M*A*S*H

Three Korean War Army surgeons operate inside a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital where the chaos of the front lines tests their ethics and their nerves. Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John McIntyre, and Duke Forrest bring remarkable skill to the operating room, but they cope with the horror of war through improvisation, pranks, and irreverent humor. Their antics delight some and infuriate others, especially regimented colleagues and meddling administrators who want discipline and order. Supported by Sally Kellerman as a sharp witted nurse and Robert Duvall as a pious yet strict Major Burns, the film blends sharp wit with the grim realities of combat.

Robert Altman directed MASH, adapting Richard Hooker's novel with a screenplay by Ring Lardner Jr and Mike Altman. Released in 1970, the film stars Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt, Sally Kellerman and Robert Duvall.

With a budget of 3.5 million dollars, the film grossed about 81.6 million worldwide, turning MASH into a major box office success and helping cement Robert Altman's reputation as a daring director.

MASH helped redefine the war movie by mixing raw comedy with bleak realism and a freewheeling ensemble style. Altman's overlapping dialogue and handheld energy influenced later films and TV satire, while the movie's anti war stance stays a touchstone in cinema history.

Critics welcomed the blend of satire and pathos, praising its bold, irreverent voice and its critique of military bureaucracy. The film explores camaraderie under pressure, moral ambiguity, and the cost of war, using humor to expose hard truths without preaching.