Overview
In the midst of the Korean War, humor becomes a lifeline for those serving in the chaos of battle.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- irreverent
- sardonic
- witty
- classic film night
- dark comedy marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a brilliantly funny, formally liberated military satire whose manic comedy never fully conceals the horror of war.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Hawkeye, Trapper, and Duke repeatedly defy regulations while the unit's medical work remains essential, turning military discipline into a target of comic critique.
Graphic operating-room procedures and the pressures of treating wounded soldiers coexist with sexual pranks, football wagers, and boisterous banter.
The 4077 MASH unit operates as a strained professional community where surgeons, nurses, commanders, and bureaucrats clash over rules and competence.
The plot moves through connected episodes involving Painless's crisis, Hot Lips's private life, a Japan trip, and the football bet.
Films like M*A*S*H, and why
Catch-22
shared anti-war satire, dark comedy, military absurdity, and ensemble workplace dysfunction
The Great Escape
shared irreverent military comedy, anti-authoritarian humor, and critique of institutional discipline
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
shared black comedy, wartime medical trauma, and tonal collision between laughter and dread
The Last Detail
shared New Hollywood naturalism, countercultural irreverence, and episodic male ensemble energy
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Altman
- Release Date
- 1970-02-18
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (1199)
Cast
- Donald Sutherland
- Elliott Gould
- Tom Skerritt
- Sally Kellerman
- Robert Duvall
- Roger Bowen
- René Auberjonois
- David Arkin
- Jo Ann Pflug
- Gary Burghoff
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is M*A*S*H about?
- Irreverent army surgeons turn a Korean War field hospital into a pressure cooker of black humor, rebellion, and barely contained dread.
- What is M*A*S*H like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of M*A*S*H as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is M*A*S*H violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in M*A*S*H as graphic.
- What did critics think of M*A*S*H?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a brilliantly funny, formally liberated military satire whose manic comedy never fully conceals the horror of war.
- Which films are like M*A*S*H?
- Films with a similar feel include Catch-22, The Great Escape, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, and The Last Detail.
- How long is M*A*S*H?
- M*A*S*H runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch M*A*S*H?
- In United States, M*A*S*H streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
