M*A*S*H

M*A*S*H (1970)

10 mistakes

(2 votes)

Revealing mistake: Near the end of the film, there is a football game played between the rival MASH units. Although the game is supposed to be taking place in a remote location of Korea in 1951, late model 1960's automobiles can be seen driving on a nearby highway as the game progresses. This gave away the fact that the football scenes were shot at a university in Southern California.

Continuity mistake: In one of the early surgery scenes you see Trapper operating, although he arrives only later as the new chest cutter. (00:13:20)

NancyFelix

Factual error: When Hawkeye and Trapper arrive in Japan, as they approach the hospital in a Jeep, you can see a football field in the background. Look closely at the goalpost on the field. Instead of looking like an "H" (then in use), it is in the style used since the late 1960s: a bent single goalpost, a crossbar, and the uprights.

Factual error: In the football game scene, the players all have helmets with modern style (1970's) face guards.In 1951, the time period of the film, no face guards were used.

Continuity mistake: Towards the beginning of the film, Hawkeye steals a jeep and drives off, splattering mud everywhere. When the local commander shouts to the MPs to "get that guy", the next shot shows them driving off onto totally dry ground; in fact, when their jeep abruptly stops, there is dust everywhere.

BJ Jones

Revealing mistake: When the helicopter that takes the departing nurse that took care of Painless is in a close up, and as it turns away from the camera, you can see the reflection of the lights for the camera.

Movie Nut

Factual error: The goal posts in the fifties were at the goal line, in the movie they are in back of the end zone.

Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.

Suggested correction: The goalposts were at the back of the end zone for college football since the 20's. It was only the NFL that had the goal posts on the goal line, so the scene is accurate since it wasn't an NFL game. It should be noted too that the NFL didn't move the goalpost to the back of the end zone until 1974, 4 years after the movie came out.

Bishop73

Continuity mistake: When the lady reporter is filming Hawkeye from her truck, she's approaching his position. After passing by him, she turns in the truck to keep him in range, filming backwards. But the movie camera angle filming Hawkeye is always approaching him, and at a slower speed than the reporter's truck was moving.

Movie Nut

Factual error: Early in the movie, the loudspeaker announcer states that the Korean War was the #1 news item of 1951. Later in the movie it is announced that the night's movie is scheduled to be "The Glory Brigade" starring Victor Mature. However, that movie was released in May of 1953.

goofyfoot

Hawkeye Pierce: It's a good thing you have a nice body, nurse, otherwise they'd get rid of you quick.

More quotes from M*A*S*H

Trivia: Robert Altman originally wanted Elliot Gould to play Duke Forrest; it was only at Gould's request that he played Trapper John.

More trivia for M*A*S*H

Question: What's the difference between an enlisted person and an officer?

Answer: An officer is a person who has had special training (in college ROTC, or in OTS, called 90 days wonders) for command, tactics, military law and the like, after which they are Commissioned. They are basically management. An enlisted person is someone who has gone through basic military training, but does not have command responsibilities or authority. Basically labor. This gets a little confusing when enlisted personnel can rise in rank to become a Non-Commissioned officer, often called the backbone of the Service. But the highest ranked enlisted person does not out-rank, and has to salute, the lowest ranked officer.

Richard Welty

More questions & answers from M*A*S*H

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.