Mash
Cast
Donald Sutherland as Captain Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce
Elliott Gould as Captain John Francis Xavier 'Trapper John' McIntyre
Tom Skerritt as Captain Augustus Bedford 'Duke' Forrest
Sally Kellerman as Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' O'Houlihan
Robert Duvall as Major Frank Burns
Directed by
Robert Altman
Rater #2 has description and Review
Rater #1
Has not seen movie
Rater #2
7/10. Please note: I saw this movie in pieces, so my review might have been
different if I saw it all in one piece.
M*A*S*H is one of the most popular/successful T.V. shows of all time.
And most people know that there was a T.V. show, but, surprisingly
enough, not as many have heard about the movie.
Directed by Robert "Gosford Park" Altman, it begins with all the
characters coming to the 4077th (I think) MASH unit (Mobile Army
Surgical Hospital) during the Korean War. Some characters include
Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland), Trapper John (Elliot Gould), Duke
(Tom Skerritt), and the foxy Hot Lips (Sally Kellerman). There really
isn't a plot here, except for those zany escapades that the soldieres
endure.
First things first, I'm not a big fan of ensamble comedies (or
ensamble movies in general). Gosford Park was a disaster (in my
opinion). The characters are usually too hard to keep track of.
However, MASH gives us time to get used to the characters and get to
know them a little. It goes by rather speedily, which is thankful. I
don't think I (or anyone) could have endured a 150 minute comma
(comedy-drama) about the Korean war. Which brings me to my next point.
Despite it being very entertaining, it didn't make me laugh that
much. A few chuckles, some snorts, but nothing very sustaining. The
lead players seemed to believe that they were the characters, and so
did I. If I was drafted, I would have liked to work with these fine
people; they would make the time fly by.
On the other hand, Hot Lips was somewhat of a problem. She was
opposed to football, but then she was a cheerleader in the climatic
game? Doesn't seem right. The football game seemed to be filler; what
was so important about winning (besides satisfaction and $5,000).
Well, it does seem important, but they got too excited, it seemed.
All in all, it's a very fun two hours. Unfourtunately, it's more fun
than funny.
Rated R for some sexual content.
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