M*A*S*H (1970)

Set against the grim backdrop of the Korean War, M*A*S*H (1970) plunges viewers into the chaotic world of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH). Directed by Richard Altman and based on the richly textured novels of Richard Hooker, the film follows the lives and exploits of the hospital's unorthodox occupants. At the heart of the narrative are three irreverent surgeons - Captains 'Hawkeye' Pierce, 'Duke' Forrest, and 'Trapper' John McIntyre. Their arrival at the MASH sets the tone for a landscape of mirth amidst mayhem. Unconventional and irrepressibly non-regulation, their antics ruffle feathers, particularly those of their by-the-book peers, Major Frank Burns and the newly arrived head nurse, Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan. Under the indulgent eye of their commanding officer, Colonel Henry Blake, who values results over regulations, the trio navigates the stresses of surgery and the horrors of war with a blend of audacity and skill. Through a series of misadventures, they assist the unit's dentist Painless with a personal crisis, journey to Japan for a mix of work and recreation, and place a high-stakes football bet against another unit. However, their antics are more than just comic relief. They serve as a coping mechanism, a wild counterbalance to the grim realities of their surroundings. The film's unique blend of humor and horror, levity and gravity, paints an authentic picture of the characters as depicted in Hooker's novels, setting the stage for the later popular television series. M*A*S*H (1970), with its motley crew of characters and their unconventional antics, offers a darkly humorous and poignant exploration of war's absurdity, as seen through the lens of those tasked with stitching its victims back together.

M*A*S*H is a comedy movie featuring Donald Sutherland.

It is possible to buy M*A*S*H on AMC on Demand, Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Vudu and YouTube or rent it on Spectrum On Demand.