Nichols disappoints. Arkin doesn't.

Rating: 7/10 (11 December 2012)

I had many questions in mind when I watched this film, the first among them being, "Why was this movie made?" and a few more questions followed- "Didn't Mike Nichols read the script and suggest any revisions?" and "Couldn't it be a little more funnier, may be not as much as the book but funny nonetheless?".
Adapted from Joseph Heller's one-of-the-kind satire novel, the movie failed to live up to the hype and humor the book created. Mike Nichols, fresh from winning an Academy Award for 'The Graduate' somehow lost his brilliant directing skills to a poorly written screenplay. Yes, there were jokes and funny moments, where you'd guffaw no matter what, but those moments were too few as compared to those in the book.
MASH, the book, by any standards, couldn't match Joseph Heller's novel. But when it comes to Motion Picture and presenting it, Mike Nichols lost it to Robert Altman's MASH.
And no one else would have made a better Yossarian than Alan Arkin. Jon Voight and Balsam were impressive too.