One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

R

1975

2h 13m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

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140 Reviews

96%

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250,000+ Ratings

When Randle Patrick McMurphy gets transferred for evaluation from a prison farm to a mental institution, he assumes it will be a less restrictive environment. But the martinet Nurse Ratched runs the psychiatric ward with an iron fist, keeping her patients cowed through abuse, medication and sessions of electroconvulsive therapy. The battle of wills between the rebellious McMurphy and the inflexible Ratched soon affects all the ward's patients.

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Critics Consensus

Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher are worthy adversaries in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, with Miloš Forman's more grounded and morally ambiguous approach to Ken Kesey's surrealistic novel yielding a film of outsized power.

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Martin Knelman

Globe and Mail

Mar 5

As soon as he comes on the screen, Nicholson removes all doubts about the wisdom of his taking the part. This is a lovely, remarkably restrained performance.

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Will Jones

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Mar 5

What "Cuckoo's Nest" does for the Nicholson mystique is just shine it up brighter than ever. Because, even if familiar mannerisms now announce themselves, they've never been more gloriously used.

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

Aug 3

5/5

[Ratched's] the one in a position of power, and she wields it to hurt, not to heal.

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Patrick Taggart

Austin American-Statesman

Mar 6

The rebellion of the late 60s wasn't all that wonderful, but it opened some minds and eyes, and the book, the play, and now this glorious film, lay it in our laps. It's a tribute to filmmaking at its finest.

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Frances Taylor

Newark Star-Ledger

Mar 5

For the last few months... There have been very few movies one could greet with joy. So it was especially fine to see One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with Jack Nicholson's virtuoso performance that can hold just about any audience.

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Ronald E. Butler

Tulsa World

Mar 5

How ironic that Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a potent allegory about the individual battling a repressive "system," should fall victim to another repressive kind of system, the California hack movie factory.

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Jim Haegele

Aug 11

Spectacular acting by all the cast. Definately deservd al the nominations it received. My wife and my first time seeing it on the big screen. Absolutely worth it.

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Karen K

Aug 3

A great movie. Loved Jack Nicholson.

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Sandy

07/19/2025

just an amazing and sad look into how mental institutions were run in many places. Great acting. many layers of society's dysfunction and realities. this book was even part of an English class I took in college back in the early 70's.

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Steven

07/18/2025

Jack Nicolson at his best. Many other actors in early career roles. From back when movies were an artform.

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Google

07/17/2025

Awesome to be able to see this again on the big screen.

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Teresa C

07/17/2025

Powerful. Back when movies were made well.

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Milos Forman

Director

Jack Nicholson

Randle Patrick McMurphy

Louise Fletcher

Nurse Mildred Ratched

Brad Dourif

Billy Bibbit

William Redfield

Harding

Michael Berryman

Ellis, tall bald patient

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Synopsis

When Randle Patrick McMurphy gets transferred for evaluation from a prison farm to a mental institution, he assumes it will be a less restrictive environment. But the martinet Nurse Ratched runs the psychiatric ward with an iron fist, keeping her patients cowed through abuse, medication and sessions of electroconvulsive therapy. The battle of wills between the rebellious McMurphy and the inflexible Ratched soon affects all the ward's patients.

Director: Milos Forman
Producer: Michael Douglas, Saul Zaentz
Screenwriter: Lawrence Hauben, Bo Goldman
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Fantasy Films
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 19, 1975, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jul 13, 2025
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Runtime: 2h 13m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Flat (1.85:1)