Fox Found It Too Disturbing
The quest to find a distributor stalled at 20th Century Fox. To finance it, the movie company required a significant change. They wanted a happy ending.
Though the producers were desperate for a studio, they flatly refused to alter the final scene depicting McMurphy’s devastating lobotomy. Finally, United Artists stood up to the plate.
The Director's Candid Style
Miloš Forman clandestinely let the film roll to catch actors in candid shots bringing to life the naturalistic style he was aiming for. It worked. Many candid scenes made the cut.
At one point, Forman caught an icy glare from Fletcher’s Nurse Ratchet. In the film, it’s aimed at McMurphy, but actually, she was giving director Forman the stink eye.
Blurred Lines
Dr. Dean Brooks was not only the facility director, but he also played the facility director in Cuckoo’s Nest. It was a large role and his only acting gig. At his request, nearly all patients played extras or were involved in the film’s production in some way.
Sadly, during the time of the filming, Dr. Brooks diagnosed actor William Redfield (pictured on the left) who was ill. He passed away just after the film was released.
A Rigid Writer
Author Ken Kesey was a stubborn guy. He absolutely refused to view the film after the producers decided against using Chief Bromden as the narrator. He was so angry he sued. He won just over 2% of the proceeds. Kesey’s novel was inspired by spending time working as an attendant at a VA hospital mental ward in Palo Alto. It was also inspired by his experiences as a graduate student when he participated as a paid lab rat to take illegal medication for a study by the U.S. Army.
As a nonconformist, he was part of the counterculture and frequented gigs like the Trips Festival. Kesey believed psychedelic substitutes are the gateway to individual liberation.
The Producers Got Scared
Sydney Lassick was a cast member who succumbed to the stress of staying in character at a mental ward. Lassick, who played Charlie Cheswick, dove into his part so deeply that the producers feared for his sanity.
They were told not to worry about his erratic behavior; medications were on hand. During one scene, Lassick, viewing from the sidelines, flipped out so uncontrollably that he had to be removed from the set.