Original Air Date: 12/13/82
Written by: Larry Balmagia
Directed by: Charles S. Dubin
The 4077th is undergoing a heat wave, and that makes the camp movie--Sahara--all the more unendurable, especially since its been shown every night for the past month.
Hawkeye and B.J. get so disgusted they confront the guy who delivers the movies--a nervous Corporal named Bannister (Sandy Helberg), but he says he has no pull over what movie is sent. That's the job of Major Frankenheimer, who Hawkeye and B.J. plan to visit personally.
To make matters worse, a General named Rothaker (Larry Ward), in Post Op recovering from a minor wound, bans all alcohol on in camp after he smelled beer on the breath of a corpsman. Potter tries to protest, but Rothaker is adamant.
Hawkeye and B.J. read an article in a newspaper about a supposedly explicit movie named The Moon is Blue, and they decide seeing the movie--banned in Boston--is just the thing they need to lift their spirits. Winchester tries to warn them not to get too excited ("In Boston they would've banned Pinocchio"), but they won't listen.
They go to visit Major Frankenheimer (Hamilton Camp), but he's oily and insincere, and he has no interest in helping them out. He laughs at the idea of getting them The Moon is Blue, but Hawkeye and B.J. get him to agree that if they can get their hands on a print, he'll ship it to them.
Before they leave, Hawkeye and B.J. do a favor for Bannister, who is a quivering mass around women. When he learns he has a blind date, he's too nervous to even contemplate it. Hawkeye and B.J. give Bannister a pill that increases confidence (actually just a sugar pill) so he'll be able to cal the girl and take her out.
Hawkeye and B.J., back at the 4077th, ask Klinger to pull some strings to see if he can get the movie. He owes them for giving him a cure for the excessive heat (the same sugar pills), and the next day he's managed to get a hold of The Moon is Blue!
Unfortunately, Major Frankenheimer is a lying skunk, and even though he has the movie in his hands, he refuses to send it to the 4077th, re-routing it to some generals. Instead, he's sending them State Fair!
Hawkeye and B.J. get an idea, and call Bannister. They ask him to switch the labels on the film cans for The Moon is Blue and State Fair, which Bannister readily agrees to.
That night, everyone is in the Mess Tent for the movie, with only Hawkeye and B.J. realizing what they'll really be seeing. Except, unbeknownst to them, Col. Potter made arrangements with Gen. Rothaker to pull some strings and get The Moon is Blue. Everyone is disappointed--and confused--when State Fair starts up instead.
Weeks later, the 4077th finally gets a hold of The Moon is Blue, but its a huge disappointment--its almost all talk, and not anywhere near as smutty as Hawkeye and B.J. hoped. B.J. complains, "There was more dirt in this morning's breakfast!"
Fun Facts: This is actor Hamilton Camp's second appearance on the show, having previously played Cpl. "Boots" Miller in Season Six's "Major Topper."
A clip of the 1945 version of State Fair is shown, which co-starred Harry Morgan. The episode also mentions High Noon, which also co-starred...Harry Morgan!
Favorite Line: Hawkeye and B.J. are disgusted how relatively clean The Moon is Blue is, despite all the hype.
Father Mulcahy: "One of the actors did say 'virgin.'"
Hawkeye, disgusted: "That's cause everyone was!"
Interesting trivia note (well, interesting to me, anyhow):
ReplyDeleteThe screenplay for The Moon Is Blue was written by F. Hugh Herbert. His daughter, actress Kathleen Hughes, portrays Henry Blake's wife Lorraine in the home movie featured in season 2's "Dear Dad...Three".