Dana and Tom with returning guest, Adam Vanderwerff, discuss M*A*S*H (1970): directed by Robert Altman, written by Ring Lardner, Jr., music by Johnny Mandel, starring Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt, and Robert Duvall.

Plot Summary: M*A*S*H is a sharp, irreverent satire that reimagines the war film as a chaotic and darkly comedic theater of absurdity. Set in a mobile army surgical hospital during the Korean War, the film follows the misadventures of surgeons Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland) and Trapper John McIntyre (Elliott Gould), whose antics clash with the rigid military hierarchy.

The film's freewheeling ensemble style captures the camaraderie and anarchy of a unit forced to find humor amidst the horrors of war. With its anti-authoritarian ethos and whip-smart dialogue, the film critiques the machinery of war and conformity without sermonizing. The overlapping conversations, naturalistic performances, and subversive tone make M*A*S*H both a product of its era and a timeless commentary on the absurdities of human conflict.

Guest:

Adam Vanderwerff (Duncan Disability Law)

• Previous Episodes: Office Space (1999), Ghostbusters (1984)

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to MASH and Its Legacy

03:56 Relationship(s) with M*A*S*H

08:02 What is M*A*S*H About?

12:42 Cultural Impact of M*A*S*H

18:57 Impact of First F-Bomb in Cinema History?

21:09 Plot Summary for M*A*S*H

22:22 Did You Know?

24:51 First Break

26:22 Best Performance(s)

32:50 Best/Favorite/Indelible Scene(s)

38:43 Second Break

39:53 In Memoriam

42:08 Best/Funniest Lines

43:47 The Stanley Rubric - Legacy

48:19 The Stanley Rubric - Impact/Significance

49:01 The Stanley Rubric - Novelty

52:57 The Stanley Rubric - Classicness

58:57 The Stanley Rubric - Rewatchability

01:01:59 The Stanley Rubric - Audience Score and Final Total

01:03:12 Remaining Questions for M*A*S*H

01:10:45 Thank You to Our Guest and Final Thoughts

01:15:42 Credits

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Keywords:

MASH, film analysis, cultural impact, legacy, comedy, war film, character performances, podcast, movie review, Donald Sutherland, Robert Altman, Robert Duvall, Elliot Gould, Tom Skeritt

Ronny Duncan Studios