More about Vietnam than Korea

Rating: Null/10 (3 October 2002)

M*A*S*H was released in 1970, and is actually more about the Vietnam War than the Korean War. Placing the movie in its historical context, one can make perfect sense of it. It came out as the American people became increasingly disenchanted with the war in Southeast Asia. President Nixon had ordered the invasion of Cambodia, sparking huge anti-war protests -- including the one at Kent State where several people were killed by National Guard troops. The civil rights movement, hippie movement, sit-ins, urban riots, the Manson trial, the sexual revolution, and the beginning of modern environmentalism provided the backdrop for this movie's initial release.
Robert Altman's first (and greatest) success, this film uses a format best described as a "slice of life". It is episodic rather than plot-driven. Don't expect a dramatic climax; this movie is about the journey rather than the destination.
The doctors arrive in Korea to serve out their one-year tour of duty, and decide to make the best of it. Amid the terrible suffering of the sick and wounded, they try to preserve their sanity. For its time, just after the introduction of the new MPAA rating system, this film had some very risque moments. Today, we might consider it fairly tame. But it still has a lot to say.
M*A*S*H is a true landmark anti-war movie, along with Catch-22, Dr. Strangelove, and Paths of Glory. Significantly, its release was almost simultaneous with that of a very different kind of war movie: Patton. The latter is about the days when our forces had a well-defined enemy, a clear moral imperative, specific objectives, and full public support. The contrast between the two films reflects that between Vietnam and World War II. See both of them, and the lessons become clear.
By the way, if you have not seen the lame, boring sitcom based on this movie, then don't waste your time. You haven't missed a thing.