Ken Kesey's tragicomic novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, takes place in a mental hospital during the late 1950s.
The book can be read on two levels; if one looks on the surface, there is the story of how a highly individualistic, near-superman named R.P. McMurphy becomes a patient and for a time overturns the senseless and dehumanizing routines of the ward. If one looks deeper, however, there is a commentary on U.S. society, which the Beat generation of the late 1950s viewed as so hopelessly conformist as to stifle individuality and creativity.
McMurphy gradually forms deep friendships in the ward with a group of men which includes Billy Bibbit (Brad Dourif), a suicidal, stuttering and helpless young man whom Ratched has humiliated and dominated, and "Chief" Bromden (Will Sampson), a 6’ 5” (1.96 m) muscular Native American. Believed by the patients to be deaf and unable to speak, Chief is mostly ignored but also respected for his enormous size. In Billy, McMurphy sees a younger brother figure whom he wants to teach to have fun, while the Chief ultimately becomes his only real confidant, as they both see their struggles against authority in similar terms.
Academy Awards
One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest won all of the "Big Five" Academy Awards at the 48th Oscar ceremony Academy Award for Best Picture — Michael Douglas, Saul Zaentz
Academy Award for Best Director — Milos Forman
Academy Award for Best Actor — Jack Nicholson Academy Award for Best Actress — Louise Fletcher
Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay - Laurence Hauben, Bo Goldman
It was nominated for an additional four
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor — Brad Dourif
Academy Award for Best Cinematography — Haskell Wexler, Bill Butler
Academy Award for Film Editing — Richard Chew, Lyzee Klingman, Sheldon Kahn
Academy Award for Original Music Score — Jack Nitzshe
The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to of the Wisconsin DNR / Winnebago County Parks Dept. Geocaches placed on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource managed lands require permission by means of a notification form. Please print out a paper copy of the notification form, fill in all required information, then submit it to the land manager. The DNR Notification form and land manager information can be obtained at: www.wi-geocaching.com/hiding
FTF honors to JimandLinda on Dec.17, 2008