An Anti-war Message Wrapped In A Comedy

Rating: 7/10 (30 May 2016)

Within the context of the Vietnam War, the release of "MASH" was a significant act. The country was in the midst of another serious conflict--that between the doves (and peaceniks) of the political left and the hawks of the political right. Some were saying at the time that to support peace was to support the enemy, which was communism. It's preposterous of course, but that was the prevalent dialogue of the time. "MASH", therefore, was a blast across the bow of the right.
The film also lampoons religion, authority, and institutions, in general. Contributing to this impression is the unconventional style of dialogue, which--as in real life--is layered, with conversations on top of other conversations. The result is a general feeling of anarchy or confusion, which mirrors the chaotic nature of war.
It is said that the majority of the dialogue was unscripted. The film certainly does feel that way during viewing. And it gives the film a slice-of-life feeling--an attribute that director Robert Altman became identified with and championed for (as with the film "Nashville" a few years later).
Despite its freeform construction, the film does have much to say about the inanity of most rules and institutional processes. However, it is only a shell of the Emmy-winning television show "MASH" that followed, where the characters were fleshed out and the anti-war statement was made clearer.