Analysis of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Directed by Milos Forman - Movie Review Example

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Directed by Milos Forman Introduction2-4 2. Analysis...4-7 3. Reflection7-11 4. Conclusion..11-12 5. References...13-14 1. INTRODUCTION Based on the book of the same title published in 1962 and written by Ken Kesey (1935-2001), One flew over the cuckoo's nest describes life in a mental asylum in the USA at the end of the 1950s. The main character of the movie is Randle Patrick McMurphy (played by Jack Nicholson), an individual that finds himself serving a prison term in a work farm after having been charged with the statutory rape of his girlfriend who had lied to him about her age and was, in his own words, "15 going on 35". With other five arrests for assault under his belt, he seeks to escape prison life and is sent to the asylum for evaluation. Mc Murphy's anti-authoritarianism is the fundamental characteristic of his personality and his attitude is of open defiance. In the ward, Nurse Ratched (played by Louise Fletcher) becomes his nemesis. Very much calm and controlled, she runs the ward in a tyrannical fashion and with mechanical precision. Without direct threats or accusations, her authoritative manner bullies all the patients into submission. Her own name is a combination of the words "rat" and "wretched" (H.J. Summers and S. Summers, 2003). In spite of what one would expect, Mc Murphy's charisma and energy win the respect and admiration of the patients in the ward. He fits well within the ward's environment and his presence causes some of the patients to show improvement; for example, he involves the Chief in a basketball game, other patients in card games and takes them all on a fishing trip. However, he soon becomes aware of the injustices and mistreatment they are the subject of and starts a personal battle. The incident regarding the use of the television to watch the World Series is a good example of this. One night, McMurphy organizes a party involving the patients, a couple of women and alcohol. During the party, McMurphy notices that Billy likes one of his female friends and he asks her to sleep with him. In the morning, nurse Ratched finds the ward in a mess with the patients sleeping all over the place after passing out from alcohol consumption. When they perform a head count, the nurses find Billy with the woman in his room. Nurse Ratched confronts him and humiliates him once more. The argument causes Billy to commit suicide. At this point, McMurphy physically attacks nurse Ratched and is close to murdering her. The reprisal is terrible: a lobotomy1 that leaves McMurphy severely disabled. When McMurphy is returned to the ward, the Chief realizes that they will not be escaping together now and, as he does not want to leave his friend behind in that state, he suffocates him with a pillow. The closing scene shows how the Chief followed the plan that McMurphy had proposed, throws a hydrotherapy fountain through a window and runs away in the search of freedom. The movie is a fantastic attempt to encourage debate about insanity. Psychology had gone through a very prestigious phase in the USA at the end of the 1950s; but, by the 1960s, this notion had changed radically. Philosophers and sociologists argued that the modern definition of insanity is a cultural invention and a means of control. In this manner, individuals branded as "mad" or "insane" were isolated from society and secluded into asylums, where they no longer posed a threat for society (K. Kesey, 2002). 2. ANALYSIS Randle Patrick McMurphy and Mildred Ratched are the main characters of the movie. In fact, the plot is a series of confrontations between the two characters. McMurphy is a criminal that seeking to "enjoy" his sentence in comfort, feigns lunacy in order to be admitted into a mental asylum. He is a fun-loving individual, a free spirit that challenges authority and resents any form of control. He is intelligent, flamboyant and energetic. Interestingly, he is described by members of the establishment as belligerent, resentful and lazy. In conversation with members of the establishment, he agrees to cooperate and his tone is ironic but respectful most of the time. Ratched is the female nurse in charge of the ward. She represents order, control and power and she has managed to submit all the patients into obedience. She is stern-looking, sexually repressed and impeccably but plainly dressed. When she runs the daily group therapy meetings, the worst of her abusive, bullying nature comes through. Her comments are cruel and vicious and it is often the case these meetings are adjourned due to the patients' distress. Very often she addresses the patients in a patronizing and incriminating manner. With time, McMurphy forms close relationships with the group of men in his ward. This includes: Billy Bibbit (played by Brad Dourif) is a suicidal 30-yr-old man who is psychologically immature and very much under the control of his domineering mother. He has a stutter and is painfully shy, but lucid and active within the group dynamics at the same time. He quickly develops an admiration and emotional dependence over McMurphy. To render him into submission, nurse Ratched alludes to his mother in a number of occasions. In the