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MASH is a 1970 American satirical comedy film directed by Robert Altman and written by Ring Lardner, Jr., based on the novel by Richard Hooker. One of the biggest hit films of the early 1970s for Twentieth Century Fox, and especially during the time of the Vietnam era. The film is set during the Korean War, but mirrors the tragedy of Vietnam.

The film stars Donald Sutherland, Tom Skerritt and Elliott Gould, with Sally Kellerman, Robert Duvall, Roger Bowen, Gary Burghoff, Michael Murphy, Rene Auberjonois, David Arkin and Fred Williamson.

The "best equipped dentist in the army", tells a mate that he has suffered a "lack of performance" with a visiting nurse and now believes that he has latent homosexual tendencies. Soon after, he reveals his desire to commit suicide and seeks advice on which method to use. His friends then suggest him to use the "black capsule", a fictitious, fast-acting poison. At an impromptu Last Supper, Dr. Painless takes the capsule actually a sleeping pill and falls asleep in a coffin to the strains of "Suicide is Painless" the theme song. Capt Hawkeye then persuades Lt. Maria Schneider, one of the nurses who is returning to the U.S. the following day, to spend the night with Painless, thus curing him of his problems. See the funeral scene. HC