As real patients took part in the movie, the awareness of being filmed would have interfered with its authenticity. The cameraman knew what to do to capture reality and many of the scenes were shot without people knowing.
When everyone around him thought he was playing around with angles and lighting, he was actually filming the surroundings, and later on, these snaps were added to the movie. This way he managed to bring reality onto the screen and turn the creation into a masterpiece.
Tiny Budget
Filmed on a $3 million shoestring budget, Jack Nicholson was the cast’s only A-lister. To ink his signature, producers negotiated a box office share of the proceeds, on top of a $1 million cut. It paid off, the film cashed in with an astounding $160 million profit.
Jack Nicolson was already famous for his roles in "Easy Rider", "Passenger", and the list goes on and on. He has left his mark on the screen and is considered one of the best actors Hollywood has provided.
Read All About It
There was one incident in the movie that made the real-life headlines. During filming, a technician left one of the hospital windows open leading to a real patient, climbing over the bars and trying to escape. This resulted in him injuring himself.
The following day, The Statesman Journal in Salem, Oregon reported the incident and titled the article "One flew OUT of the cuckoo's nest".
The Therapeutic Power of Acting
One incredible story happened while filming. One patient who was hired to take part in the movie had a stutter. It was something he was born with and had for his entire life. The responsibility that came along with the role, overwhelmed him in the best way possible.
Not only did this boost his confidence, but his stutter almost disappeared when he was saying his lines in the movie. After the shooting was over, the actor remained in the hospital, and believe it or not, his stutter never returned.
Nurse Ratchet Went Crazy
As Nurse Ratchet, Louise Fletcher , who sadly passed away in September 2022, stayed in character diligently, refusing to hang out with the “patients.” The isolation got to her, so, one day, she did a crazy thing to prove she wasn’t really so mean and prudish.
Posing half-naked, she said she “re-enacted that Betty Grable wartime poster, looking over my shoulder” and snapped the photo. The entire cast got a signed copy.