Thanks, Amber for putting up this board. All fans and foes of the "MASH" movie (no asterisks were in the main title) put your thoughts up here. This is one of the few films from the highly overrated director Robert Altman that I unequivocally love. The pranks were wilder, the blood flowed more freely and the movie used the looser standards of movies to make its point. The theme song's lyrics were heard over the main title; a beautifully haunting number titled "Suicide is Painless." The football game is one of the best on film. The casting was marvelous. A lot of current names (including Trek's Rene Auberjoinois and John Schuck) got their start in this film. That is all.

You'll recall that in the movie, Ho-Jon got drafted by the South Korean Army. You may not know his fate. There's a scene in the movie, I think it's after the football game, where the Swampmen, Radar, Painless and Hot Lips are gathered in The Swamp. They're drinking, maybe playing poker. The mood is somber. In the background is a jeep with a body covered by a white sheet. As it takes off the occupants of The Swamp sadly watch it drive off. There's a scene cut from the movie; the body on the jeep is Ho-Jon.

Incidentally it's been said that characters in the movie would've chewed up and spit out their counterparts in the TV series.

I like the movie. On its own terms. They're (movie and series) are obviously completely different. But each has its own charm. I enjoy both equally well.

I believe that Robert Altman never liked the TV series. The movie "MASH" is one of his proudest achievements.
How do you know about the cut scene? Is this film on DVD, with lots of extras? (hopefully)

The movie has yet to be released on DVD. (Assorted cusswords issue forth.)

My source for the scene cut is Bill Givens' book, Film Flubs (p. 46). His source is film reviewer, Nat Segaloff.

I wonder if there was more edited over time. "MASH" was released with an "R" rating, but in its 1974 re-release was given a "PG". I think when the premium cable channels (namely Cinemax) ran it, they ran the "R" version.

Bill Givens, citing Nat Segaloff, says there are "a number of confusing edits" in the film. In addition to what I mentioned about Ho-Jon, there's one concerning Hot Lips' arrival. Altman changed her time of arrival in the film; brought her in earlier, so that when she's getting out of the chopper, you can see Lt. Dish in it, leaving after her... um, "nursing" Painless "back to health", shall we say. Of course, Dish does not leave until later in the film.

Also, in an early OR segment, which shows the feet of the surgeons, you can hear Trapper talking, though he's not introduced into the picture for another ten minutes!

What's different between the PG and the R versions?

The movie meanders around a bit too much for me--I know that's the point, but I didn't grow to like any of the characters until the end football game (easily the best scene in the film). And a lot of the movie is merely dumb humor that wouldn't be out of place in "Animal House" or "Porky's," which is praised as "hip" for some reason.

It does have good performances, though. Gould, Kellerman, the guy playing Blake, and Duvall are equally as good as the TV counterparts, with Sutherland not quite right as Hawkeye for some reason.

Well, gang, circle January 8th, 2002 on your calendars. That's when M*A*S*H, the movie, is currently scheduled to be released on DVD. No word yet on what special features it'll have, though.

Actually the disc specs are announced a few weeks ago.
---------------
This 2-disc set includes a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, English 2.0 stereo and English and French mono tracks, audio commentary with Robert Altman, "AMC Backstory," "The Story of M*A*S*H," "M*A*S*H: History Through the Lens," and "M*A*S*H Reunion" featurettes, a film restoration demo, still gallery, trailers and an easter egg. Retail is $29.95.

I found out about the disc on Best Buy's website, which did not give any details about the disc's specs. Thanks for info, supercool.

Is it really still an easter egg if they advertise it as such?

Anyway, this seems to be better than I had hoped: two discs, commentary and a documentary. Let's hope it's as good as it sounds.

I just got the DVD. It is quite good. I haven't finished looking at all the special features. One thing that got my attention. As Adam mentioned above, Robert Altman never like the TV series. While he is entitled to his opinion, I'm not sure he ever actually watched it. The reason he gives on the commentary is that he thought the series perpetuated Asians as being "the enemy." I couldn't agree less. The series went out of its way to bash racism, sometimes to the point of being preachy. Was he watching the same show I was?

