One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s

NestBy Valerin Ubri

Kimberly PaceDevona Harris Kathy Kontos

Introduction O “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” takes all concepts

used in communications when we talk about groups. Our group chooses “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’s, because it has all the concepts that group communications includes. Overall we chose one scene in particular; “I want my Cigarettes”. The different concepts shown in the movie is what persuaded us to take that movie for our film project. The film is developing in a hospital; every character has something about group communication concepts to add to the scenes. The movie shows leadership, emergent leaders, culture group, environment, diversity and autocratic leader. The scene shows the leadership that Nurse Ratched has. She asks questions, and listens to each of them with attention and open mind, always keeping the calm. Also R.P McMurphy applies the concept of emerging leader. Although this movie has a very dysfunctional group, the viewer can see the different concepts of group communications applied.        

Description of Communication

ONurse Ratched is charge of the group.

OShe listens to what each member has to say with an open mind.

OShe keeps her voice placid, and speaks patiently to the men.

OShe comprehends what every wants in the group.

OShe sounds fearless when she speaks.

OShe does not show a sign of fear on her face.

Analysis of communication

O Nurse Ratched throughout the movie shows leadership that exercises order and control. She achieves this by less direct confrontation and more by subtle means such as playing on and maintaining character weaknesses, undermining self-confidence, and constantly putting the men down through therapy sessions. Throughout the movie Nurse Ratched, has no intention of changing her autocratic, controlling leadership, or her techniques of humiliation, intimidation, and threats.

O McMurphy is definitely the emergent leader in the movie. He and Nurse Ratched immediately become rivals as McMurphy challenges Nurse Ratched’s leadership and the “environment” she has created in the ward. He becomes the leader when he realizes that the group needs a leader to take charge and go against Nurse Ratched.

Conclusion O Several communication topics arose during this specific part of the

movie. 

O Such as, Theory Leadership, Role Emergence, Communication Competence, Types of Leadership.

O The lesson that we learned about small group communication in this movie is that, in this specific situation, one type of autocratic leader is needed. Otherwise, the role emergence problem that arose with McMurphy and nurse Ratched is bound to happen. In One Flew Over The Cucckoo’s Nest, because the setting is a hospital, the doctor or nurse obviously has the lead and the patient is the follower. In this case, the nurse was the autocratic leader and McMurphy did was not fond of her and wanted to, in a way, be the autocratic leader instead.

Works Cited

 OAdams, Katherine and Gloria J. Galanes. Effective Group Discussion Theory and Practice. Fourteenth Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013.  OOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Dir. Milos Forman. DVD. Warner Bothers. 2010.