Classic Movie Review: MASH
By Clint Chirpich
June 13, 2016
Though it is set during the Korean War, and Korea is mentioned several times to drive home this point, the intent of the film is to work as a satire of the Vietnam War - which was in full swing while the Altman and his crew were making the film - and it accomplishes this task beautifully. MASH shows the horrors and absurdity of war, but does so in such a fun way as to make it palatable to general audiences. The subtext of Vietnam isn't hidden, either. Just take a look at how the characters are dressed or how they wear their hair or even at their general attitudes and demeanor - these types of people didn't exist in the 1950s. I think it's a testament to the cast and crew that they were able to construct such an entertaining and thought provoking film that still resonates 46 years later.
I do have a couple criticisms and both stem from a final act that was a step down from the excellent material that preceded it. A large set piece near the end centers on a football game between two different units, and while it's consistently funny and well done, it just didn't fit in with the rest of the film and dragged on for a bit too long. The other major sticking point for me was Houlihan's sudden and drastic transformation from outcast and agitator to willing participant in the lunacy. I would have liked a bit more with her character, just to show her mindset a little more clearly.
In the end, though, those are very minor quibbles as the film as a whole is a rousing success.
MASH had a fairly interesting, and often contentious, production. Right from the start, filming fell behind schedule due to Altman's unique shooting style. The script went through a lot of changes - scenes were moved around, characters altered, and a lot of the dialogue was improvised - so much so that screenwriter Ring Lardner, Jr. practically disowned the film, complaining that Altman altered too much. During filming, Sutherland and Gould both approached the studio and attempted to get Altman fired because they were so upset he was focusing a lot of screen time to minor characters. They wanted to be the main attractions (which they were) and seemed jealous of any other actor getting a proper showcase. Thankfully, the studio rejected their pleas - probably due to indifference, as they didn't think MASH would result in anything significant and were more concerned with their other war picture, Patton, to pay much attention - and Altman stayed on to finish the film.
Lardner changed his tune after MASH went on to become a critical and commercial hit, though, and gladly accepted the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Gould would later apologize to Altman for his behavior and the two went on to be friends. Sutherland, on the other hand, never reached out to Altman. Gould would go on to appear in several of Altman's films (most notably, starring in The Long Goodbye), but he never cast Sutherland in anything else.
One other little bit of trivia: MASH was one of the first major studio films to contain the word "fuck" spoken aloud. It wasn't scripted, but during the football game an actor improvised a line with the then-taboo word and it made the film's final cut. As it's my favorite curse word, I find this bit of cinematic history to be interesting.
Besides winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and being nominated for Best Supporting Actress, MASH was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing, but lost to Patton in each category. In 1996, the Library of Congress deemed MASH to be "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. In 1998, the American Film Institute placed MASH at #54 of the Top 100 American movies of all-time.
It is a classic film in every meaning of the word and one I wished I would have watched 10 or 15 years ago. It's slightly disappointing to think how many times I could have re-watched it by now if I had discovered it sooner.
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