Able to combine intensity with charisma, few actors can compare to Jack Nicholson. An American icon, Nicholson defined a flawed antihero: unpredictable, challenging social norms, and still capturing the charm of the “everyman.” Nicholson broke out in a big way in 1969’s Easy Rider, after a decade of working in supporting roles in TV and film. He then appeared in such landmark films as Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, The Shining, and Batman throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
With such a remarkable career, culminating in his final screen appearance in 2010 — a supporting role in James L. Brooks’ romantic comedy How Do You Know — it is challenging to pin down a definitive or best performance. Yet, on the 50th anniversary of the Oscar-winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, it is difficult not to look at it as Nicholson’s career-defining role. Controversial upon its release for its critical exploration of the mental health system and its anti-authoritarian themes, punctuated by moments of violence, the film is now regarded as a classic and quintessential ’70s movie.
Why is this film, out of all of his work, the one to highlight a remarkable career? Hear us out on this one, as we go over why Jack Nicholson’s role as R.P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest should be celebrated as the actor’s definitive role.
The Impact of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and How It Gave Jack Nicholson His Best Role
Based on Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel of the same name, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) was directed by Miloš Forman and produced by Michael Douglas and Saul Zaentz. Now a somewhat familiar trope, the story follows a convict, R.P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), who fakes insanity to serve his sentence in a mental institution rather than prison. Not as simple as he initially thought, McMurphy comes into conflict with the staff, including the oppressive Nurse Ratched. Together with the other men housed at the facility — Brad Dourif, Christopher Lloyd, and a barely recognizable Danny DeVito — McMurphy leads a revolt that builds to the film’s shocking conclusion, made iconic by Will Sampson as Chief Bromden.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is, in itself, an entertaining and thought-provoking feature, offering dark humor laced with tragedy, along with a profoundly human story that also presents biting social commentary. The movie also tapped into the growing anti-authoritarian sentiments, beginning with the hippie movement, which later evolved into punk and other countercultures as the hippie dream died.
The film’s portrayal of mental health care — both sympathetic and critical — also led to conversations about patient rights or the lack thereof (the now disturbing-to-watch documentary, 1967s Titcut Folies, offers a harrowing image of how many of these institutions were run for those wanting to get a timeframe of the cultural importance of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest exploring these issues). The film’s subsequent success was phenomenal, sweeping the “Big Five” Academy Awards (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay) in 1976. Nicholson was undoubtedly the perfect fit for the role, embodying the needed rebellious spirit to play McMurphy.
Nicholson earned the Oscar for Best Actor, and it is easy to see why. The film offers Nicholson at his most volatile and charming, a man in revolt against a broken system, begging to have his humanity acknowledged. Here, Nicholson’s chemistry with the ensemble cast is electric; he elevates those around him, commanding attention while giving voice to the “inmates” who have none. A flawed protagonist, Nicholson can take McMurphy’s personal struggle in the system and make a profound statement about the systematic abuse within the mental health system of the past, which was primarily designed to have people disappear rather than offering rehabilitation.
Nicholson’s McMurphy defined the “defiant outsider,” a role that became essential to his career and to cinema as a whole. He certainly built on the role of McMurphy, but it remains the most definitive role of his career and one that he arguably never topped.
‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ May Be Jack Nicholson’s Best, but There Are Other Contenders
Not one to put Jack Nicholson in a box, it’s foolish not to look beyond One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at other definitive performances from his career. Notably, while The Shining underperformed at the box office and was snubbed at the Academy Awards, the film presents Nicholson at his most intimidating and deranged. It is arguably his most iconic role, deeply integrated into pop culture, and an essential performance in the changing face of horror, with The Shining elevating it to the same level of respect as any other genre.
Arguably, the only role that could rival Jack Torrance in being ingrained in pop culture and bringing that intense energy is his Joker in 1989’s Batman. Despite not playing the lead role, Jack Nicholson’s Joker is so wonderfully unhinged and charismatic — a gross characteristic of the persona he crafted in other films, tuned to its most over-the-top. A true joy to witness, and one that would come to define the “Clown Prince of Crime” across DC. For fans of the genre, it is easy to gravitate toward his Joker or Jack Torrance as Nicholson’s best, but this also overlooks his more award-season-friendly films.
Encapsulating the spirit of the 1960s, it is hard to overlook his breakout role in Easy Rider, which earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In the 1970s, Nicholson would have back-to-back successes with The Last Detail (1973) and Chinatown (1974), the former earning him a nomination for Best Actor, and the latter is now considered one of the greatest and a definitive entry into the neo-noir genre. Nicholson’s later career was marked by critical darlings and fan favorites, including 2002’s About Schmidt, which won him a Golden Globe for best actor, and 2006’s The Departed, which garnered praise for his sadistic mob boss Frank Costello, whom many called a return to form of his earlier, more chaotic and energetic roles.
Whether it be fan favorites or critical darlings, the career of Jack Nicholson has plenty to look at when considering his best work. We gravitate towards One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but there are certainly arguments to be made.
Why ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ Remains Essential Viewing
For those who view the film through a progressive lens and have not seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, it does have its challenging moments. Though progressive for its time (some would have gone as far as to call it woke if such a vocabulary existed then), racial and gender stereotypes were not uncommon.
Notably, the depiction of Nurse Ratched (played by Louise Fletcher) has come under scrutiny in the modern era. In other words, if you cannot view the film in the context of its era and avoid applying modern standards of acceptability, you might choose to skip it. Still, for those who appreciate groundbreaking cinema from every era, the film remains an influential and finely crafted classic worth watching or revisiting.
Of course, for fans of Jack Nicholson, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest remains a must-see film, offering one of his best and most memorable performances. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is not currently available to stream, but you can rent or purchase it on YouTube, Prime Video, or Apple TV.