An Antiwar Satire That Is Crass, Contemptuous, Derisive, Humorous, and Misogynistic

Rating: 8/10 (25 August 2014)

Richard Hooker, who was a doctor in the Korean War (MASH Unit 8055), wrote about his experiences after he returned home to the USA. MASH refers to those mobile army surgical hospitals, situated just three miles away from battlefronts, which provided emergency medical attention to wounded servicemen. Instead of having a plot, the feature is a series of episodes as we observe the various personalities that comprise MASH Unit 4077. The movie is about what extremes some MASH folks went to – or so they believed they had to – in order to maintain their saneness in the face of insanity: stress generated by broken bodies and blood. The "protagonists" are three doctors who are excellent surgeons, but appalling military men. By the way, their haircuts and facial hair are more reflective of the later 1960s instead of the early 1950s. Then again, MASH is introspective of the era in which it was filmed.
To say the least, Colonel Henry Blake (Roger Bowen) runs MASH Unit 4077 so loosely that proper military bearing is practically nonexistent. With the arrivals of officers Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland), Trapper John McIntyre (Elliott Gould), and Duke Forrest (Tom Skerritt), the antics are tuned up several notches. In short, the young surgeon-officers do whatever they please and get away with it because their medical work is at a high level. They torment folks like Major Frank Burns and WAC officer Margaret "Hot Lips" O'Houlihan. In fact two of the movie's most memorable scenes involve each of these characters: (1) the love scene with planted microphone and (2) the solo shower uncovering of "Hot Lips." Other unforgettable movie vignettes include grisly surgeries in tents, "The Last Supper" parody of Dentist Waldowski, and the finale, the unbridled football game.
There are many memorable quotes, but a sample one from Captain Trapper John is quite unforgettable for its utter crudeness: " and give me at least one nurse who knows how to work in close without getting her tits in my way!" Throughout the film, The Public Address announcer broadcasts "important" news and information to the unit. An example: "Attention, Captain McIntyre will give a lecture on blood and fluid replacement in the mess hall at 0800 . . . uh, correction . . . at 021 . . . at 9:00 this evening." Another: "Attention, Captain Bandini is now performing a femoral po - a popli . . . a femoral P-O-P-L-I-T-E-R-A-L artery exp – exp – exploration and possible graft." Music is from Japanese radio, straight from Tokyo.
Robert Duvall plays the anguished major, Frank Burns, who reads from the Bible but who also has lust for "Hot Lips." Sally Kellerman is edgy nurse "Hot Lips" O'Houlihan, whose actions are never malicious. She outlasts Frank Burns as her character personality does change by the end of the movie. Lt. Dish is played by Jo Ann Pflug. Of course, old timers know that dish was a term used by men for an attractive woman. Misogynistic? Of course! The chaplain is Father John Mulcahy (Rene Abourjonois), called "Dago Red" for the color of his hair. Hmmm . . . Fred Williamson is football player "Spearchucker" Jones. Gary Burghoff, who was the only actor to make the transition to the popular TV series, is Radar O'Reilly. By the way, the TV series, featuring Alan Alda as Hawkeye, was such a huge hit that it ran from 1972 to 1983.
MASH was supposedly the first movie to use the F-word. The picture regularly shown is several minutes shorter than the original 1970 version. I have noticed that we no longer see the squirting blood from arteries or the complete frontal nudity shot of Sally Kellerman in the shower. Some folks believe that MASH is director Robert Altman's greatest work. It was, after all, nominated for five Oscars, and did win one for Best Writing, Screenplay (Ring Lardner, Jr.). It also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture of 1970. But, love it or hate it, the movie is never boring.