One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

EXT. WORK FARM - NIGHTFALL

All we SEE is an ELEVATED SHOT of the distant mountains, rolling landscape and McMURPHY -- one cheek laid-open and crusted over with dried blood, his face and prison work clothes caked with dried sweat and dust -- as he sits on the very top of a water tower watching the last rays of sunlight.

A long moment passes before McMurphy's attention is drawn elsewhere and he looks down.

REVERSE SHOT - McMURPHY'S POV

Far below, in the prison yard a MAN is SEEN hurrying acrcss the yard where he joins a group of men composed of armed prison guards, officials, and medics -- a stretcher, an ambulance, a fire truck and safety nets spread out at the base of the water tower. The man is seen talking to the officials, then a bullhorn is handed to him and they all look up at McMurphy.

McMURPHY

As he looks down at them, a searchlight is turned on him.

McMurphy doesn't respond.

McMurphy doesn't respond. Another searchlight goes on as a SECOND VOICE is PICKED UP on the BULLHORN.

The BULLHORN is TURNED OFF. A long moment passes as McMurphy continues to squat on the tower and wait. He shivers against the coming night when...

An imperceptible smile appears on McMurphy's face.

INT. MEN'S DORM - OREGON STATE HOSPITAL - DAWN

Strange HUMMING SOUNDS, CLANKING PIPES and HISSING RADIATORS as we see beds, with patients lying asleep, line two walls. The third wall is a heavy gauge steel grill, with a door that opens on to the day room. The door is open. On the far side of the day room, a long hallway with other doors opening into rooms: the latrine, washroom, tub room, mess hall, seclusion room, psychiatrist's office, visitors' room, etc.

Across the day room, a glass enclosed nurses' station where TURKLE, a Negro night attendant, is seen preparing to go off duty.

The CAMERA PANS the beds in the men's dorm. One man turns, another twists, a third lies as if dead.

CAMERA PAN ENDS on BROMDEN, who lies still, eyes wide open, very alert. He reaches down, plucks a stale piece of gum from under the bed frame, puts it in his mouth and starts chewing.

A beat, then Bromden carefully undoes the leather strap which binds him to the bed. He slips out of bed and quietly makes his way down the aisle, paying no attention to the other patients, some of who are beginning to stir awake.

Ahead, at the end of the hallway, the door opens and three Negro day attendants, WASHINGTON, WARREN and MILLER, dressed in white uniforms, enter and move down the hallway and disappear into a side room.

Bromden continues his silent journey towards the day room as Turkle emerges from the side door to the nurses' lounge, goes up the hallway as MISS PILBOW, the day nurse, comes in, passing Turkle on the way out. She crosses to the nurses' station and enters as Bromden reaches the day room.

INT. DAY ROOM - DAY

as Bromden makes his way across the day room, past the nurses' station, unnoticed by Miss Pilbow who is busy preparing the day's medication.

Bromden is sliding along the hallway wall, when he is suddenly cut off by a mop which THUDS against one side of his neck. A second mop yokes him on the other side. Bromden freezes. Terrified.

They cackle, legs jiving, as the ammonia stings Bromden's eyes and burns his nose. He tries to twist his head, but Washington jams the mop harder. Bromden freezes, panic spreading across his face.

A KEY is HEARD hitting the lock in the main door. Washington very adroitly releases Bromden, hands him the mop, and turns, along with Warren and Miller, to their duties, as BIG NURSE enters the ward.

She sweeps by and disappears into the nurses' station. The three attendants put their mops and rags aside and start towards the men's dorm, leaving Bromden pressed against the wall, mop in hand.

INT. NURSES' STATION

as Big Nurse enters to be greeted by Miss Pilbow, who wears an enormous cross between her breasts.

INT. MEN'S DORM - DAY

as Washington, Warren and Miller roust the patients out of bed.

The Chronics are physically helped out of bed as the Acutes, who can handle themselves, cross out into the Day Room, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. Big Nurse steps out of the Nurses' Station. Washington and Warren are hustling the patients toward the washroom.

Miller stays behind, stripping Blastic's bed and rolling up his mattress.

INT. DAY ROOM - DAY

as the Acutes straggle past Big Nurse.

Bromden comes drifting by, going in the opposite direction. Big Nurse takes his hand and reaches up and pats his face.

Washington comes running.

INT. WASHROOM - DAY

The patients are busy washing and shaving.

Warren is assisting a vegetable wash himself as Washington guides Bromden through a cage-like partition... where an antique barber chair stands.

He sits Bromden down and straps his bands and legs in, then plugs the electric shaver in and turns it on and brings the BUZZING instrument towards Bromden's face. Bromden turns away.

Warren props the vegetable up against the sink.

Warren leaves; the old man starts sliding.

QUICK CUT TO:

BROMDEN

as Warren enters and takes a firm grip on Bromden's head and Washington goes to work on Bromden's face. CAMERA PUSHES INTO EXTREME CLOSEUP of Bromden's fearfully distorted face as the BUZZING SOUND of the electric razor INTENSIFIES until it is INSUPPORTABLE.

