1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

2. Dr. J. Mior2 Background Produced in 1975 One of the greatest American films of all time. Allegorical theme set in the world of an authentic mental hospital (Oregon State Hospital in Salem, Oregon. A place of rebellion exhibited by a energetic, flamboyant, wise-guy anti-hero against the establish, institutional authority and status-quo attitudes.

3. Dr. J. Mior3 Cultural Context Mid-70s baby-boomers’ counter-culture was ripe for a film dramatizing rebellion and insubordination against oppressive bureaucracy and an insistence upon rights, self-expression, and freedom.

4. Dr. J. Mior4 Title Derived from familiar, tongue-twisting Mother’s Good children’s folk song called Vintery, Mintery, Cutery, Corn. The ones that fly east and west are diametrically opposed to each other and represent the two combatants in the film. The one that files over the cuckoo’s next (the mental hospital) is the giant, deaf-mute Chief.

5. Dr. J. Mior5 Characters “Mac” McMurphy –Energetic, swaggering, wisecracking non-conformist, rebellious.3 “Chief” – aka Broom –A “deaf and dumb Indian” “as big as a god-damn tree trunk”. Billy Bibbit –Shy, virginal, impressionable, and deathly afraid of his mother.

6. Dr. J. Mior6 Characters Dale Harding –Relatively sane but unable to get over his wife’s betrayal and adultery. –Ineffectual and rationalizing intellectual. Charlie Cheswick –Insecure, neurotic, lacking self-confidence Martini –Short, smiling, immature personality Taber –A cynical, trouble-making sadist.

7. Dr. J. Mior7 Why He is In Dr. Spivey, the head doctor in the hospital tells him he is being evaluated because they think he is faking it. McMurphy’s Assessment: –“Well as near as I can figure out, it’s ‘cause I, uh, fight and f—k too much.”

8. Dr. J. Mior8 Environment Assigned to a ward supervised by a consistent, bureaucratic authoritarian named Nurse Mildred Ratched. Senses he must battle her. Starts with subtle mind-games, rebels against correct behaviour and rules of the hospital. Patients organized and controlled through a rigid set of authoritarian rules and regulations.