MovieChat Forums > One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Discussion > Kirk / Michael Douglas question

Kirk / Michael Douglas question

posted 5 years ago by enriquesingh (1812)
2 replies | jump to latest

The reason why Jack Nicholson got to play McMurphy was because Kirk was too old and Michael was too young?

What a role... among the best acting in film history.

[–] jekporkins (1985) 4 years ago

IIFC, Kirk bought the rights and couldn't get anyone to invest in getting it made. After a decade he was too old. His son Mike thought he could get it produced but wasn't a movie star (he was doing TV then). They needed a bigger name to get anyone behind it.

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

Murphy's age could be moved up or down a bit, either Douglas could have played it, although Kirk would have had to play it rather earlier. By the early 70s, being over 30 was unfashionable.

What I hope is that they both realized they weren't up to the role. I mean, both Douglases can be good in their range, but shee-yit - Kirk would have eaten enough scenery to destroy the entire mental hospital and walk out of the ruins, and Michael would have been just hopeless. Nicholson got the job done.