Set during the Korean War, M*A*S*H is a black comedy about a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit located only three miles from the front lines. Elliot Gould and Donald Sutherland play Trapper John McIntyre and Hawkeye Pierce, two extraordinary surgeons who are not necessarily good soldiers. They neither respect nor adhere to the rules of the U.S. Army. While on duty, they do the best they can to save the lives of American troops. Off duty is another matter entirely. They keep their sanity by engaging in wacky escapades which drive the film’s plot and make for some memorable moments. The contrast between their humor and the death they deal with on a daily basis makes for an amusing, yet somewhat critical, look at war.
Their nonchalance provides an escape from the horrors that Army surgeons face every day. It also provides the director, Robert Altman, with a device to attack the Vietnam War, which was in full swing at the time of the film’s debut in 1970.
Hawkeye and Trapper John are, in a sense, army hippies. They get the job done, but they don’t do it the Army way. Their lack of respect for authority reflects the feelings of many people in the early ’70s. Some of the doctor’s various exploits include flying to Japan to get in a few rounds of golf, teaching a local boy how to make the perfect battlefield Martini, and rigging a football game against a rival Army team. They also subject their Army etiquette-loving superiors, Major Frank Burns (Robert Duvall) and Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan (Sally Kellerman), to various humiliations and pranks.
The film won an Academy Award for best screenplay in 1971 and was nominated for Best Picture as well as Best Director. M*A*S*H then went on to become a very successful and long-running TV show. The film is a great example of Robert Altman’s style of filmmaking: quick camera moves and rapid cuts. In 1970, the film’s visual style was quite unique and inventive, though today’s audiences have become quite accustomed to fast camera work and may even find Altman’s style a little slow. The humor may seem a bit dated as well, though it can still evoke a smile and a chuckle in most people if taken at face value. Overall, the movie is worth seeing for the light humor and wonderful performances by a young Sutherland and Gould. Any fan of Robert Altman or of the TV show should definitely see it as well.
