MASH (1970)

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

Richard Hooker (from the novel by)
Ring Lardner Jr. (screenplay)

Release Date:

March 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War | Drama

Tagline:

M*A*S*H Hysteria

Plot:

The staff of a Korean War field hospital use humor and hijinks to keep their sanity in the face of the horror of war.

Plot Keywords:

Surgeon | Mobile Army Surgical Hospital | Korean War | Nurse | Dentist

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 14 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Donald Sutherland	...	Hawkeye Pierce
Elliott Gould	...	Trapper John McIntyre
Tom Skerritt	...	Duke Forrest
Sally Kellerman	...	'Hot Lips' O'Houlihan
Robert Duvall	...	Maj. Frank Burns
Roger Bowen	...	Col. Henry Blake
Rene Auberjonois	...	Father John Mulcahy
David Arkin	...	Sgt. Major Vollmer
Jo Ann Pflug	...	Lt. 'Dish'
Gary Burghoff	...	Corporal 'Radar' O'Reilly
Fred Williamson	...	Dr. Oliver 'Spearchucker' Jones
Michael Murphy	...	'Me Lai' Marston
Indus Arthur	...	Lt. Leslie
Ken Prymus	...	PFC. Seidman
Bobby Troup	...	Sgt. Gorman
Kim Atwood	...	Ho-Jon
Timothy Brown	...	Cpl. Judson (as Tim Brown)
John Schuck	...	Capt. 'Painless' Waldowski
Dawne Damon	...	Capt. Storch
Carl Gottlieb	...	'Ugly John'
Tamara Wilcox-Smith	...	Capt. 'Knocko' (as Tamara Horrocks)
G. Wood	...	Gen. Hammond
Bud Cort	...	Pvt. Boone
Danny Goldman	...	Capt. Murrhardt
Corey Fischer	...	Capt. Bandini
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephen Altman	...	Duke's 5-Year-Old Son (uncredited)
Joe Amsler	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Steven Bewley	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Stanford Blum	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Tommy Brown	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Buck Buchanan	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Craig Chudy	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Jack Concannon	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Jim Connors	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Michael Consoldane	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Cathleen Cordell	...	Capt. Peterson - Nurse Corps (uncredited)
Robert V. Cox	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Ronn Cragg	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ben Davidson	...	Football Player #88 - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Ray Didsbury	...	Ad Lib Doctor (uncredited)
James B. Douglas	...	Col. Wallace C. Merril (uncredited)
Tom Falk	...	Corporal (uncredited)
John Fujioka	...	Japanese Golf Pro (uncredited)
Lynn Grate	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Sumi Haru	...	Japanese Nurse (uncredited)
Buck Holland	...	Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
Susan Ikeda	...	Japanese Caddie (uncredited)
Dale Ishimoto	...	Korean Doctor (uncredited)
Alfred Jones	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Jerry Jones	...	Motor Pool Sergeant (uncredited)
Mark Jones	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Joe Kapp	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Mike Kemp	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Ted Knight	...	Offstage Dialog (voice) (uncredited)
Douglas Laurence	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Harvey Levine	...	2nd Lieutenant (uncredited)
Weaver Levy	...	Korean Doctor (uncredited)
John Linton	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Robert Manser	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Sam A. Mides	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Marvin Miller	...	Offstage Dialog (voice) (uncredited)
John Myers	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Rick Neilan	...	Hammond's Aide (uncredited)
Lloyd Nelson	...	Offstage Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Gerry Okuneff	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Monica Peterson	...	Pretty W.A.C. Receptionist (uncredited)
Roy Pettie	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ron Quay	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
David Sachs	...	Surgeon #1 (uncredited)
Masami Saito	...	Japanese Caddie (uncredited)
Tony Santoro	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Howard Schnellenberger	...	Football Referee (uncredited)
Bonnie Sue Schwartz	...	Cheerleader (uncredited)
Samantha Scott	...	Nurse / Pin-up Model (uncredited)
Noland Smith	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. 'Superbug' (uncredited)
Owen Song	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ron Stein	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Fran Tarkenton	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Dianne Travis	...	Correspondent (uncredited)
Johnny Unitas	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Greg Walker	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Hiroko Watanabe	...	Japanese Prostitute (uncredited)
Don Watters	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Ron Way	...	Football Player (uncredited)
Howard Williams	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Tom Woodeschick	...	Football Player - 325th Evac. (uncredited)
Yoko Young	...	Japanese Servant (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Altman

Writing credits
Richard Hooker		(from the novel by)
Ring Lardner Jr.		(screenplay)

Produced by
Leon Ericksen	....	associate producer
Ingo Preminger	....	producer

Original Music by
Johnny Mandel		(music by)

Cinematography by
Harold E. Stine		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Danford B. Greene

