In my case “the original” was the series, since I got to see the movie after few years. And it didn’t disappoint me at all.

The entire action is set up in Korea, during the war. It’s not a “heroism” movie, fortunately you don’t see too much military action, even if we’re in the middle of a war. The movie shows us how the doctors from a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) deal with being away from their homes and swimming in blood all day. No, it’s not their blood, but so much dying can surely get to you.

Their sanity is preserved by fooling around, sleeping with whoever gets their attention, playing practical jokes on each others and trying not to take all this army stuff seriously.

Though otherwise brilliant surgeons, Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland) and Trapper John McIntyre (Elliott Gould), do everything in their powers to make Maj. Frank Burns (Robert Duvall) and Army true-believer Maj. “Hot Lips” Houlihan (Sally Kellerman) regret the day faith brought them into such place with such people. We meet the innocent Radar O’Reilly (Gary Burghoff), whom we find in the series too, trying to bring some sanity and good will into such a hellhole.

Of course the movie seems outdated, let’s not forget it’s 1970, more than 40 years ago, but it’s a great comedy as it is. Would love seeing it again, hope you’ll like it too.