M*A*S*H ★★★★ 1970 (R) Hilarious, irreverent, and well-cast black comedy about a group of surgeons and nurses at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea. The horror of war is set in counterpoint to their need to create havoc with episodic late-night parties, practical jokes, and sexual antics. An all-out anti-war festival, highlighted by scenes that starkly uncover the chaos and irony of war, and establish Altman's influential style. Watch for real-life football players Fran Tarkenton, Ben Davidson, and Buck Buchanan in the game. Loosely adapted from the novel by the pseudonymous Richard Hooker (Dr. H. Richard Hornberger and William Heinz). Subsequent hit TV series moved even further from the source novel. 116m/C VHS, DVD, Wide. Franz Gottlieb, Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt, Sally Kellerman, JoAnn Pflug, Robert Duvall, Rene Auberjonois, Roger Bowen, Gary Burghoff, Fred Williamson, John Schuck, Bud Cort, G(eorge) Wood, David Arkin, Michael Murphy, Indus Arthur, Ken Prymus, Bobby Troup, Kim Atwood, Timothy Brown;
Director:
Robert Altman;
Writer:
Ring Lardner Jr.;
Writer:
Harold E. Stine;
Cameo:
Johnny Mandel; V: Sal Viscuso. Oscars '70: Adapt. Screenplay; AFI '98: Top 100; Cannes '70: Film; Golden Globes '71: Film—Mus./Comedy, Natl. Film Reg. '96;; Natl. Soc. Film Critics '70: Film; Writers Guild '70: Adapt. Screenplay.
