This movie shows us there exists only a fine line, at times, between sane and insane. In addition, what is considered insane is a matter of opinion and decided by a few people (psychologists), which can be dangerous. For the time, the movie brought people into the institutions for the mentally ill, and showed the terrible conditions and primitive techniques for rehabilitation. The main character also has his own delusions when he believes he knows best what's for the mental patients and trys to force them iont society, and finds they breakdown. He realizes some people really do need to be institutionalized.