By the way, the first season of the TV series is also out on DVD. I recommend that as well.

I watched a "Hollywood vs History" (or vice versa) segment on the History channel the other night that covered MASH.

Apparently the censors wanted to cut down on the bloodiness of the hospital scenes and the director basically said that that would throw away the whole movie.

They noted that in the movie, Ho Jon (Which is NOT a Korean name, by the way) was really the only Korean at the MASH. In reality, MASHes were swarming with South Korean assistants.

A former MASH doctor commented that the doctors could basically get away with things that would earn anyone else months or years in the stockade, because they were so desperately needed.

He also said that no one would dream of messing around with the head nurse--she was too important.

Not too long ago (before Larry Linville died, as he attended the ceremony) the very last MASH was formally disbanded. I wonder if they'll bring them back?

Ho Jon (Which is NOT a Korean name, by the way)

Actually it is, it's just Romanized in a funny way (probably a typo of the former Romanization system, which would have been rendered "HoJoon") and therefore pronounced in a very unKorean way. It should be pronounced like "Ho-June."

Call the History Channel and let them know.

The Internet Movie Database says that the PG version is 4 minutes shorter than the R. That seems like more than I recall. The PG had an instrumental version of the theme song over the opening credits, the R rated had the song sung. Also, I think, the intercutting of the events at MASH during the opening credits were rearranged.
When Ho Jon was given a magazine with pictures to help him learn to read, the R version included a shot over his shoulder to show he was looking at a magazine of topless Asian women. The PG version cut out that shot, leaving the viewer to infer what the magazine is only from the dialogue.
Early in the football game, one player says (something like), "Here's where your @#$#in' head comes right off!" The PG version cut out the offending word. If you have the video watch the head of the speaking player ... it jumps where several frames have been removed. At least it did on the (PG) RCA CED videodisc from the early 80's.

I believe that Robert Altman never liked the TV series.

That is true. On the recently released DVD he talks trash about the series a few times.

The movie "MASH" is one of his proudest achievements.

Ironicly many today consider the TV series to have aged better than the movie, which some have called horrably dated.

When a film credit read "Directed by Robert Altman," I usually ran the other way. As I said before, he is highly overrated, and his films usually tank at the box office. "California Split," his 1974 gambling pic starring George Segal and Elliott Gould, stank big time, and I thought "The Player" was a bit long and very boring. I have never heard anyone call the movie "MASH" dated, and I believe it still holds up, over 30 years later.

BTW it was Roger Bowen that played Col. Blake in the movie.

Finally! I've gotten the DVD. Here are my nits and other assorted commentaries:

First of all, how does Hawkeye know where the 4077th is? He seems to drive the jeep he and Duke are in directly to the camp. Yet, as far as I can tell, Pierce is newly arrived to Korea.

By the way, the only time you'll see Pierce wear his Captain bars in the film is when he walks out of the latrine before getting to the jeep going to the 4077th.

When Pierce and Forrest first arrive at the 4077th, they enter the Mess Tent and start to get some food. In the background you see Henry with a couple of other people. One of them is a Captain Murrhardt. Listen to the announcement that plays while this scene is going on. It's an announcement for Murrhardt to report to the "Commanding Officer...the office of the Commanding Officer." Why? Colonel Blake is sitting next to Murrhardt. I suppose there may another reason for Murrhardt to report to the C.O.'s office, yet the Captain fails to leave the Mess Tent.

In the novel, it is explained why Pierce and Forrest think the 4077th needs "a chest cutter". Neither surgeons are well versed in that area and almost botch operations involving the chest. This explanation is omitted from the film.

Why don't Hawkeye and Duke know Trapper's name? Surely they could have asked Henry, or even Radar. Yet, they seem to spend a considerable amount of time not knowing who the new guy is or where he's from.

