MovieChat Forums > One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Discussion > Did McMurphy escape the hospital twice?

Did McMurphy escape the hospital twice?

posted 8 years ago by JackTorrance1980
5 replies | jump to latest

When I first watched this movie years ago, I could have sworn there was a scene where McMurphy escapes from the hospital a second time, and sends the other men a magazine with his picture on the front of it so they would think he was living a good life somewhere. Then McMurphy gets captured and it turns out that the magazine was fake. I've watched the movie quite a few times since then, but there was never a scene similar to the one I remember. Was it a deleted scene that usually isn't shown on TV or a DVD, or could I just be remembering it wrong?

[–] The_White_Hotel 8 years ago

Never heard of that before and nothing like it happens in the novel. I think you're confusing it with something else.

These are the only words I have, I'm stuck with them, stuck in them

[–] JackTorrance1980 8 years ago

Yeah, I don't know what I could be confusing it with though. I remember the magazine cover was Jack Nicholson with two women, and I can actually picture it. I just don't know where I could be getting that from, because I can't find anything about it online lol.

[–] McQueen1980 8 years ago

you do remind me of a scene in the movie when he could/should escaped as i interpreted
it was when he asks the chief to give him heads up over the wire and out of the hospital so that laterally he could hijack the next bus and bring the loonies to Candy and the gone fishin episode
why didnt he escape?? well he wanted to show the hospital people he was proper crazy! he was wrong of course and should have simply walked away
maybe subconsciously mcmurphy was happy in the place and his new found buddies.
its tragic that the person he liked the most was the one who killed him.

the second time was when he also could have ran until he heard the "screams of billy's suicide" whilst at the window about to walk
something kept him there at that place, his compassion , nobility and also sadly his stupidity and naievety

[–] chilidoggg (14327) 7 years ago

In "Cool Hand Luke" there was a scene like that.

[–] JohnGrant (101) 5 years ago

You're thinking of Cool Hand Luke who sent his fellow inmates a magazine with his picture in it when he escaped a second time.