She Can't Believe He's No Nutter
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Old Vic) - Guest Review by Dr Terror
Make no mistake: I loved the film. I even felt a personal connection with it as my mum happened to have been at school with director Milos Forman's second wife. This is better. Much, much better.
It is more subtle, nuanced, funny, moving...it even explains the significance of the title, which the film didn't. While Louise Fletcher's Nurse Ratched is a cold-hearted bitch from the off, Olivia Williams' interpretation starts out merely conservative and rulebound...only gradually does the monster inside her emerge and, even at the end, it is wonderfully understated. Arthur Boan's Chief Bromden steals the show. He is arguably more important to the story here than even Randle P. McMurphy. And Aaron Pierre as McMurphy himself? Does he match up to Jack Nicholson? I don't say this lightly, but he's better: more human, more relatable, more hilarious.
I was initially suspicious of director Clint Dyer's decision to cast black actors as the patients (inmates?) and orderlies, while the doctors and nurses are white, but it really works. There are many differences of opinion within both camps and the acting is magnificent across the board.
It is worth noting our changes in understanding in the area of mental health since the book (on which this draws extensively) was written: in the UK at least - in America, anything goes - Freud, Jung, Rorschach's inkblots are considered historical relics by all but the most backward-thinking psychologists and shameless old frauds like Oliver James. Pre-frontal lobotomies (here called lobectomies) are a thing of the past. However, contrary to much popular belief, highly invasive drug treatments and 'shock treatment' (here called electro-convulsive therapy or ECT) still go on, though fortunately not in the numbers that they once did. These changes do nothing to lessen the impact of what the play has to say about how we deal with mental health issues: is it about helping people or controlling them (A Clockwork Orange, anyone?)?
The film was only one of three to win the 'big five' Oscars of Best Actor, Actress, Director, Film and Screenplay. One film has done this more recently.
It is The Silence of the Lambs, due in theatres next year. If it's anything like as good as this, I can't wait.