The sequence where Hot Lips arrives at the 4077th is out of place apparently. I suspect Altman re-edited the film. When Henry, Father Mulcahy, Murrhardt and Vollmer wait for Hot Lips to arrive by chopper, look in the jeep. You'll see Lt. Dish in her Class A unform with the zombie look she acquired after spending the night with Painless. Note that Dish does not reappear in the film until after Frank Burns is discharged. I think originally the scenes with the Painless Pole and his suicide attempt were supposed to happen before Hot Lips enters the scene. (Note that neither Burns or Hot Lips appear in the Painless Pole sequences either.)

When entering the OR, Henry introduces Hot Lips as "Major O' Houlihan." General Hammond will also later call her "O'Houlihan." However, for most of the movie, she's "Major Houlihan."

I think it's interesting that Hot Lips signed the note to General Hammond as "Margaret J. Houlihan." However, she typed Frank Burns' name as "Major Burns."

Much has been made of the fact that Gary Burghoff and G Wood are the only two actors to reprise their movie roles on the TV series. However, one of the other actors from the film also made the transition to the series. During the broadcast of Hot Lips and Major Burns' rendezvous, look carefully at the guy sitting next to Trapper in the P.A. room. That's Tim Brown. He would later take on the role of "Speakchucker Jones" in the M*A*S*H TV series.

Why do Hawkeye and Trapper look so disgusted when Frank Burns is being driven out of camp? Is there a scene missing?

The commentary track on the DVD is off. Maybe. At any rate, Robert Altman starts talking about scenes well before they happen. It gets very annoying.

On the commentary track (and on some of the documentaries), Altman boasts that except for the title cards that appear when we first see Hawkeye, the movie had all references to "Korea" removed. This was done to encourage the audience to think the film is about the Vietnam War. However, Altman is wrong. When Hawkeye is asking Frank about how good Hot Lips is in bed, Duke and Trapper are watching. Duke asks Trapper if Hawkeye's trying to get some pointers. Trapper responds, "No. Hawkeye'sd gonna sign him up to make a personal appearance tour of all the camps in Korea." Later, in the scene where Hawkeye and Trapper are operating on the North Korean (and need more A negative blood), Trapper mentions that the blood has yet to come in from Seoul. Then the chopper pilot who sent to get Trapper to operate on the Congressman's son is from Seoul. And finally, in Colonel Merrill's office, a radio announcer reports that "The Korean War has been voted the top story of 1951."

Please note, that according to the credits, there is no star of M*A*S*H. Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould and Tom Skerrit are all listed as "co-starring".

As I've noted many times before, in the series, the 4077th usually has no more than 4 surgeons assigned to it. Occasionally, there are five. But more often than not, there are four. In the movie it's a different story. There's an average of about 6 doctors assigned to the 4077th. In all, we see nine surgeons assigned to the camp. They are Captain Murrhardt, Colonel Blake, Captain Bandini, Major Burns, Captain Pierce, Captain Forrest, Captain McIntyre, Captain Jones and Captain Sachs. (Sachs was played by David Sachs, the film's medical advisor.)

In the M*A*S*H ep, "Officer's Only", we see the 4077th get an Officer's Club. In the movie, it already has one. But instead of being a prefab, it's a tent. It also has a pool table. (Hawkeye and Dish are making out on it when Trapper arrives.)

The movie 4077th also a barber tent. Vollmer is coming out of it when Duke and Hawkeye are escorted to the Swamp for the first time.

The P.A. announcements, are for the most part read by David Arkin, who played Staff Sgt. Vollmer. Vollmer also mans the switchboard. In the series, that would be Radar's job.

The radio announcement we hear when the chopper arrives to take Trapper and Hawkeye to Kokura, Japan was read by Ted Baxter, er, Ted Knight. (I guess it really didn't start with a 400 watt station in Fresno.) (Mary Tyler Moore Show fans might get that reference. And I may have the number wrong.)

The Post Op in the movie is more cramped, it seems, than the one in the series. So is OR.

