Plot

Colonel Potter hopes a Western movie will be the cure for the 4077th's morale problem. But, during the show, the staff is forced to make its own entertainment during the frequent film breakages.

The 4077th has never before seen such bickering...even Hawkeye and BJ are sniping at each other. Father Mulcahy obtains a copy of Colonel Potter's favorite movie, John Ford's classic 1946 western, "My Darling Clementine" for movie night. Everyone, from private to major, has gone "plumb loco" from overwork and exhaustion and Col. Potter is ecstatic to be able to screen the movie for his crew. Four of the nurses are invited to dinner by General Armistead at I Corps: wine, tablecloths, pilots and a car is being sent to pick them up. The film is full of splices and keeps going "kerflooey" as Klinger runs the projector, so Potter encourages the group to sing along to "The Tennessee Waltz" while Klinger tries to fix it. But, Klinger is neither "Mr. or Mrs. Thomas Edison", as he says. The film breaks again. This time, Father Mulcahy tickles the ivories with an Army classic: "Gee, Ma, I Wanna Go Home." The next 2 film breaks bring impersonations of Father Mulcahy and a solo performance by Hotlips. The I Corps driver decides to stay and join the fun. The 4077th is nearly as full of action as Tombstone, so they act out the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in sync with the movie. Only a transport full of wounded soldiers brings the fun-loving crew back to reality and the O.R. But now, instead of bickering, the staff burst into a rendition of "My Darling Clementine" as they operate.—LA-Lawyer / edited by Hans Delbruck

There has never been such bickering at the 4077...even Hawkeye and BJ snipe at one another! Father Mulcahy was in Seoul for some R&R and he returns to the 4077th with some mail and also obtains Colonel Potter's favorite 1946 John Ford classic western, "My Darling Clementine" for 4077 movie night. Hawkeye doesn't like the taste of BJ's pie that Peggy sent him in the mail. BJ insults the shirt that Hawkeye got for him from Seoul. One sleeve is longer than the other. Hawkeye and BJ are checking the surgical equipment under Frank's supervision (and he keeps asking them to recheck all the equipment, which irritates them), and the nurses are checking the trays under Margaret. Klinger is going bonkers as everyone keeps walking over his clean floors.

Everyone, from Private to Major, has gone "plumb loco," from all of the hard work and Col. Potter is ecstatic to be able to screen this movie for his crew. Potter believes that the movie will bring the tempers under control in the unit. Four of the nurses are invited to dinner by Gen. Armistead at "I" Corp: wine, tablecloths, pilots... a car is being sent to pick them up for dinner. The nurses are happy to leave as they are tired of the place and tired of seeing the same people all the time.

Frank asks Houlihan to sit with him at the movies that night, as a friend. Houlihan accepts. The tension in the mess tent at dinner is palpable. No one is talking to anyone else. Its upto to the movie to improve the morale of the unit.

The film is full of splices and keeps going "kerflooey" so Potter encourages the group to sing "Tennessee Waltz" while Klinger tries to fix the film. But, Klinger is neither Mr. nor Mrs. Thomas Edison...the film breaks again (this time the projector's bulb blows out). This time, Father Mulcahy pounds the ivories (he brought in the piano from the officer's club) with an Army classic: "Gee, Ma, I Wanna Go Home." At this point the nurses figure that their unit is having more fun and decide to drop in till the driver arrives to pick them up. The next 2 film breaks bring impersonations of Father Mulcahy by everyone. Radar does imitations of movie starts including John Wayne & Jack Benny... and a solo by Hotlips (she continues to sing even after the projector has been fixed). The "I" Corp driver decides to stay and join the fun (The nurses didn't want to go. He says he got a flat tire, as a reason for not showing up with the 4 nurses). The 4077 is nearly as full of action as Tombstone; they act out the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in sync with the movie.

Only a transport full of wounded soldiers brings the fun-loving crew back to Earth and the O.R. The entire unit is back in action. But, now, instead of bickering, they are singing... "Oh, My Darling Clementine."