‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’: 50th Anniversary, Still Powerful

“Cuckoo’s Nest” showcases the apex of Nicholson’s star power in a film classic that criticizes authoritarianism.

Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson, L) and Martine Danny DeVito in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." (United Artists

R | 2h 13m | Drama | 1975

It’s the 50th Anniversary of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Starring Jack Nicholson at the top of his acting game, this multi-Oscar-winning, anti-authoritarian tale remains as exhilarating and depressing as when it was released. Its conspicuous success marked the zenith of Hollywood’s counterculture infatuation, which had begun in the late 1960s with “Easy Rider.”