All the songs heard playing over the P.A. will be used in the first season of the TV show, btw.

During Hot Lips' "This isn't a hospital. It's an insane asylum" rant, to her right (the left side of the screen) you'll see a small circular mirror. However the camera cuts to Henry and Leslie in bed, then back to Hot Lips. The mirror is missing. If Hot Lips knocked it down, she didn't disturb the object(s) in front of the mirror. Nor does she appear to have touched the mirror. And there is no sound effect to indicate it fell. So I'd say it's a continuity gaffe.

On the other hand... When Painless steps into his coffin, notice that Walt removes a wad of gum from his mouth before taking the "black capsule". He sets the gum on the edge of the coffin. It remains there throughout the rest of the sequence. By the way, Ho Jon's gift to Painless is the Playboy magazine that Duke gave the Korean houseboy earlier in the film.

So Hawkeye and Trapper John take the Japanese-American boy to the Army hospital to be operated on. Is there a reason they can't operate on him where they got him? A mean, yeah, it was a whorehouse, but it was also a hospital. (The novel explains that the whorehouse/hospital facilities were too inadequate to handle the case. The movie offers no such explanation.)

By the way, just when were the pictures of Colonel Merrill taken? Before or after the operation? It sounded like "the Pros from Dover" wanted to operate on the baby immediately. But if they took the pictures after, that means the Colonel would have to have been unconscious for a couple of hours at least.

General Hammond's football team has three or four professional players on it. The 4077th has one - Spearchucker. Would Spearchucker really make that big a difference in the game? Especially if the 4077th's players weren't that good.

The 325th Evac player who called 69 a "coon", is Number 88. He's the same player who spit on Radar in the locker room at the half.

Let me get this straight. A gun is fired off during the game. Hot Lips mistakenly believes a player's been shot. Henry tells her it means it's the end of the quarter. Uh, this happens after the half. That means it's the third quarter. Which means Hot Lips should have heard the gunfire twice before, marking off each of the first quarters. I suspect that scene was edited out of sequence and should play earlier in the game.

According to a Robert Altman retrospective (or kiss-up, IMHO) that occasionally runs on the Fox Movie Channel, his son Michael wrote the lyrics to the M*A*S*H theme. Mike Altman was 14 at the time.
Much of the movie's dialog was improvised by the actors, to the disdain of Ring Lardner Jr., who wrote the screenplay. However, Mr. Lardner took home the Oscar that year for "Best Adapted Screenplay." It was also nominated for best film editing (for its editor, Danford B. Greene), although the many editing nits listed above make me ask why.

In the scene where Hawkeye and Duke walk in on Frank while he's praying, the scene ends with the captains leading the camp in a rousing rendition of "Onward Christian Soldiers". As they start singing, the camera is in a close up of Major Burns. In his hands is a Bible. However, when the camera pulls back, the Bible is gone, and Frank's hands are in a more prayerful position.

NANJAO: During the funeral procession for Painless, Duke, Trapper John and Hawkeye are the only three who do not speak to him. Duke says, "Mm, Mm." Trapper says nothing and Hawkeye whistles.

Unlike in the series, several of the nurse hold the rank of captain. In the series, the highest ranking nurses, aside from Margaret, were Lts.

When talking to Hammond about football, Hawkeye notes that Hot Lips is so military, she won't even let them play football. Yet, she later seems to have no problem with the idea of the camp playing the game. Matter of fact, she's the head cheerleader.

Actually, there's a very good reason why Hot Lips should oppose the game. The camp's surgeons are playing. Given how violent and dangerous a sport football is, Blake was running a big risk that none of his doctors will end up with a broken limb, or digit, or other career (surgeon) ending injury.

Hammond's team, the 325^th Evac, was composed of some pro players. Presumably they were assigned to the 325^th. If not, then Hammond was cheating. If so, what exactly were their duties at the 325^th?

This isn't necessarily a nit, but please note that the scoreboard reads 325^th one side, MASH on the other. Why isn't the unit number of the MASH unit given?

