In 2019, Empire Magazine asked its readers who they thought were the most iconic villains of all time. From their answers, the magazine published an online article highlighting the 20 most iconic villains and why such characters were so recognizable. The antagonists selected to feature in the piece included, among others, The Joker, Darth Vader, Lord Voldemort, Agent Smith, Sauron, Hannibal Lecter, Loki, and…
Nurse Ratched.
Nurse Ratched? The only female villain on such a list? It seems like Louise Fletcher’s Oscar-worthy portrayal of the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest antagonist has been immortalized by people throughout the years. What has enthralled the audiences to care for, or rather, fear such a character? What is it about Mildred Ratched that makes people remember her so “fondly?” Ryan Murphy and Sarah Paulson’s new Netflix series Ratched goes deep into those questions.
Or do they? The first season rather deconstructs the nature of Ratched’s character, showing her as a determined, quick-witted, imposing woman. But before trying to show her as the merciless villain of the 1975 movie and the 1962 book, the series humanizes her through her backstory. And part of this contrast between her commanding nature and her hidden softer side is highlighted through fashion and costume design.
The series takes place in 1947, 15 years before both the novel and the movie’s story, so the costume design had to reflect the form-fitting, waist-fitted, more professional nature of the clothing at the time. But vivid, all-encompassing bold colors and flamboyant yet grounded accessories (hats, glasses, purses) were part of the creators’ contemporary touch in the series. These features are apparent dichotomies of the dichromatic, dull whites and reds contrasting with the movie’s grey mental asylum walls, showing a different side of Nurse Ratched, a more lively and young character who is still learning who she wants to be. And that also reflects Mildred’s portrayal by both actresses. While Louise Fletcher’s depiction of Ratched is emotionally subtle and artificial, and heavily controlled, showing nothing of her inner thoughts and conflicts, Sarah Paulson depicts a more emotionally conflicted Ratched, who frequently appears cold and unsympathetically oblivious like her future self, but is also often very vulnerable and, shockingly, kind.
Nurse Ratched (who, spoiler alert, is not actually a nurse initially) can be seen in two distinct wardrobes categories throughout the series. The first is her blue-green nurse uniform, dubbed by the costume designers as “surgical green.” In itself, green appears several times in the whole series, worn by virtually every single main character. Costume designer Rebecca Guzzi explained that Murphy wanted green in its various shades to signify “violence, oppression, lust, envy, greed, and evil,” traits that permeate the story.
For Ratched and Nurse Bucket (the head nurse of the Lucia State Hospital where the story takes place), their surgical silky green uniform represents status, since all the other trainee and orderly hospital employers wear aqua blue to match with the idyllic coastal landscape around it. But Ratched’s nurse wardrobe (which also features the iconic war-time nurse cap) is not complete without her bold red lipstick. Ryan Murphy did not want red appearing in any garment, so blood could create the right contrast for a scene to be impactful, but he demanded Mildred’s lips to be red. Whenever she is wearing her monochromatic surgical green uniform, her lips pop out in a menacing manner, which gives more effect to the poise and intimidation of her speech when she is working at the Hospital.
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The other category of Nurse Ratched’s wardrobes entails the clothing worn whenever she presents herself to other people in her off-duty hours. That is when the costume designers put all their knowledge, style, and creativity together. But it was not only them that had a hand in deciding her garment’s complexions. Sarah Paulson had a massive influence on building the fashionista side of her character. It may feel weird to imagine the Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest wearing a 1940s navy blue tilted fedora, bright emerald gloves, cat-eye sunglasses, a navy cape embroidered with an R, a dark green purse, navy pants, and a buttoned-up navy and green-edged vest. Or maybe picture her dressed in softer tones like pastel orange accessorizing with two pearl necklaces. But the show is bold and decides to interpret her past in their own way. Her sense of style is specified as coming from the fashion magazines she reads. Because she wants to accomplish her goals (I will not spoil what they are), she learns to adapt and dress the part.
Every single garment choice is thoroughly thought out by both the costume designers and Mildred herself, and that is why Sarah Paulson’s input was critical. Her navy blue and green look was explicitly designed to give her an air of a hero, as Guzzi says that “she's trying to be the perfect nurse and that she's, in her mind, trying to care for people in the way that she thinks is appropriate,” and yet it is dark and bright at the same time, which ends up making her look close to a godly figure, demanding respect. In the scene she wears those garbs, she tries to manipulate an injured person to comply with her, first appealing to his safety. And her pastel orange costume was designed to give her a professional, structured, tailored, and fancy look because she wears it while applying to work for the Lucia State Hospital.
However, Ratched is not the only character in the show that draws attention due to her garments (all of them do, but I must only pick one other). Amongst all the supporting characters, Sharon Stone’s Lenore Osgood dazzles with her ostentatious style. While every other person in the story is more austere due to WWII’s economic impact in the US, Osgood is a Greta Garbo inspired person, dripping in silk satins, furs, and diamonds here and there. Ryan Murphy even stated that he wanted the audience to think that she would have no qualms wearing jewelry in her bathtub (which she does). The colors Osgood is most attached to are whites and creams (she also wears green and red, which do reflect the meaning of these colors as stated before), which match with her hair and also represent the shiny nature of glamour that blinds the eyes and is unmistakable at any glance. With Lenore, it was all about the excessive, reflecting her style of life and, of course, the mental plot involving her and her son.
At the end of the day, if Ratched does not entice you because of its story, the director’s touch, or the portrayal of its actors, the production design and, more importantly, the costume design behind the series will undoubtedly amaze you. You can check out Ratched now on Netflix.
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