end, this will lead him into committing suicide. Chief Bromden (played by Will Sampson) is a 6' 5" muscular Native American who has convinced doctors and patients that he is deaf and mute, perhaps as a way of isolating and thus protecting himself. In spite of his height, initially he goes unnoticed and appears in the background, often choosing not to take part in the action. However, after a fight where he comes to the aid of McMurphy, a great camaraderie grows between the two characters and the Chief lets him into his secret. In Billy, McMurphy finds somebody to protect, a bit like a younger brother whom he helps bring out his manhood and teaches him to relax and have fun. McMurphy also rescues Chief from his silence and sullenness and in the end becomes his only confidant, since they both share their views and struggles against authority. McMurphy acts as a catalyst that brings out the true personality of those around him. In a number of occasions he confronts nurse Ratched destroying the cold exterior she portrays and exposing her intolerance and disdain. In One flew over the cuckoo's nest, sanity is represented by the society outside the ward, of which the nurses and doctors are representatives. Conversely, insanity is represented by the patients. But society is not portrayed in a very positive light. Society is seen as an oppressive force, as a big mechanical machine where each individual has a role or task to fulfill, with the hospital as a place where those unfit for their roles are sent for "repair". There is pressure from the society for all individuals to conform and keep the machine running efficiently. Those that do not conform are faulty or defective individuals and thus sent away for treatment. Treatment is considered successful and the patient cured when they operate like robots and are incapable of independent thought. The film also touches on the topic of sexuality and implies that it is a symbol of sanity (SparkNotes, 2006). Repression of one's sexuality is believed to lead to insanity; in fact, most of the patients in the ward have had negative relationships with women. McMurphy's attitude to sex clashes greatly with the puritanism of nurse Ratched. However, in his battle against conformity, he refuses to lose his sexual identity and invites female friends to take part in their adventures. The concepts of sanity and insanity are both socially constructed and real. The movie clearly distinguishes between the two. The "real" insanity is represented by those inhabitants of the asylum that are isolated, cannot relate to others and have lost touch with reality. The "socially constructed" insanity is represented by those patients closer to McMurphy who are capable of reasoning and operate socially to a certain standard. McMurphy often refers to the patients in his ward as "nutters" or "loonies" but, in a number of occasions, he lets them know that he does not believe them insane, at least not more than the the average citizen. In his very logical mind, he needs to fight and ridicule the illogic reasoning of the managing team, the insanity of the institution (Metaphyschology online reviews, 2003). But it is this authority, the institution, who decides who is sane and who is insane and, by having this power, they make it a reality. Therefore, he opposes the asylum's illogical authority and challenges their irrational rules but treats his fellow patients with respect and as normal, rational individuals. In the film, institutions are represented as a means of oppression, as cruelly run establishments where individuals are deprived of their own individuality, freedom and independence, and humiliated on a regular basis. They are run by individuals void of humanity, compassion and consideration. In fact, in the film authority is synonym with despotism, oppression, cruelty and tyranny. Several therapeutic practices are used in the film. Electrochock and lobotomy are two very old-fashioned and out-of-use practices shown in the movie. They are very disabling and cruel and are used as a means of punishment. We also see hydrotherapy equipment in the ward and the administration of medication to the patients while classical music is being played. Regularly they also take part in exercise sessions and group therapy, both events organised by nurse Ratched. These activities are supervised and highly regulated; the group therapy sessions giving nurse Ratched an opportunity to be especially wicked and unkind. Laughter, sexuality and confidence symbolize McMurphy's sanity (SparkNotes, 2006). He is seen as someone dangerous, a trouble maker; however, it is obvious that anyone who questions the system and the established norms is branded as such. A man in his right mind would question an irrational system, even when the act of questioning means that his sanity is compromised. Through the movie, the sane actions of McMurphy and the patients contrast with the insanity of the institution. 