One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Many classic novels have been adapted into movies. However, to the avid reader, in many cases these movie adaptations often seem to fall short of the novel’s true meaning and depth, causing so many movie-goers to say, “The book is better.” Due to time constraints movies often cannot fit all of the detail that a book contains and can easily fall short of the expectations readers may carry seeing the film version of a favorite novel. In the case of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, written by Ken Kesey, some key differences are created by the director, Milos Forman, both in the interest of time and to create a more fast-paced feel for the movie viewer. While several differences exist, the three most significant are in that of the characters, the overall development of the ward in which these men live, and in the point of view created by the novel’s eyes and ears, Chief Bromden.
Randle Patrick (R.P.) McMurphy shows up early in the story as a brash, large redheaded man, sporting curls under his cap and broadness in his frame. In the novel he is portrayed as a large, sun-kissed man who has spent his days on the work farm, serving a sentence for crimes committed. However, within the first minute of the movie the viewer is introduced to this same character in the form of Jack Nicholson, who holds almost none of these physical characteristics. There is minimal effect on the viewer however, as Nicholson portrays the role admirably, shining in a role in which he depicts a man feigning craziness to get out of hard labor in a more relaxed setting. The greatest difference in the novel version of McMurphy vs. that of the movie however, is this perceived crazy behavior. It is made quite clear in both the novel and the movie that McMurphy is not, in fact, mentally ill. Yet, where novel McMurphy is sly, witty, and a gambler who always has a carefully thought trick up his sleeve, we find Nicholson’s portrayal to be impatient, slightly on edge, and almost always going on the fly with the events surrounding him. His description of the character, while very well done, almost gives the viewer a sense that he could actually be crazy, which is not so evident in the novel. Nicholson’s version of the character allows for some quick paced changes to the storyline. The most significant change is that of the fishing trip. In the novel, McMurphy carefully thinks out and plans a fishing trip long in advance for him and several dorm mates on the ward. He does this in an attempt to bring the men out of the building for once and to explore something new, in this case both fishing and his alluring friend Candy. It shows his intelligence and persuasion with those he lives with in planning a well thought out trip for them all to embark on together, filled with themes of empowerment and pride in lives once felt empty. However, in the movie, this same trip occurs after Nicholson climbs over a fence escaping the outdoor complex and hijacking a bus, almost stealing the patients of the ward instead of leading them on an adventure they had been looking forward to for weeks. This is a large difference in character that shows an almost impulsive, immature character vs. that of a true hero, as McMurphy continues to be shown as in the novel.
A theme that is constantly portrayed in Kesey’s novel is that of laughter, or in most cases the lack thereof. From early in the story, laughter is created only on the ward by that of McMurphy, the newest addition. The other men, having spent years under the guidance and manipulation of Nurse Ratched, have forgotten how to laugh or are shown to be almost afraid to. McMurphy constantly uses his actions and jokes in an attempt to break the other patients of the ward down, pushing them towards a happier, more confident state of mind than they were experiencing at his arrival. It takes this process nearly the entire novel to achieve. Finally, a total sense of camaraderie is created between McMurphy and his now friends, who are all unafraid to laugh and express themselves by the end of the novel. This process is the polar opposite in the movie. From the opening scenes, we find the characters laughing and teasing each other as if they have been friends for years, instead of the fear-controlled ward residents the novel shows. Laughter is consistent in the movie. Sometimes it is almost shown in a negative light by showing explosions of emotion, fits of craziness and disruption in the ward. The effect that the movie loses vs. the novel as a result is that of getting to see the ward develop into a unit, rather than a collection of mentally ill patients constantly competing to stay out of the focus of Nurse Ratched. This laugher represents their ability to begin to rely on one another and trust in each other. Without seeing this development the viewer may never realize this transformation in the patients.
I feel the most impacting decision Forman chose to make when filming this adaptation was that of the point of view. In the novel, the story is told or perceived through the eyes of an enormous Indian man, Chief Bromden. However, in the movie version the Chief is easily a minor role, if not almost non-existent. The effect that this causes on the viewer is significant, as the movie version lacks the complexity and depth that the slighted Indian Chief has faced throughout his lifetime. It fails to show the mental state of a man consumed with thoughts of the “Combine,” a grand mechanical machine that controls and constrains the actions of the novel’s characters. This idea of the Combine is a significant point of the novel. It shows up throughout every chapter, tying into every single theme of the storyline. Without vital knowledge of Chief Bromden’s constant inner struggle, the viewer loses the chance to feel the pain that he felt as a child watching his father and tribe lose their land to the government; one loses the ability to witness his terrifying nightmares of descending into the subterranean earth, witnessing his dorm mate as he is strung up on hooks and cut open, spilling rust and metal to the ground. Most importantly, the changing of Chief Bromden to a minor side role in the movie creates a lack of relationship that grows throughout the novel between the Chief and McMurphy. A late night conversation that takes place between the two later in the book creates a turning point for the Chief in which he finally opens up and has a legitimate conversation for the first time in years, showing his trust and empathy for newcomer McMurphy. In the movie, the lack of character knowledge and development pulls away from the overall effect of the novel. While in the book, we see a timid, terrified, and often intense character, the movie leaves us an amusing role with little depth other than the uncanny ability to place a basketball into a hoop.
No movie interpretation or adaptation can ever truly capture the detail or character emotions as effectively as a book. But in the case of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the movie does a fair job delivering the overall feel and lessons that Ken Kesey’s novel attempts to show. Both outstanding in their own right, these two pieces of culture portraying the same story but take different approaches to teach some of life’s more important lessons: those of friendship, growth, and the ability to overcome the fears holding one back. In this sense, though different in many ways, both formats accomplish the goal.