It's interesting to note that the 4077^th's team couldn't have been that bad a team. For the entire second quarter of the game, they held the 325^th to a score of 16-0. This despite the fact that the 325^th had two or three Pro-Players on it, aside from "Super Bug" (#1).

What exactly was Spearchucker's position on the team that he could make such a crucial difference? I mean, apparently Spearchucker is so good that he counterbalances and outperforms the ringers on Hammond's team. I tend to doubt that.

Look carefully at the top of the screen at the end of the game. Specifically, the scene where Vollmer (#24) is in the end zone with his arms in the air. You can just make out that a car or two driving by at the top of the screen.

"Godd4mn Army."

Oh, a bit of trivia: Despite being a war film, there are only three gunshots heard in the film - and all three are heard during the football game.

"That is all."

When talking to Hammond about football, Hawkeye notes that Hot Lips is so military, she won't even let them play football. Yet, she later seems to have no problem with the idea of the camp playing the game. Matter of fact, she's the head cheerleader.

Becasue it was blessed by Hammond. If the General says it's OK, Hot Lips will think it's OK.

Yeah, that's kind of what I figured. But still, it was something I felt compelled to mention.

"Sixty-nine is divine!"

I have a copy of Lardner's MASH script.

To say that the actors AD-LIBBED their dialogue is somewhat misleading. Some of the dialogue is made up on the spot (on set), but most of the time what they actually did was more akin to tweaking and rearranging and adding to what Ring Lardner wrote, not true off-the-cuff AD-LIBBING.

Lardner is famous for bitching that not a single word of what he wrote made it to the screen. This is way overboard. Most of what he wrote is there, just slightly altered. Some is word-for-word.

Sir Rhosis

Ummm, just exactly where did you get this copy of Lardner's script? . I'd like to read it myself.

"Attention! Tonight's movie has been..."

I bought it several years ago, it is in a red binding, part of a series called "Premiere" Something-the-other (they did the Trek movie scripts as well).

The script is online, however, the spacing and formatting are all screwed up in the online version. But if you want to plow through it, just type "MASH script Lardner" into Google and it will show up on the first few pages, iirc.

Sir Rhosis

Actually, just Google on "MASH screenplay" and it will be the second item down.

Sir Rhosis

Got it! Thanks Sir Rhosis!

"Suicide is painless/It brings on many changes."

Stop back by and let me know if you agree or disagree once you've read it.

Sir Rhosis

Oh yeah. I will. I have started reading it. I've gotten as far as Duke and Hawkeye arriving at the 4077^th. So far, the script has tended to follow the novel more than anything else. And it does explain one line that's bothered me in the film. As the introductions are being made, Hawkeye (or was it Duke?) says they've been drinking. Henry responds, "Good. You've been working close to the front." That line has never made sense to me until now. I now know that Henry has been reading Pierce's and Forrest's papers, which apparently states that they've been operating near the front. This indicates that Hawk and Duke have been in Korea longer than I thought. (I don't think that either doctor had done any time in the service prior to their arrival at the MASH unit in the novel.)

"This isn't a hospital! It's an insane asylum!"

Okay, I've finally taken time out to read the script. And you're right Sir Rhosis, much of Lardner's words actually do appear in the final film. The script seems to hue closer to Hooker's novel than the movie itself does. In some ways, the script is less episodic than the actual movie. Much of the relationship between Hawkeye and Lt. Dish, for instance, is fleshed out. There's more of a continuity that the film tends to lack. It's also funnier, I thought, in places. The filmed version of the football game, though, is superior, to me, over what Ring Lardner wrote.

Two further points - I mentioned that after the football game, the gang is playing poker in the Swamp and a corpse is loaded onto a jeep. Hawkeye and Trapper John watch with sadness. I said that was because the dead man was Ho-Jon. The script bears that out. It is indeed Ho-Jon. The problem is that the script says Ho-Jon was operated on in the summer and died in November. How'd they keep a soldier in the South Korean Army at the MASH unit for so many months? Typically, the doctors would patch Ho-Jon up and send him to the an Evac hospital or to Seoul for further recovery. Why was he still at the 4077^th?

