Well was it in Easy Rider, or in "The Shining" (who will forget his cry of Here's Johnny)? I think for many people his most exciting or indeed mercurial performance was in the movie adaption of "One flew over the Cuckoo's nest". He plays the part of one Randle McMurphy sent to an institution for evaluation. The rest is well known and I won't repeat it here. Suffice to say the adaption of Ken Keseys book (also a top read) won many plaudits and awards.
Its influence has been vast and for many that depiction of 1950's institutional care has become synonymous with mental health care "full stop". I was once interviewed for a place on a Masters Degree in mental health and the first question to me (as a nurse in particular) was "Why do you think Nurse Rachet behaved as she did"?
I watched the film (and enjoyed it) and I guess filtered it through a nurses values and culture. I saw clear brutality of a subtle and insiduous nature on behalf of Nurse Rachet. and also the actions of the male orderlies (am I right in remembering one using a cosh?), were really grim. They seemed to be not only institutionalised but also willing to engage in pretty forceful and dehumanising actions.
The patients themselves, well again pure drama and a good drama to, but a more sensationalist collection of stereotypes you couldn't hope to find. Does it have merits though? I guess it does, its pretty realistic in some senses, Its critique of psycho-surgery to ameliorate difficult behaviour is pretty accurate and the numbing routine of a neat and tidy ward is captured well. Perhaps this was because it was filmed in an actual hospital location.
There's much to commend the film as drama, my problem comes when its the main point of reference for peoples understanding of mental health services today.
Don't get me started on the infamous "Titicut follies" whatever you do. Well perhaps another time!
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