Asian Portrayals in the Film MASH

The film MASH, released in 1970, depicts the command of surgeons at a mobile surgical hospital focusing on two main surgeons. Set during the Korean war in 1950, in which a military conflict arose between North and South Korea hoping to re-unify both Koreas. Therefore it is quite obvious that the movie will depict how Asians or more precisely Koreans, are portrayed during the film.

The camp where the main surgeons, Captain "Hawkeye" Pierce, Captain "Duke" Forrest, and Captain "Trapper" John occupy, lives a young Korean boy named Ho-Jon. In Mash, Ho-Jon acts as a type of slave boy or maid. From the start we are aware of this when we see him reading to a general. Even though his English is suffering he continues to make him read. This acts as almost a type of tease even if he is able to read the book. From then on Ho-Jon makes several other appearances even if they are brief we are able to pick up on these portrayals. As afore mentioned Ho-Jon serves almost as a slave, we see him doing chores and sweeping. At one point we also see him making a drink for Captain "Hawkeye" Pierce portraying that he is perhaps less knowledgeable and not able to speak as well but very eager to learn and do what he has to do to get drafted. Not once do we see him complaining about all the work he has to do.

We can see that the Asians are portrayed as very dedicated to working hard and succeeding which involves no complaining. This is proven in one scene when they are used to serve food at a party for the captains and army. This is also paralleled by the scene when they travel with Ho-Jon to the city to see if he is fit to be drafted for the army. Here we can see the portrayal of the hustle and bustle of a Korean city. The city is represented as having no cars, people with straw hats, with some in white robes, racing around (while others wait in line). Conclusively portraying that the Asians are perhaps behind on the technology and less fortunate but strive tremendously to make up for it. Yet once we get into the hospital the same image follows: quite crowded and busy, although the doctor seems somewhat more knowledgeable.

When the surgeons travel to the golf course we get a glimpse of Asians in a different setting. Here they are portrayed as peaceful and in different clothing compared to the Americans, such as robes. In this scene the surgeons take a stab at Asians imitating their language, serving to prove they perhaps do not value them as much.

At one point in MASH an Asian announces on the camp's public address system a song following an Asian song is played. At a later time another song is played although this time it is sung by an Asian in English. Through the music we can see that the culture definitely plays a big role for the Asians. At a later time another song is played although this time it is sung by an Asian in English. This showing perhaps a takeover of American culture or the Asians trying to succeed in greater lengths to strives to copy the dedicated American culture and workers and the American Dream.

In the last scene with Asians, we see some of the surgeons eating with the geishas who are all dressed up in stunning and colourful robes with their hair tied up with all of them sitting in a cross-legged fashion. The geishas are portrayed as mystical with their colourful robes, young and cute. As well they can be seen as pampering their 'guests' when we able to see them feeding the surgeons. In the next scene one of the surgeons sleeps with one of the geishas at the whore house, pronouncing the mystical, curious, young and cute features of Asian women. These scenes are quite comparable to the stereotypes scene in the documentary 'Slaying the Dragon'.