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Halfsheet original theatrical release
poster for the 1970 black comedy war film M*A*S*H. The film was directed by Robert Altman and starred Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye Pierce and Elliott Gould as Trapper John McIntyre.
Film Details
Plot The movie follows a group of irreverent medical personnel at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War, using humor and high jinks to cope with the horrors of war.
Context Although set in the Korean War, the film was widely seen as an anti-war satire of the then-current Vietnam War, capturing the anti-establishment sentiment of the era.
Iconic Poster The poster itself is iconic, with the caption "M*A*S*H Gives a Damn" being a direct reference to the Ratings Administration's issue with the film's frequent use of the word "damn". The graphic image of a hand forming a peace sign while its lower half resembles a figure in high heels has a surreal, double meaning of peace and war, with some newspaper ads at the time superimposing "pants" to cover the suggestive shape.
Legacy The film was a major commercial and critical success, winning the Palme d'Or at the 1970 Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It later inspired the highly popular and long-running television series of the same name, which ran from 1972 to 1983. |
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