One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
A petty criminal fakes insanity to serve his sentence in a mental ward rather than prison. He soon finds himself as a leader to the other patients—and an enemy to the cruel, domineering nurse who runs the ward.
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Added by Hextor · 5 months ago
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🎙️ SYSK Episodes
#062725
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: What's the deal with Bond, James Bond?
"Anyone who's ever seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is kind of exactly that happens in the plot like people got worse at these places."
— Josh
Josh referenced One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to illustrate how mental institutions could worsen patients' conditions.
Jun 27, 2025
#092922
How The Rosenhan Experiment Worked
"It was a gentleman who was always in trouble with the law, who basically saw a way around going to prison."
— Josh
Josh compares the plot of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to Rosenhan's study, where a sane person enters a mental institution.
Sep 29, 2022
#092422
Selects: How LSD Works
"notably one floor with a Cuckoo's nest. Yeah. Which that alone makes him a great author."
— Josh
Ken Kesey's novel adapted into a film, mentioned as a major cultural contribution and example of his literary work.
Sep 24, 2022
#032222
Why was Titicut Follies banned?
"Anyone who's ever seen One Flew of the Cuckoo's Nest, it's kind of exactly that happens in the plot."
— Chuck
Chuck references the film as a parallel to how institutionalized patients would deteriorate in places like Bridgewater.
Mar 22, 2022
#011919
SYSK Selects: How Lobotomies Work
"You've seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, right? Yeah, I have a poster."
— Josh
Josh references the film as an example of how lobotomies are depicted in popular culture, specifically the scene where McMurphy is lobotomized.
Jan 19, 2019
#081818
SYSK Selects: How Electroconvulsive Therapy Works
"Have you ever seen or read or both one Fleur de Cougar's Nest?"
— Chuck
The hosts discussed this film as an example of how electroconvulsive therapy was portrayed in popular culture and its impact on public perception of the treatment.
Aug 18, 2018
#030818
Why Do People Believe In Faith Healing?
"in Fletch 2, that's what the story was, was what's his face, Arlie Ermey from Full Metal Jacket played a faith healer"
— Chuck
Chuck references a faith healer character in Fletch 2 as an example of the earpiece scam used by fraudulent faith healers.
Mar 8, 2018
#111617
Can movies be cursed?
"better known for playing chief in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, one of the great characters of all time"
— Chuck
Referenced when discussing Will Sampson's role in Poltergeist II and his earlier work.
Nov 16, 2017
#050516
How LSD Works
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Yeah. Which that alone makes him a great author."
— Josh
Ken Kesey is discussed as the author of the novel, which was adapted into a famous film.
May 5, 2016
#081313
Why was Davy Crockett king of the wild frontier?
"much of what went on in one floor of the Cuckoo's Nest is still true for today's modern institutions"
This quote appears in listener mail from Jamie discussing psychiatric treatment and comparing modern institutions to the movie.
Aug 13, 2013
#051413
How Electroconvulsive Therapy Works
"Have you ever seen or read or both one Fleur de Cougar's Nest?"
— Josh
Josh asks Chuck about the movie/book to introduce the topic of electroconvulsive therapy as portrayed in the story.
May 14, 2013
#111110
How Rehab Works
"they may have lobotomized you. Yeah, McMurphy style."
— Chuck
Chuck referenced McMurphy's character when discussing how troublesome addicts in the 1930s might have been lobotomized.
Nov 11, 2010
#051909
How Lobotomies Work
"Of course, you've seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, right?"
— Josh
Josh references the film to discuss the famous lobotomy scene where McMurphy is lobotomized for being unruly.
May 19, 2009
Cast
Jack Nicholson
Randle Patrick McMurphy
Brad Dourif
Billy Bibbit
Louise Fletcher
Nurse Mildred Ratched
Danny DeVito
Martini
William Redfield
Dale Harding
Scatman Crothers
Orderly Turkle
Christopher Lloyd
Max Taber
Will Sampson
Chief Bromden
Dean R. Brooks
Dr. John Spivey
Michael Berryman
Ellis
Sydney Lassick
Charlie Cheswick
William Duell
Jim Sefelt
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