Art Direction by
Arthur Lonergan
Jack Martin Smith
Michael Friedman		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Stuart A. Reiss
Walter M. Scott

Makeup Department
Les Berns	....	makeup artist (as Lester Berns)
Edith Lindon	....	hair stylist
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup supervisor (as Dan Striepeke)
Gerry Leetch	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Norman A. Cook	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray Taylor Jr.	....	assistant director

Art Department
Sidney H. Greenwood	....	prop master (uncredited)
Robert Lombardi	....	greensman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bernard Freericks	....	sound
John D. Stack	....	sound (as John Stack)
Arthur Cornell	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Don Hall	....	supervising sound effects editor (uncredited)
John Jolliffe	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Billie Owens	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
David Sachs	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Greg C. Jensen	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
L.B. Abbott	....	special photographic effects
Art Cruickshank	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Joe Amsler	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Ashby	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Forsyth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Hice	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ron Stein	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rock A. Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert W. Full	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Harry R. Jones	....	first company grip (uncredited)
Paul Koons	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ross A. Maehl	....	gaffer (uncredited)
G. Austin Saunders	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Louis Schwartz	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Fuca	....	assistant set costumer (uncredited)
John Intlekofer	....	costumer (uncredited)
Mary Tate	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Wesley Trist	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Diana Wilson	....	costumes (uncredited)

Music Department
Johnny Mandel	....	composer: theme music
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestration (as Herbert Spencer)
Mayuto Correa	....	musician (uncredited)
Mayuto Correa	....	percussionist (uncredited)
Leonard A. Engel	....	supervising music editor (uncredited)
Sam E. Levin	....	music film editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Steve Bonner	....	driver (uncredited)
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited)
Jim Martell	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Ross Levy	....	assistant to the producer (as Y. Ross Levy)
David Sachs	....	medical advisor (as Dr. David Sachs)
Lester Hoyle	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
James Margellos	....	assistant to director (uncredited)
Marion Peterson	....	first aid (uncredited)
Andy Sidaris	....	football choreographer (uncredited)
Linn Unkefer	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Aspen Productions (I)
• Ingo Preminger Productions
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Films (1970) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1973) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Magnetic Video (1977) (USA) (video) (Betamax)
• 20th Century Fox Video (1982) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1985) (Finland) (TV) (2001)
• TV3 (1990) (Finland) (TV)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (included in the "Robert Altman Collection")
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD) (2-disc edition)
• 20th Century Fox Italia
• R-Video (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1995) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content

Runtime:

116 min | USA:112 min (PG version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese | Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (cut US version) | Iceland:L | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Canada:14A (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Italy:VM14 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Peru:18 | Singapore:PG | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:PG (cut) | USA:R (PCA #22275) | West Germany:16 | Canada:R (Nova Scotia)

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Aspen Productions (I)

Trivia:

The character of Major Frank Burns in the film is actually a combination of two characters from the original novel, Captain Frank Burns and Major Jonathan Hobson.

Goofs:

Continuity: When O'Houlihan has a discussion with Hawkeye in the mess tent shortly after her arrival, there is a shot over Hawkeye's shoulder where you can see that his glasses have appeared back on his face even though they were off in the previous shot.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lt. Col. Henry Braymore Blake:Radar.
Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly:Yes, sir. I'll get ahold of Major Burns...
Lt. Col. Henry Braymore Blake:I want you to get a hold of Major Burns...
Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly:...Tell him to hold a couple day surgeons over into the night shift.
Lt. Col. Henry Braymore Blake:Tell him we're going to have hold a couple of surgeons over from the day shift out of the night shift.
Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly:I'll put in a call to General Hammond in Seoul...
Lt. Col. Henry Braymore Blake:Get General Hammond down there in Seoul, tell him to send us those new surgeons right away.
Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly:...I hope he sends us those two new surgeons. We're sure gonna need'em.
[Leaves]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in 'M*A*S*H': 30th Anniversary Reunion (2002) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Hail to the Chief

Overrated

I think "MASH" is not as good as many people say, for me it's not a classic. This Robert Altman movie, made during the Vietnam war years, talks about a group of doctors during the Korea conflict. The film was a big hit when it came out, maybe because it was the first movie to talk about army in a funny way -it teased the US Army...

Today the film looks old and overrated and the political sarcasm seems very weak, actually. There's no doubt that Altman wanted to do an antihero film, but after all "MASH" is a portrait of doctors who make jokes and tries to survive with humor. Themes like stupidity and horror of war are not treated, there isn't an analysis of this. Where's the antimilitarist message?

Even if it's an Altman movie, the film looks like a long TV movie. The director made much better movies. The only interest here, to me, is seeing young actors like Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould, Tom Skerritt, Robert Duvall, René Auberjonois and Sally Kellerman.