MovieChat Forums > MASH (1970) Discussion > Hot Lips change

Hot Lips change

posted 14 years ago by dvician
27 replies | jump to latest

The only part of this movie I don't get is Hot Lips changing. She is strict, military and a very good nurse, meaning on the ball, then after she hooks up with Duke, we see her in the football game as one of the most stupid characters ever filmed. Seriously, Dumb and Dumber could outsmart her.

It just doesn't fit. For the football game, they really should have chosen another character for that part. Sure, maybe Duke "set her straight", loosening her up a bit and giving her character more appeal, but I seriously doubt he &^%ed her brains out, literally....

Was there supposed to be a more meaningful interpretation of this change I should have picked up on?

[–] Jetfire59 13 years ago

I felt she was stupid only in as much as she apparently knew nothing of football.

Have fun. Lifes' too friggin' short.

[–] bhobnine 13 years ago

Shes been sexually harrassed, ridiculed, belittled. For an upright,uptight,straight military,kinda gal, this treatment has been unforgivable. ' THEY'VE DONE ALL THIS STUFF TO ME AND YOU DO NOTHING!' she sobs to her commanding officer, whos ridicules her and tosses her out of his tent, and yet, there she is at the end playing head cheerleader at the game and hanging out in the tent with the guys. The transformation scene is missing, and thus its a 'wtf' change in personality. Other than the friggin football game tossed in at the end, this is weakest link in the movie.

"Pffft, my suspension of disbelief has higher standards than that"

[–] Standard_Leisure 13 years ago

I'm with you. That's the only thing that made me scratch my head.

[–] avario 13 years ago

As an avid follow of Sally Kellerman, I am here to tell you all something: What a lot of you may not know is that when 'Hot Lips' walked into the commanders tent, she threatened to resign her commission. That line was said to not have originally been in the script. It was actually, Kellerman's own anger speaking out. If 'Hot Lips' resigned her commision she would no longer be in the film. So, Kellerman turned the role upside down and had fun, instead of being disgusted with what went on with her character.

[–] pacificboy 13 years ago

Thanks, avario. It's been a while since I've been talked down to like that!

"My brain rebelled, and insisted on applying logic where it was not welcome."

[–] avario 12 years ago

How did I talk down to you, I am sorry if I offended you.

[–] ExplorerDS6789 13 years ago

Two words: bad director.

[–] avario 13 years ago

All in opinion, my friend.

[–] jnbesch 13 years ago

Three words: fearlessly innovative director.

[–] ExplorerDS6789 13 years ago

You merely repeated my post, but with fancier words.

[–] molypocho 13 years ago

I think Hot Lips only wants to be accepted at this point. She is willingly ignorant, as long as they know she is on the team. Like an abused dog.

In my opinion, jarring, unexplained shifts in character are all part of Altman's brilliance. The shift temporarily stuns, and then forces us to ask questions: Depth.

[–] bluefellow 13 years ago

In my opinion, jarring, unexplained shifts in character are all part of Altman's brilliance

Well that's certainly putting a positive spin on things. Too bad other directors didn't pick up on this technique. Scorcese could have suddenly transformed Travis Bickle into a glib, sociable man-about-town 3/4 of the way through Taxi Driver.

"I don't want any Commies in my car. No Christians, either."

[–] molypocho 13 years ago

But Travis Bickle is the protagonist. We experience the film through his eyes. Hot Lips, if anything, acts as an antagonist. We are not meant to identify with her. Perhaps we feel pity, but never empathy.

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

"Scorsese could have suddenly transformed Travis Bickle into a glib, sociable man-about-town 3/4 of the way through Taxi Driver".

He could have - if it made sense and jibed with the film`s themes & purpose.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] dwarol 13 years ago

It was an echo of the sexual revolution of the '60s. After hooking up with Duke she was supposedly liberated and able to cast off all the old straight-laced morals of her military upbringing, which reflected the morals of pre-60s America. That was after all how Hawkeye and Trapper lived. In the 2010 time frame it all looks a little dated and ridiculous.

That was one thing about the series which was much better than the movie. Hot Lips in the series gradually became a much more liberated woman who did not depend on any man and who became much more comfortable with herself. Supposedly this happened because Loretta Swit was unhappy with the original one-dimensional aspect of her role (which caused Larry Linville to leave).

[–] ElMaruecan82 13 years ago

This part bothered me the most, she was abused, bullied and humiliated but at the end, she chose to act like a stereotypical dumb blonde girl. And I guess just because it's Altman, we must give the film the benefit of doubt and consider that it was a gutsy movie that makes it a "fearlessly inventive director" ... I don't know. I guess it was just written by a guy who wanted the strict woman to be 'domesticated', who wanted the bullies to win, like a mean-spirited version of Benny Hill.

"Darth Vader is scary and I The Godfather"

[–] mikainen 11 years ago

I figured she thought "if you can't beat them, join them". Sure, it was pretty overdone. For comical relief.

[–] Bitterblogger 11 years ago

It's a combination of her awareness that Col. Blake had no intention of disciplining Hawkeye and Trapper, and that word had reached her that General Hammond, to whom she and Frank had sent a letter of concern about how the camp was run, was so keen on football(and that he'd dropped his inquiry re her claim) that she figured she'd get on board with her support.