From Novel to Film A Critique of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
In 1975 Czech film director Milos Forman set forth to transform Ken Kesey’s remarkable novel One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest into an equally striking motion picture. What came out of his gallant attempt was a superb, emotionally gripping film with both an amazing script and cast of actors. Forman’s film adaptation went on to win five deserving Academy Awards and is now world-renowned. While the movie does, indeed, differ from the book, it remains faithful to the key theme of having to conform to society, and what happens to those who don’t. ... However, it must be acknowledged that Forman did decide to leave out several significant events from the novel, as well as adding ideas of his own, such as leaving out Cheswick’s drowning and his addition of Taber as a steady member of the ward patients.