MovieChat Forums > The Last Detail (1974) Discussion > Strong influence on 'Cuckoo's Nest'

Strong influence on 'Cuckoo's Nest'

posted 17 years ago by pjbrubak
8 replies | jump to latest

There are some obvious simliarities such as the climactic moment centering around a badass Nicholson character scoring a prostitute for an inexperienced youngster. "The Last Detail" signalled Michael Douglas that Nicholson was the right kind of man to play R. P. MacMurphy. I know I'm gonna get crucified for this, but if I had to pick between this film and "Cuckoo's Nest", I'd take "Last Detail." It just seems fresher, more authentic. Both are great films and feature a GREAT Nicholson performance.

You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might find you get what you need.

[–] bballfreakkg21 17 years ago

I agree with you about the similarities of the performances...the whole idea of helping/nudging some repressed indiviudal to break free from the shackles society has placed on him...

That said, I cannot agree that this movie touches Cuckoo's nest...

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled..was convincing the world he didn't exist.

[–] d-simm470 17 years ago

jack rules

[–] gleto 16 years ago

I prefer this movie as well. I saw it as this though, Cuckoo was set in this claustrophobic confine of the mental institute, where as Last Detail was pretty much a road trip.

[–] CasseroleWorshipper 14 years ago

I also took notice that on the first train ride Buddusky has some yellow Juicy Fruit, which Nicholson 2 years later offers to the Indian in CUCKOO'S NEST.

I play cards with J.D. Shelnut, chief of PO-lice! So kiss my ass, you old bastard!

[–] jimmy_miller 13 years ago

I personally can't decide between the performances, I think Badass is more of a character but McMurphy seems to have more depth. Both performances are great though. But I agree that this is a better film than Cuckoo's, I feel it's overrated and Nicholson carries it all the way through on his back, alone.

[–] scottythefield 12 years ago

I disagree on that last point; "Cuckoo" was loaded with fine performers and performances.

[–] ecarle 11 years ago

SPOILERS for Last Detail, Chinatown, Cuckoo's Nest

I call the three above "Nicholson's Trilogy of Tragedy," because, though he made a coupla movies around them(The Passenger, The Fortune) they line up thus:

The Last Detail 1973
Chinatown 1974
Cuckoo's Nest 1975

In all three, Nicholson is a supposedly tough guy who turns out to have a heart, and who tries to help a victimized person(Randy Quaid, Faye Dunaway, Brad Dorif) and who...in all three cases, gets them victimized MORE(Quaid goes into the brig knowing more of what he is losing from life; Dunaway gets killed and Dorif commits suicide.)

And in all three movies, Nicholson comes out of it pretty badly too...probably haunted by what he did to Quaid in The Last Detail, practically catatonic at the end of Chinatown, dead in Cuckoo's.

Nicholson probably started this ball rolling when he did "The Last Detail," it set the course for these roles.

He's also around some fairly sad developments in The Border and Terms of Endearment, to name two more.

[–] Gus-69 11 years ago

OFOTCN was based on a book published in 1962. Just saying.

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