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Veteran actor Jack Nicholson is known for his signature style of psychotic acting, which he achieved the peak of in films likeThe Shining, The Departed,and his Oscar-winning role inOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Based on the book of the same name, the latter reportedly had a long journey to production and eventually won big.
Nicholson mentioned that his process in acting involved finding what he called the ‘secret’ to each character. He said that his character Randy McMurphy inOne Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nestwas a man who genuinely believed that he would be able to seduce the villainous Nurse Ratched and that is what guided his entire performance.
Jack Nicholson Figure Out What Made His Character Tick InOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
The 1975 filmOne Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nestwas only the second film ever to win the big five awards at the Oscars. Based on the book by Ken Kesey, the film reportedly went through a long and arduous process in development, beginning with actor Kirk Douglas buying the rights and then passing it on to his son Michael Douglas to produce.
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After multiple actors rejected the role,Jack Nicholsonreportedly agreed to play the part but filming had to be delayed for six months due to his other commitments (viaSlash Film). The actor then came on board to play Randy McMurphy, a felon who pretends to have a mental illness to reduce his sentence and ends up at a psychiatric facility run by Nurse Ratched.
Both Nicholson and actress Louise Fletcher, who played Ratched, won the Oscar for their roles.The Shiningactor revealed toThe New York Timesthe secret behind playing “Mac” McMurphy, which he reportedly only told to Fletcher. Nicholson believed that the secret to playing him was that he found himself irresistible to women, including Ratched.
I discussed this only with her. That’s what I felt was actually happening with that character – it was one long, unsuccessful seduction which the guy was so pathologically sure of.
The actor mentioned that he felt Randy’s journey would see him be confident about his abilities to get the nurses of the asylum on board with his rebellious nature.
Milos Foreman Detailed Why He Chose To MakeOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
As mentioned,One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nestreportedly had a tumultuous development process, with it taking the Douglases a decade to get the ball rolling. Michael Douglas reportedly asked his father Kirk Douglas, who had bought the rights to the novel, to allow him to produce the film as he connected to the ani-establishment themes (viaThe Guardian).
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Similarly, Czechoslovakian filmmaker Milos Foreman, who directed the film, was reportedly attracted to the story for similar reasons. He wrote inThe New York Times,
To me, it was not just literature but real life, the life I lived in Czechoslovakia from my birth in 1932 until 1968. The Communist Party was my Nurse Ratched, telling me what I could and could not do; what I was or was not allowed to say; where I was and was not allowed to go; and even who I was and was not.
He also mentioned that he was discouraged by his friends from making the film as they felt that it was too American for his tastes. Foreman would go on to win the Oscar for Best Director for the film.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nestis available to rent on Apple TV.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
