MASH

"All right Bub, your fuckin' head is comin' right off."  A darkly funny film that is just as relevant today as it was upon its release 40 years ago, MASH is about the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit in the Korean War (1950-1953) and the wacky exploits of its personnel, primarily Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce (Donald Sutherland), Captain "Duke" Forrest (Tom Skerritt), and Captain "Trapper" John McIntyre (Elliott Gould), surgeons all.  Other bizarre characters include Major Frank Burns (Robert Duvall), a religious nut and surgeon who is often the target of pranks performed by Hawkeye, Duke, and Trapper John; Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake (Roger Bowen), the absent-minded commanding officer of the 4077th who either overlooks or (sometimes) actively participates in said pranks; Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Sally Kellerman), the unit's chief nurse/mistress of Frank Burns/target of even more pranks; Corporal "Radar" O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff), Blake's trusty aide who probably has ESP (hence his nickname); and many, many others.
This was the first major film directed by Robert Altman, and was a major critical and commercial success upon release, winning an Academy Award for its screenplay.   MASH has often been cited as the first movie EVER to use the word "fuck" in its dialog (due to the improvisational nature of the film), although this is not true (at least two films, both from 1967, used the word, as did a children's cartoon known as Bosko's Picture Show, in 1933), although MASH undoubtedly established the word as acceptable for use in mainstream pictures (as seen by its use in other films released that year, and in the year after).  More importantly, MASH spun off an extremely successful television series which aired from 1972-1983 (with a series finale that drew more viewers than any other television event that was not a Super Bowl).
MASH is available in two versions: the original theatrical release (which is rated "R," and can be found on all current DVD and BluRay releases of the movie), and a theatrical rerelease (which removes some nudity, gore, and profanity, and is rated "PG;" however, this version is only available on a few older videotapes and laserdiscs).  Go out and rent this film; you will not be disappointed.

Rating: 100/100