Oscar Nominations: 6
Picture, produced by Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand
Director: Sidney Lumet
Screenplay (Original): Frank Pearson
Actor: Al Pacino
Supporting Actor: Chris Sarandon
Film Editing: Dede Allen
Oscar Awards: 1
Screenplay
Oscar Context:
In 1975, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,” the most nominated (9) film, swept most of the important awards, including Picture, Director for Milos Forman, Adapted Screenplay, Actor and Actress. It was the second film in the Academy's history, after Capra's comedy “It Happened One Night,” in 1934, to achieve that.
The Best Picture competition in 1975 was rather strong. “One Flew” competed with Kubrick's masterful adaptation, “Barry Lyndon”; Sidnely Lumet's excellent New York streets drama “Dog Day Afternoon;” Spielberg's first blockbuster that was also extremely well-acted “Jaws”; and Robert Altman's cynical epic Americana “Nashville,” considered by many critics to be his best work, which won only one Oscar (for Best Song). The technical Oscars were split between “Barry Lyndon” and “Jaws.” The editing award went to Verna Fields for Spielberg's adventure drama, Jaws.”
