One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: an autoethnographic perspective

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the motion picture and the print book form of the seminal work “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. Design/methodology/approach The approach is autoethnographic and discursive. Findings The film version and the book differ in some major respects, which can be related to the life events of the author Ken Kesey. Research limitations/implications The implications from this review are that a critical view of mental health care emerges through ridicule. Practical implications The critical view of mental health is highlighted, as from the work of contemporary sources. Social implications There is consideration of the purpose of psychiatric institutions and in whose interests they operate. Originality/value Scrutiny of the storyline in the book and the movie reveals differences, and this paper offers an insight from the lifestyle of Ken Kesey, who wrote the book.