Fletcher won an Oscar for her iconic portrayal of Nurse Ratched in the 1975 film
, and added her to his list of potential Nurse Ratcheds for his upcoming adaptation of Ken Kesey’s. Although many actors were considered for the part, it was Fletcher who ended up securing it—and the Best Actress Oscar in the process.
Nearly 50 years later, Fletcher’s performance in the part remains chilling: A surface-sweet portrait of institutional evil, she carefully watches the patients in her charge, holds herself snake-at their vulnerabilities. And, in Fletcher’s hands, she never gives anything less than the totalbest for all involved. The film—which became a massive box office success, in addition to its critical reception—simply wouldn’t work without her.