QUICK CUT TO:

INT. DAY ROOM - DAY

No sound as we SEE Big Nurse watch the last few patients file past the side door to the Nurses' Station where Miss Pilbow hands out little cups with pills. Washington stands by, checking to see each man takes his pills before filling their cups with orange juice. The last patient takes his pills and returns to his place in the Day Room. Miss Pilbow closes the window.

Satisfied that all is well, Big Nurse turns on an old 45 record player with a stack of records, then she settles down to her work as a SOFT, NOSTALGIC NUMBER from the '40's is HEARD OVER LOUDSPEAKER. CAMERA BEGINS SLOW PAN of the Day Room.

The patients, under the influence of drugs, have settled down for the day. HARDING is playing cards with MARTINI, CHESWICK and BILLY. SEFELT and FREDRICKSON are putting a jigsaw puzzle together in brotherly love. SORENSEN is off by himself, rubbing his hands clean. TABER, pencil in hand, sits pondering over a blank piece of paper. SCANLON paces back and forth. On the Chronics' side of the room, RUCKLY is turning a grimy photograph over in his hands. BANCINI sits wagging his head, mumbling over and over, "Tired, awful tired..." ELLIS stands against the wall, arms outstretched, hands nailed to the wall by imaginary nails.

Bromden is pushing a mop around.

Washington, Warren and Miller are in the men's dorm making up the Chronics' beds when O.S. the TELEPHONE RINGS.

CUT TO:

INT. NURSES' STATION - DAY

as Miss Pilbow picks up the phone.

Miss Pilbow goes to the mirror, quickly preens herself, then turns and flips the intercom on.

She exits.

CUT TO:

INT. DAY ROOM

as Miss Pilbow exits nurses' station and heads down the hallway, Washington and Warren on her heels. Miller looking wistfully after them.

CUT TO:

INT. MAIN ENTRANCE - STATE HOSPITAL - DAY

Staff personnel are SEEN moving in and out of the main entrance where a state penitentiary car is parked. A DEPUTY SHERIFF leans on the fender smoking a cigarette as SECOND DEPUTY SHERIFF comes out of the building and motions down to First Deputy, who crushes his cigarette out, then opens the rear door to the car.

A long beat, then McMurphy slowly emerges from the car. He's wearing handcuffs and dressed in faded jeans, flannel work shirt, leather jacket, black motorcycle cap, and heavy black boots. He's been scrubbed clean and has a Band-Aid on his cheek. McMurphy does a couple of knee bends to get the kinks out of his legs as Deputy reaches in the car and takes out a small gym bag containing McMurphy's belongings.

McMurphy goes up the stairs, followed by the Deputy, and crosses into the building.

INT. MAIN BUILDING - DAY

as McMurphy enters the building followed by the Deputies, where Nurse Pilbow, McMurphy's folder in hand, and Washington and Warren stand waiting -- all in a pleasant, receptive mood. First Deputy hands McMurphy's gym bag to Washington, who hands it to Warren.

McMurphy turns and holds out his hands. As cuffs are removed, McMurphy impulsively takes hold of the Deputy's head and plants a kiss on his forehead.

The two Deputies start down the stairs.

The two Deputies merely shrug their backs at McMurphy who takes a deep breath of fresh air.

McMurphy follows Nurse Pilbow into the hallway as the door closes behind them.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Other STAFF MEMBERS are administrative personnel are SEEN as McMurphy walks alongside Nurse Pilbow, who is noticeably nervous by his close proximity. Washington and Warren casually bringing up the rear.

A young Japanese nurse, named ITSU, passes by.

Nurse Itsu laughs and disappears around the corner.

They arrive at the ward door. Nurse Pilbow unlocks the door and opens it as...

Soft nostalgic MUSIC is HEARD OVER.

Nurse Pilbow enters the ward and McMurphy watches her cross the visitors' area to a heavy-gauge steel screen wall, with security gate which she opens.

McMurphy turns to see DOCTOR SPIVEY approaching.

The door closes. CAMERA HOLDS on sign that READS:

SMILE AT THE NEXT FACE YOU SEE. IT MAY SAVE HIS LIFE.

CUT TO:

INT. WARD - DAY

as McMurphy, Spivey, Washington and Warren cross the visitors' area towards Nurse Pilbow, who stands holding the security gate open. At the far end of the hallway, which opens into the day room, patients can be seen.

As they pass through the security gate:

Washington and Warren continue down the hallway, passing SEFELT, who shyly approaches and waits at a respectful distance.

They shake hands.

Spivey turns to Sefelt.

Spivey starts checking out Sefelt's mouth.

As McMurphy follows Nurse Pilbow down the hall, Spivey's voice trails after him.

McMurphy and Nurse Pilbow reach the day room.