuler .... assistant sound editor
Veronica Selver .... sound editor
Gene Radzik .... Dolby consultant: 2001 5.1 remix (uncredited)
Philip Rogers .... sound recordist: restoration (restored version) (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Alan Gibbs .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Butler .... additional photography
Dick Colean .... camera operator
William A. Fraker .... additional photography (as William Fraker)
Hugh K. Gagnier .... camera operator (as Hugh Gagnier)
George Hill .... key grip
Gary Holt .... gaffer
Dennis Marks .... gaffer
Walter Nichols .... best boy
Peter Sorel .... still photographer
Robert M. Stevens .... camera operator (as Robert Stevens)
Bill Tenny .... gaffer
Robert C. Thomas .... camera operator (as Robert Thomas)
Doug Willis .... best boy
Kyle T. MacDowell .... electrician (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aggie Guerard Rodgers .... costumer (as Agnes Rodgers)
 
Editorial Department
Richard Chew .... supervising film editor
Arthur Coburn .... assistant film editor (as Art Coburn)
Constance Field .... assistant film editor
Bonnie Koehler .... assistant film editor
Jay Miracle .... assistant film editor
 
Music Department
Ted Whitfield .... music editor
 
Transportation Department
Tom F. Thomas .... transportation captain (as Tom Thomas)
 
Other crew
Natalie Drache .... script supervisor
Wayne Fitzgerald .... title
Rhonda Kramer .... production office coordinator
Leonard Lipton .... production assistant
Frank Noonan .... location auditor
Denise Schreiter .... location coordinator
Jim Young .... location auditor
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
133 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Colour:
Colour
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Canada:14+ (Quebec) (re-rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (video rating) | France:-12 (re-rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Austria:12 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1976) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:12 (re-rating) | West Germany:16 (original rating)
Filming Locations:
Depoe Bay, Oregon, USASee more »
Company:
Fantasy FilmsSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Author Ken Kesey was so bitter about the way the filmmakers were "butchering" his story that he vowed never to watch the completed film and even sued the movie's producers because it wasn't shown from Chief Bromden's perspective (as the novel is). Years later, he claimed to be lying in bed flipping through TV channels when he settled onto a late-night movie that looked sort of interesting, only to realize after a few minutes that it was this film. He then changed channels.See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Differences in clothing between McMurphy and his stunt double when McMurphy drops to the ground on the other side of the fence.See more »
Quotes:
[first lines]
Attendant Warren:Good morning, Miss Ratched.
Nurse Ratched:Good morning.
Attendant Washington:Good morning, Miss Ratched.
Nurse Ratched:Mr. Washington.
Miller:Morning.
Nurse Ratched:Good morning.
Nurse Pilbow:Good morning, Miss Ratched.
Nurse Ratched:Good morning.
Attendant Washington:Morning, Bancini.
[...]
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Dharma & Greg: One Flew Over the Lawyer's Desk (#3.1)" (1999)See more »
Soundtrack:
Row, Row. Row Your BoatSee more »

FAQ

Is this film based on a book?
How does the movie end?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
134 out of 229 people found the following review useful.
One Flew Over One of the Best Movies Ever Made!!! (And that person was me), 19 March 1999
Author: Brandon (horrormvfn@aol.com) from here

First thing's first, while I watched this movie, I found myself stunned. This movie so entertained the viewer, as it did fascinate, and inform. A chilling, disturbing, and revealing look into the mental institutions as seen through the eyes of a con. Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, Danny DeVito, and Christopher Lloyd, round out the excellent, and very well casted cast.

Jack Nicholson brilliantly plays Randall Patrick McMurphy, an ex-con, who fakes being mentally insane, to enter the institution. As he goes to the hospital, he doesn't realize, that the people, and the atmosphere there is so out there. The patients are really psycho, and creepy. Randall, must try and survive these days, before he has to go to Jail. He has to entertain himself while at the same time, find good in this place of craziness.

Lousie Fletcher plays Nurse Ratched, a soft; but strong willed nurse, who will not take anything from anyone, or put up with misbehavior. She watches Randall, and notices something different about him, he's not as psycho as the others, but he is a little out there. Her job is tough indeed, having to put up with all these men, who don't listen, some go crazy and throw fits, and others just sit there and don't do anything.

Randall meets many new friends in this place, Brad Dourif who plays Billy Bibbit, is a mentally unstable, but voluntarily institutionalized person. Danny DeVito plays Martini, a slow but charming and sweet man, who means know harm in what he does or say. Christopher Lloyd plays Taber, a man, who also voluntarily institutionalized himself. He also meets Chief, a big 'dumb, and deaf' Indian, who happens to like to play basketball. Randall must try and survive these days with his new friends, and the hospital, as well as an everlasting war as to which they can watch the world series on TV. Put up with Nurse Ratched, and the other patients, doctors, vistors, and nurses. Ultimately leading up to a dramatic finale, that makes you want to stand up and cheer.

I think what was best about this film was the realism. I had no problem believing that this was happening. Almost like a documentary, it was striking and powerful, making the viewer not want to stop watching till the end. Some of the sequences are memorable as the basketball game, and the fishing trip. Jack Nicholson, who as always plays his character absolutely excellent, and makes the viewer want to hand him an Oscar himself.

The supporting cast, Louise Fletcher, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, and Brad Dourif also give terrific performances. Danny, Christopher, and Brad's careers all were made with this superb movie. It's all sentimental, funny, dramatic, intense, chilling, disturbing, diverting, and tragic. The finale leaves the viewer stunned and sitting there thinking about what he just saw. See this film, and believe it. I think you will find, its one of the BEST ever.

The second film to win all five major Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor (Nicholson), Best Actress (Fletcher), Director, and Screenplay. And it deserved all of them.

Rated R for language, violence, sexual content, and brief nudity.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (614 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Elimination Game JackNicholsonIsTheShiit
Incredibly sexist and misogynistic. janetmindy60
Is this YOUR top favorite movie too? yrathore428
Nurse was doing her job and Jack got what he deserved. fishmarauder
A Case For Nurse Ratchet. barnhop3
Nurse Ratched is a total Scorpio. RowTheBoats
See more »

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Sally The Best of Youth House of Fools Freeway Kings & Queen
IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb top 250 movies IMDb Drama section
IMDb USA section

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.