M.A.S.H. (Robert Altman, 20th Century Fox, 1970)

Right away you realize that M.A.S.H. (Robert Altman, 20th Century Fox, 1970) is both a very different war film and a unique film regardless of genre. Released at the height of the Vietnam War the film mocks military institutions as well as other conventional social institutions such as marriage and religion. The film also turns the conventions of the war film genre on its head with graphic and different portrayals of wartime action. Finally Altman makes use of tremendously creative and effective techniques in the areas of sound design all of which help lend the film a unique way of viewing the film and interpreting its meanings. There are not many social conventions bigger than marriage, religion and the military. Classical Hollywood cinema (post Hays office code) effectively settled American audiences within moral parameters according to their depictions of social conventions of the era. By the 1960's and the Modernist period of filmmaking these conventions were quickly being turned upside down and M.A.S.H. destroys the conventions established for marriage, religion and military in earlier filmmaking periods. The sanctity of marriage is questioned and for the first time on film there are no narrative recriminations against those that commit adultery. Both religion and marriage are mocked as inept, out of place and behind the times. Examples abound in the destruction of all three. As soon as Hawkeye (Donald Sutherland) and Duke (Tom Skerritt) arrive at the 4077th they attack the nurses with tremendous enthusiasm. Both married, they quickly are attracted to Lt. Dish (Jo Ann Pflug) and although Hawkeye quickly notices she is married almost as soon is carrying on an affair with her. Everyone is in on the adultery, even their commander Colonel Blake (Roger Bowen), showing that adultery occurs amongst all levels of society. Finally even the pious are guilty of sin as even Hot Lips Houlihan (Sally Kellerman) and Frank Burns (Robert Duvall) immediately become involved with each other. The sanctity of marriage is meaningless and adultery is widespread to everyone involved at the camp. Everyone at the camp also successfully mocks both institutions of marriage and religion. Religion is marked as out of place and behind the times. As Father Mulcahy (Rene Auberjonois) stumbles into the O.R. and fumbles his way around the sacrament as well as the room he makes religion look inept. Later, the men mock the symbology of religion when during Painless (John Schuck) suicide they are arranged just as Christ and the Disciples are in the Last Supper. The symbology of the military is brought into question at various times with the continual mocking of the salute and the respect accorded the use of rank. Those "regular Army clowns" as Hawkeye calls Hot Lips, all salute while Hawkeye insists no one use his rank but call him by his name. There are instances throughout the film giving this depiction of military institutions. The film also gives a depiction of war never seen before in films. Unlike previous war films there is not one battle scene in the film. Not depicting the horrors of battle lend the film a pacifists tilt. It shows war as inhumane and brutal without showing one shot fired. And how does it do this? With graphic displays of blood and surgery in the O.R.'s of the 4077th. Blood is everywhere and the surgeons portrayals are effective enough for audiences to buy into the realism the film is portraying. This graphic display was prominent to films turning their respective genres on its head, films such as BONNIE AND CLYDE (Arthur Penn, Warner Bros., 1967) and THE WILD BUNCH (Sam Peckinpah, Warner Bros., 1969) having already accomplished this for gangster and western genres. Finally director Robert Altman and his work with sound design is absolutely amazing. Throughout the film he uses cluttered dialogue with multiple characters talking at once. This forces the audience to focus on the images and de-emphasizes dialogue as a narrative tool. Often times the camera remains on action while the dialogue to the film concerns something entirely meaningless to the image. Here I feel Altman wants to force his viewer to again pay more attention to the image. The use of song in soundtrack and within the narrative are also key. Oftentimes through the film he chooses non American, Asian songs for the American military camps. He uses the title song for the film during the Last Supper/suicide sequence with one of his characters singing the song. Finally he allows the film a self reflexive quality when he warps sound and slows it down as Frank and Hot Lips realize they are being listened too. All of the uses of sound are innovative for the time of the film and help give the film it's unique and remarkable feel. My parents had me watch this film as a kid and I loved it then almost as much as I love it now. Like other films of the period, my favorite period of filmmaking, it turns genre upside down, exploding myths and conventions of the genre as well as filmmaking. A truly remarkable work, one I intend to watch prior to making any film.