The other thing that I reported was that Hot Lips appeared in the movie earlier than originally planned. She was supposed to show up after the Painless Pole tries to commit suicide, not before. The script also confirms this.

Still, overall, I enjoyed reading the script. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

"No. No booze. Sex. I want sex."

Benn, glad you enjoyed the script, and am glad I'm not alone in saying that Lardner was just being overly bitchy.

Re: the football game. Except for the "My God, they've shot him"/"Hot Lips, you incredible nincompoop..." bit, I hate the football game, and find it a terrible third act for the movie. I didn't like the football game in the book, didn't even read that part of the script word-for-word, and didn't like it as filmed.

Just MHO.

I can recall seeing the movie and first few eps of the series as a kid and not knowing that "Spearchucker" was a racist name...

Sir Rhosis

Actually, my favorite part of the game was where Judson (played by Timothy Brown, who would play Spearchucker in the series), was called a "coon" by one of the 325^th's player. Speakchucker advised Judson to use the same tactic against the player (#88). Judson, while the teams are lined up, says something to number 88 that has the 325^th player chasing Judson up the field. I laugh every time I see it.

I wonder, though, how many other scenes were shot (like one explaining that Ho-Jon did die at the 4077^th), but were cut from the film? Too bad the DVD didn't have a deleted scenes feature.

"Ever since the dark days before Pearl Harbor..." (Why were the days before Pearl Harbor dark?)

He calls 88's sister a (woman of ill repute) or something along those lines.

Sir Rhosis

Hmm, will it allow Ho? Let's see...

Duh, of course it will, we've typed Ho-Jon plenty of times.

Sir Rhosis

I think the beauty and power of that scene lies in the fact that we don't know what Judson said to 88. We're left to imagine the words ourselves. I mean, I'd like to know, but I enjoy the mystery even more.

Colonel, fair's fair. If I punch Hawkeye and nail Hot Lips, can I go home, too?"

^^^Didn't Spearchucker specifically tell him what to say to 88 about his (88's) loose-morals sister, or was that just in the book, or just in the script, but not the film?

I recall him saying something about 88's sister being a bit loose but we didnt hear the exact words of what was said to 88.

What he said was, "No. No the boys in camp used to talk about his sister. Her name was Gladys. Use it." Nothing specifically was said about Gladys' morals. (Thank you closed captioning.)

"Godd4mn perfectionist."

Don't mention it.

Ok. It has been a bit so obviously I did misremember it. Oh well. I think it can be implied about his sister by that too though. Among other things.

You're right, R. It can be inferred from Spearchucker's statement that Gladys might have been a bit of a slut. But the statement is still vague enough to make you wonder. For all we know, all Judson told 88 was, "Yeah, I did your sister." Given what racism was like back then, I can see 88 chasing after Judson for that comment.

"I must be losing my punch. I never expected the son-of-a-b1tch to get up!"

Just reread the book, wish the film had included the scene in the Swamp with Spearchucker, Hawk, Trapper and Duke. Good character stuff.

Sir Rhosis

Again? I've probably read it about 10 times already over the years. Besides, I consider the books, the movie and TV series to have separate continuities. I mean, come on, Ho Jon went to Androscoggins after serving his term in the novel . We are not made aware of that happening in the film. (And if you go by the script, Ho Jon died.) (BTW to which scene in the Swamp do you refer? There were, what? two? Spearchucker arrives. Duke and Hawkeye leave. I think those are the only two scenes in which all four are present.)

"He was drafted."

Spearchucker talks of not having to like all members of all races, even one's own race, points out how he hates people who like him only because he is black--those bits. So, probably when he arrived.

Sir Rhosis

It is. And I do indeed remember that scene.

"Finest kind, Ho Jon."

This movie is completely random, has no consistent plot, and is absolutely impossible to follow. It's the quintessential 70s movie.

