One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was a 1975 American drama film directed by Milos Forman and based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey. The film stars Jack Nicholson as Randle Patrick McMurphy, a lively and rebellious prisoner who is sent to a state mental hospital after faking insanity to avoid prison time. Once there, McMurphy clashes with the cold, domineering head nurse, Mildred Ratched (played by Louise Fletcher), and incites his fellow patients to stand up to her oppressive regime.
The film is set in the early 1960s and explores themes of individualism, institutionalism, and the dehumanizing effects of psychiatric treatment. The story is told from the perspective of the patients, who struggle with mental illness, trauma, and societal rejection. McMurphy becomes a mentor and leader to them, teaching them to assert their autonomy and defy the rules and regulations imposed on them.
As the patients begin to challenge Ratched's authority, tensions escalate, leading to a dramatic confrontation between McMurphy and Ratched. The film's climax is a tragic and poignant depiction of the destructive power of institutionalism and the human cost of conformity and repression.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was a critical and commercial success, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Nicholson, and Best Actress for Fletcher. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest American films of all time and an iconic example of 1970s cinema.