Hollywood veteran Louise Fletcher, the iconic actress who won an Oscar for her performance as Nurse Ratched in Milos Forman’s hit film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” has died. His agent, David Shaul, confirmed that Fletcher died on Friday at his home in France. The late actor was 88 years old.
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is a classic film that won five Oscars in 1976 and was the first film in more than four decades to win five major categories at the ceremony. In his memoirs, the film’s director Milos Forman revealed he chose Fletcher for the role after seeing his performance in “Thieves Like Us.”
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At one point in his career, Fletcher was typecast for villain roles. He later acquitted himself in several film performances, “The Cheap Detective,” “Cruel Intentions,” and “Natural Enemies.” The actress is married to Jerry Bick, a producer, and literary agent, and they have two sons.
Read on to learn more.
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Louise Fletcher’s Groundbreaking Role As The Sullen Nurse
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is a film based on Ken Kesey’s novel of the same name. It explores the relationship between the patients and the staff of the psychiatric ward, especially the evil nurse, Nurse Ratched (played by Fletcher). The film won five Oscars in 1976, including best picture, actor, and actress.
Louise Fletcher, who won the best actress Oscar for her indelible performance as Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," died Friday. She was 88. https://t.co/k4XhjapZkK pic.twitter.com/qTwJAqNhvm
— Variety (@Variety) September 24, 2022
That night, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” also became the first film in more than four decades to make a clean sweep at the Oscars, winning five major categories. It also received four additional nominations and was a big hit at the box office. Movie review by New Yorkers called Fletcher’s performance “a great performance.”
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It reads, “We can see the expectation of a virgin – purity – that has turned into self-righteousness. He thinks he is doing good for people, and he is hurt – he feels abused – if his authority is questioned.”
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Director Chose Louise Fletcher After Seeing Her Great Performance In This Movie
At the time of Fletcher’s casting as Nurse Ratched, the actress had not created a high profile for herself in Hollywood. She has just returned to film after taking nearly a decade off to raise her children. His first role back was in “Thieves Like Us” in 1974 and was hailed as a “very strong” performance.
At the time, several other high-profile actresses, such as Anne Bancroft, Angela Lansbury, and Colleen Dewhurst, had all turned down the role of Nurse Ratched, fearing it would negatively affect their careers. The film’s director, Milos Forman then watched “Thieves Like Us” and was impressed by Fletcher’s performance.
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In his memoirs, Forman wrote about how he chose Fletcher. He wrote, “He’s all wrong for [Ratched] role, but there was something about him. I asked her to read with me and suddenly, beneath the soft exterior, I found a toughness and willpower that seemed tailored for the role.”
Louise Fletcher Typed For Villain Role
Unfortunately, Flectther’s performance in the film was so good that it created a stereotype for his villainous film roles. In his 1987 film review, “Flowers in the Attic,” the film Washington Post wrote, “Fletcher should talk to his agent about this stereotypical ‘evil’ role, where he’s becoming increasingly boring.”
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The actor later proved that his acting abilities transcended villainous roles. He had lighter and more dramatic roles in films like “The Cheap Detective,” “Natural Enemies,” “Cruel Intentions,” “Firestarter” and “Brainstorm.”
A review of her performance in “Natural Enemies” from film critic Richard Winters highlighted how Fletcher has perfected the role “as opposed to her Nurse Ratched character.” He wrote, “Here she is vulnerable and fragile instead of tough and authoritative and even has a scene in a mental hospital as a patient. The fact that she can play different characters so solidly proves what a brilliant actor she is.”
She Married Jerry Bick And Has Two Children
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In 1955, Fletcher married Jerry Bick, a film producer, and Hollywood literary agent, and they had two sons, John and Andrew. Fletcher and Bick divorced in 1978, and she later died in 2004. With her death, the actress is survived by her son, her sister, Roberta, and a granddaughter.
Fletcher’s life story was once used as inspiration for one of the main characters in Robert Altman’s 1975 film “Nashville.” He was meant to play the character in the film, but Bick and Altman fell out, and the plan was scrapped.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