3. REFLECTION What a great film! The quality of the acting is outstanding and all the characters are believable and unique. McMurphy is presented as a charismatic individual who challenges the rules of the asylum and the conformity of the patients in it. The dynamics of the group are good, they care for each other and enjoy their time together often playing cards and games. They are also very tolerant of each other's peculiarities. A particularly entertaining scene is the fishing trip. With the help of the Chief, McMurphy jumps the fence and kidnaps the bus in which the patients were going to travel. Instead of escaping or organizing some fun for himself, McMurphy shows his generosity of spirit by taking them boat-fishing. When they are boarding, one employee challenges them and McMurphy convincves him that they are from the mental hospital and proceeds to introduce each and every one of them as doctors; thus, he teaches them to use their insanity to their advantage. While on board, he also gives them instructions on how to use the fish rod and, to their surprise, they manage to do it without his help. They then begin to see themselves as something other than mental health patients. They have proven to themselves that they can operate independently and, on their return, they proudly show their large catches to the group of nurses, doctors and bystanders that await them. This episode is also linked to an interview McMurphy has with the mental health doctor in charge of the patients in the ward. In that occasion, McMurphy notices the photograph of the doctor with a large catch during a fishing trip and praises him. The doctor says he is particularly proud of that event but little did he know that a group of inexperienced lunatics would break his record. During this trip there is another significant change: laughter. When McMurphy is first admitted in the ward, his laughter is the only genuine, natural laughter they have heard in years, since all the patients have lost their sanity and, thus, the power of laughter. McMurphy, however, believes that laughter can be used as a defense against the insanity around and, by the end of the fishing trip, the patients are able to laugh genuinely and loudly, which indicates their pleasure and enjoyment and is a sign of their recovery. Something that is surprising is that, while McMurphy had gone to the asylum in an attempt to escape life in the work farm, most of the other patients had volunteered to be admitted. It is interesting that they believed themselves to be different, insane individuals and chose isolation from society. This was also perhaps induced by the lack of understanding of their individuality by the people around them such as, for example, Billy's mother or Dale Harding's wife. The way in which the two female nurses relate to McMurphy in the movie is quite representative of the different attitudes of society to insanity. While the young, inexperienced nurse shows fear and intimidation; the older, more experienced nurse wants to exert control and domination over him. Similarly, society can through fear alienate individuals that are not accepted or through therapy force them to conform to the norm. While insanity and mental health are discussed in the foreground, other interesting, subtler issues are referred to in the background. The most interesting of these is the issue of ethnicity. One cannot help noticing that the guards in the ward where Black; so this is perhaps an indication that work in a mental ward was a low-pay, difficult and dangerous job that was only taken but those from the poorer classes of society. Also, Chief is a native American that talks about his father and the dependency of alcohol, touching on one of the difficult issues that affected this ethnic group. In One flew over the cuckoo's nest, there are subtle references to Christianism and parallelisms can be drawn between society and the ward as follows (Brothersjudd.com): The hospital represents the authoritarian state, which guarantees security and welfare at the expense of freedom and independence. McMurphy is the leader of the revolution, the one to front the fight against the establishment. Some critics have even drawn a parallelism between McMurphy and Jesus Christ since both were messianic characters that ultimately became martyrs, denounced by those they were trying to help. Nurse Ratched is the leader of the ward's matriarchal world, a provider of protection and refuge. The patients represent society, voluntary participants that have succumbed to the authority of the state and are witnesses of their own degradation. Therapy is crucifixion. In fact, in the book of the same title, the author described the electroshock machine as shaped like a cross, with straps over the head and wrists. Billy is the Judas that denounces McMurphy. The Chief is the miracle, the resurrection. Thanks to McMurphy, the Chief has regained his self-esteem and decides to run away and recuperate his freedom: McMurphy's spirit lives on. The Chief is also the image of hope. Interestingly, the director, Milos Forman, viewed the asylum as a metaphor of the Soviet Union and the opposition and rebellion of McMurphy and his fellow ward patients represented the desire of many citizens to escape from this country (University of Phoenix). The scene where McMurphy is treated to electric shock is quite disturbing. Another particularly shocking scene is that of the nurses returning McMurphy to the ward after a lobotomy. This old-fashioned procedure was quite common in the 1940s and involved the use of a long tool, of similar shape to an ice pick, with the aim of severing the neurological wiring. The procedure was very unpleasant as it involved the insertion of the tool into the frontal lobes of the brain through the top of the eye sockets (Discovery Education). 