I dunno. Personally, Joel, I see M*A*S*H as being more of a product of the Sixties (and thus has more of a Sixties vibe to it) than a Seventies product.

I should note that the novel is equally random and has no consistent plot. But I've never found either film or book to be impossible to follow.

"Finest kind!"

After the last touchdown, look at the top of the screen. You can see quite clearly some cars going by.

I don't know where they would have gotten a football field in 1950s Korea. American football has never been popular here. Of course they could have used a soccer field (I have no idea if the measurements are the same or if it would have mattered to them) but this one had American football goal posts.

And I've always wondered about this: how the heck did Hawkeye know the way to the 4077 in the beginning? (Okay, Benn's already said that one, but it's always bothered me.)

I also made note of the fact that you can see the cars in the background during the football game.

"Godd*mn Army!"

You sure did. Before I wrote that, I did a CRTL-F for 'cars' but should have done it for 'car.' :-)

Finest kind!

Mash the movie is on Amc and Mash the tv series on
on tv land this minute!

Just stumbled upon this discussion, wish I had seen it sooner. I hope someone out there is still reading this. There were many things I noticed in the movie that you (collectively) have mentioned, but one thing that's always bothered me: When Duke and Hawkeye arrive at the 4077th and are shown to their tent, Vollmer comes out of the barber's tent and a woman passes by. Duke attempts to catch her attention while Radar informs Hawkeye of something rather surprising about her. Hawkeye then informs Duke while another woman passes saying , "Hi, fellas" but they are too distracted by the juicy tidbit. What is it? They even refer back to it when Duke says to her, "Is it true what I heard about you?" or something to that effect. (I'm working solely on memory here) Isn't she the one that ends up with Blake, or am I completely wrong?
I haven't read the book yet, I plan to in the very near future.

Yeah, I've always assumed it was because she was either Colonel Blake's girl or a lesbian. More than likely, it's the former, since I'm pretty sure that's her in the Colonel's bed when Hot Lips goes on her "This isn't a hospital, it's an insane asylum" rant.

I once wrote:
I don't know where they would have gotten a football field in 1950s Korea. American football has never been popular here. Of course they could have used a soccer field (I have no idea if the measurements are the same or if it would have mattered to them) but this one had American football goal posts.

Incidentally, the university where I work is one of only a small handful that actually has an American football team (an in a team that plays American football, not a team of Americans playing football obviously). Whether home or visiting, it's played on soccer fields.

The movie has yet to be released on DVD. (Assorted cusswords issue forth.)
Well, in the time since that was posted (3/6/01), I think the movie has come and gone out-of-print on both DVD and Blu-Ray. I checked Amazon yesterday, and both formats are available from third party sellers, not from Amazon directly.

I just bought a big bundle of the movie and the entire tv show for 50% off from Amazon. I already had the movie.

Actually, just Google on "MASH screenplay" and it will be the second item down.

And, here it is. In PDF format.

In rewatching the film, it occurred to me to look when a certain something seen in the movie existed at the time. Turns out Playboy magazine didn't begin appearing on the newstands until October, 1953. You know, a couple of months after the Korean War had ended.

Welcome back Benn!

Turns out Playboy magazine didn't begin appearing on the newstands until October, 1953. You know, a couple of months after the Korean War had ended.

The pitfalls of using the Korean war as a proxy for the Vietnam war.

Few other things: Not only was the cover to the girlie magazine not one used by Playboy, it never would have been used. Playboy, particularly on the '50s, would never have shown any outright nudity on the front covers. Even if the model was naked on the cover, "the good parts" would have been obscured or hidden.

Incidentally, when Hot Lips motions Frank into her tent, if you look carefully in the background, you can see another(?) copy of that issue of Playboy hanging up in her tent. Kinda strange it'd be in her quarters.

In the scene where Hawkeye and Hot Lips are discussing the medical capability of Frank Burns, Hawkeye's eyeglasses appear on his face out of nowhere. One second they're off; the next, they're on.