One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

"Amadeus" is not completely inaccurate and, in fact, the only supposition which was in the play and the movie is that Salieri had that much involvement with Mozart's death. But without that supposition, there would be no story. History has plenty of blank spots -- it's still being debated whether Kennedy was assassinated by a lone killer.

The eccentric laugh was something documented in historical biographies of Mozart but as nobody could record it, we will never know exactly what it sounded like. I thought it had a place in making the staid and stoic Salieri even more enraged at Mozart. Salieri couldn't have been happy in real life with Mozart and the sour grapes were probably very close to the truth.

LW- Point well taken. The problem is, IMO, is that in Amadeus, Mozart comes off as somewhat of an anomaly. Here is this young man who stays up all night writing magnificent music. He is serious, single minded, and extremely mature in his pursuit of his art. Then he comes out with an adolescent titter, together with a moronic grin, that was more befitting to a high school sophomore.

I think that a more accomplished actor than Hulce could have pulled it off more effectively. I think that Hulce's portrayal was,.......................for want of a better description, hammy!

Checking out his later credits, apparently his career did not "take off" after that film....and for good reason.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001371/

I think that as an actor, Hulce is a lightweight..................a more skilled "Mozart" would have made Amadeus sublime.

Tom didn't have the leading man face to become a real star and he came from the New York stage. "Dominick and Eugene" and "The Inner Circle" were two good films but he did the bulk of his work after that on the stage, his first love, where he was successful. I would not call him a lightweight as he brought across the serious parts of the Mozart character and is one of the most poignant death scenes in all of film history.

LW- After I read this thread, I looked up a bio of Mozart, and I understand what you mean. Yes, his death scene WAS excellent. I think that what turned me off was set at the beginning of the film, in those scenes with the courtiers, where he acted like such a fool. I think that the juxtaposition of Hulce and Abraham did not place Hulse in a favorable light.

Abraham is such a consummate professional, and the supporting cast was magnificent. I think that Hulse was overshadowed by them.

As this is becoming a Milos Forman thread, I must say that "Taking Off" is absolutely hilarious.

Forman has a very good external view of American society.

I remember the scene at the Oscars when F. Murray Abraham accepted the award and looked down at Hulce who was smiling broadly and paid homage to his performance. I'm not sure how the namesake of the film could be overshadowed and his scenes where he was confrontational about his music, especially the "two many notes," were superb. The insane giggle has rattled many film critics but I was not overly bothered by what seemed like an exagerration and was likely Forman rather than Hulce.

"Taking Off" is a very funny film. I haven't seen Forman's earlier work for so many years I can't even comment. I suppose a little research would help.

Here's my take on Hulce and Forman. Forman wanted a balnce between the 2 protagonists so he needed Hulce to balance Abrahams strong performance and by getting that twitter he made a strong contrast between the two. My take.

I would believe that's right and although he could have pulled in the ropes a bit on Hulce's performance in those rather madcap scenes is certainly debatable. The other scene where Hulce's performance gripped me was when the black figure with the beaked mask shows up at his front door (death?). The expression on Hulce's face struck me right in the heart.

Don1- Thanks. My husband and I were discussing whom we would rather have had played Mozart, and we could not come up with anyone. Fiennes has the range and subtlety to be able to play the multifaceted Mozart!

I thought that One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was an incredible movie. The ending was fantastic. It was depressing and at the same time uplifting. In my opinion a very difficult thing to do especially making the ending believable.

Speaking of cast members, I saw "Amadeus" on Broadway with the original cast (Tim Curry and Ian Mckellen) and the first replacement cast (Peter Firth and John Wood). Both shows were very different and I don't know which I preferred. In one you had the forceful Curry with the restrained Mckellen, and in the other you had the sensitive Firth with the overbearing Wood.

A 20-year-old Finnes (he didn't break into the movies until he was 30) who is too tall and too handsome to play Mozart?

(Mozart was even shorter than Hulce).

I dont think many people would know or care about Motzarts height LW. I was thinking of Fiennes being a class actor and the right age for when the film was made, but as you point out he wasn't in films until a few years later.

Ten years later, to be exact and the height would be crucial to the performance. The film wasn't made for the average person who would not consider a tall Mozart being poor casting -- it is tantamount to the idiocy of casting Charlton Heston as a hunchback dwarf homosexual in the story of Michelangelo. "The Agony and the Ecstasy" incidentally was critically thrashed and did poorly at the box office.

This is interesting L.W.

Simon Callow perhaps.

Who would you have cast?

The story of making the movie shows what lengths the director and the casting staff went to and they came up with Tom Hulce. He bears somewhat of a facial resemblance (Mozart was not handsome) and had proven himself on the New York stage and in some films. The performance bothers some with that wild, cackling laugh but there is historic precedent for that and of course, the director can only ask to approximate what Mozart sounded like. Those scenes never bothered me mainly because the overall performance is great and good enough to get him nominated for an Oscar a Golden Globe and win the prestigious Italian David di Donatello Award for Best Actor.

I realize your question is not recent, but I just watched an old B&W movie with Elizathbeth Taylor and Montgomery Cliff , "Suddenly Last Summer" 1957, dealing with two taboo subjects at that time.

Montgomery Cliff has been asked to do a labotamy on LIZ, but helps her remember her past, so operation not necessary.

"One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest: 1975, deserved winning all top five oscars for this movie. Again, dealing with taboo subjects, and the power of the unaccountable.

Golden Oldies Movie Trivia



bett

The ending to 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' was great. For a change, Holywood didn't simply opt for the typical happy ending.

I won't spoil the ending for anyone else, but there is an element of sadness and joy. Two of the main characters 'escape', in different ways. One character's 'love' and compassion for the other, being shown in an unusal and powerful way.

The film / book, is also a great story of the individual versus conformity. The little guy versus the unbending, inflexible establishment.

It's a must-see film, and you should read the book as well.

A genuine classic.