One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

Kim, Nathan

Professor Williams

May 14, 2017

                                        I’m Cuckoo

The Academy Award winning film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest directed by Milos Foreman, illustrates the rebellious behavior of one man against the repressive and controlling powers of a mental institution. Randall Patrick McMurphy is depicted both in the film and the novel as an over confident risk taker who isn’t afraid to stand up for what he thinks is the right thing to do. Throughout the movie, we can see many similarities and differences that have occurred that may not been to Ken Kesey’s liking, as he has avoided watching the film. During the World Series event, McMurphy was able to convince the acutes on a second vote to watching the game, despite Nurse Ratched’s animosity towards it. McMurphy deliberately drags the acutes to a fishing trip without any of the staff’s permission in order to help them live a little. Lastly, McMurphy made his ultimatum when he was given a choice between being there to support his friend Billy or escape. Even though Kesey did not watch the film and did not approve of the changes that were made, the film helped to portray how McMurphy’s rebellious acts were for the betterment of the acutes.

        McMurphy brings up the idea of changing the schedule during therapy session in order to accommodate watching the World Series. This issue is then brought up to a vote in which only McMurphy and Cheswick raise their hands. The movie vividly portrays the fear and lack of confidence the other acutes had, which caused them to not raise their hands during the vote. In the book, after the vote had failed; McMurphy argues with the acutes and tries to convince them to raise their hands on a second vote. When only half of them agreed, McMurphy proceeded to press Harding as to why he was unwilling to vote. McMurphy asked him if he was scared that Nurse Ratched would cut his thing off and he replied, “Perhaps I am; perhaps I am afraid she’ll cut it off if I raise it” (Kesey 121). The men were afraid of losing what masculinity they had left which caused them to hesitate and not raise their hand during the vote. After McMurphy obtains this knowledge he lets the guys know that he is willing to breakout of this ward and go to the nearest bar and watch the game with Cheswick if he has to. McMurphy is then led on to a bet that almost everyone knows that he will lose. He bets money with practically all the acutes that he could lift the steel panel, and with the acutes knowing it wasn’t possible they seized this opportunity to win their money back. In the film, we see McMurphy giving it his all to lift that panel. After his unsuccessful attempt, he says both in the film and the novel “But I tried, though, Goddammit, I sure as hell did that much, now, didn’t I?” (Kesey125). What McMurphy did shows how important it is to give things a try no matter the outcome. He showed the guys that failure is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s the things you don’t attempt that you will end up regretting. Then the next meeting came and they started another vote, but little did they know it was rigged from the start. Nurse Ratched took advantage of the chronics not voting making it impossible to get a majority ruling. What came to everyone’s surprise was when Chief Bromden finally raised his hand up which broke the tie breaker, but Nurse Ratchet still denies them access to the television. This doesn’t stop McMurphy as he stops his duties to sit down in front of the television and pretend to watch the World Series. He makes a spectacle which then attracts the rest of the acutes to join in with him. This doesn’t settle well for Nurse Ratched as she yells at them to return to their work. The movie portrayed Nurse Ratchets loss of control very well as she was unable to grab the acutes attention. This scene was described exactly in the novel when Chief says “And we’re all sitting there lined up in front of that blanked-out TV set, watching the gray screen just like we could see the baseball game clear as day, and she’s ranting and screaming behind us. If somebody’d of come in and took a look, men watching a blank TV, a fifty-year old woman hollering and squealing at the back of their heads about discipline and order and recriminations, they’d of thought the whole bunch was crazy as loons” (Kesey 145). This incident depicts Nurse Ratched losing her control over the patients. She was able to maintain a steady and calm robotic figure throughout the book until this incident occurred. Whereas the movie, Nurse Ratched didn’t seem to go off as a loose cannon as described in the book. Although in both the book and the movie Nurse Ratched was helpless, the movie depicted it better. She wasn’t as demanding in the movie which made it seem as if nothing she would’ve done would mean anything and it made her seem less dominant than McMurphy. This was the first time the acutes stood up for themselves and made Nurse Ratched crack; This wouldn’t have been possible without McMurphy’s help.

        McMurphy deliberately drags the acutes to a fishing trip without the permission of the staff. This scene is depicted very differently from the way the novel has it, but it helped to create a stronger image of McMurphy and his rebellious attitude. In the book, he had permission to go with the fishing trip but it was problematic because Nurse Ratchet was scaring the guys from going by telling them the dangers of the sea. Where as in the film, McMurphy breaks out of the ward and steals the bus with the acutes in it to go on a fishing trip. This act of rebellion that was depicted in the film gave more suspense and showed the great risks McMurphy was taking by doing so. When the guys were fishing on the boat, McMurphy shows them what to do and lets them mind their own business, but everybody gets distracted and things become chaotic. Most people would be overwhelmed with anxiety in McMurphy’s situation but he wasn’t, he just laughed: “Because he knows you have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep yourself in balance, just to keep the world from running you plumb crazy.” (Kesey 250). The movie showed us the power of laughter and how strong its effect really is. Everyone on the boat was having a good time and they began to laugh along with McMurphy. McMurphy’s actions were not selfless because he gave more to the acutes than they ever could’ve done on their own, that is he gave them confidence.