4. CONCLUSION The book One flew over the cuckoo's nest is the result of the participation of the author in a series of experiments with hallucinogenic drugs: near the end of the trial, that involved the use of LSD and peyote, Kesey started work in the mental ward, which allowed him to study patients' behavior. His observations challenged the traditional concept or definition of insanity, since he stated that the patients were not crazy, they were simply more "peculiar" than society could understand and thus accept (Kingwood College Library, 2005); in other words, he denied the existence of mental illness (Mental Help Net) It is believed that parts of the novel might have been written while under the influence of the aforementioned drugs and that some of the characters are based on individuals he met during this time (Brothersjudd.com). It is also a denunciation of the psychiatric practices of the time and, in general, of the mental health system. On the other hand, it is a direct attack on conformity and an elegy to individualism. It celebrates freedom and free will and challenges the traditionally accepted concepts of sanity and insanity. The patients, like lab rats who are trained to respond to certain stimuli, queue in an orderly and peaceful manner to sound of classical music in order to receive their medication. Music is a metaphor for structure and control. McMurphy, a non-conformist anti-authoritarian character rebels against the domination of the establishment and starts challenging its insanity, the lack of logic of some of the ward's rules and bureaucracy. However, non-conformity leads to reprisal and punishment in the form of electroshock and, ultimately, a lobotomy that leaves him severely disabled. And thus, the lesson from the rulers is clear: "stick to the rules", "conform". The conclusion of the film is quite unexpected: the Chief, who thanks to McMurphy regains his self-esteem and sense of worth, mercifully kills him. The reasoning behind this is that, although the institution won that battle and forced him to conform, he won't allow his friend (who is "there" no more) to continue living like that and spares him the humiliation. And in this way, the trip McMurphy had taken, traveling in the opposite direction to the rest of patients, finishes: he starts sane and rebellious and ends up a martyr (GiveUpAlready, 2004), after affecting the lives of those around him. Indeed, it is a very tragic but interesting and hopeful twist, as the spirit of McMurphy lives on in the minds of all the patients, whose lives and perception of themselves have been changed forever. And thus, the lesson we learn from McMurphy encourages the hero in us: "live free or die". The film clearly achieves its aim of inviting the viewer to reflect about our conceptions of sanity and insanity. There is a fine line between one and the other and many of us might (or will!) have walked along it during our lives. It is very dangerous to allow institutions and establishments to have so much power over us without occasionally questioning their authority. The consequences of the irrational use and abuse of this power observed in the movie are alienation, loss of freedom, subordination of the will, etc. We should not transfer our social responsibilities, liberties and rights without careful consideration. We should celebrate the peculiarities of others, respect their individuality, fight for our freedom and continue on our search for happiness. 5. REFERENCES Brothersjudd.com. One flew over the Cuckoo's nest: The hungry mind review's 100 best 20th century books. http://brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/183. Date last accessed: October 5, 1007. C. Perring for Mental Help Net. Mental Disorders. http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.phpid=3459&type=book&cn=144. Date last accessed: October 7, 2007. C. Perring for Metapsychology Online Reviews. Review: One flew over the cuckoo's nest. http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.phptype=de&id=1849. Date created: 2003. Date last accessed: October 7, 2007. Discovery Education. One flew over the cuckoo's nest. http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/cuckoo/. Date last accessed: October 5, 2007. GiveUpAlready. One flew over the cuckoo's nest. http://www.giveupalready.com/showthread.phpt=570. Date last updated: September 5, 2004. Date last accessed: October 7, 2007. H.J. Summers and S. Summers for The Center for Nursing Advocacy. One flew over the cuckoo's nest (1975). http://www.nursingadvocacy.org/media/films/cuckoos_nest.html. Date created: January 10, 2003. Date last accessed: October 6, 2007. Kingwood College Library. One flew over the Cuckoo's nest. http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/kesey.html. Date last updated: July, 2005. Date last accessed: October 6, 2007. K. Kesey. One flew over the cuckoo's nest. Penguin Classics, 2002. SparkNotes. One flew over the cuckoo's nest. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/cuckoo/. Date created: 2006. Date last accessed: October 6, 2007. University of Phoenix. One flew over the cuckoo's nest. http://www.filmsite.org/onef.html. Date last accessed: October 6, 2007. Read More