Every Monday, I spotlight a random episode of M*A*S*H, providing a brief review and asking readers to offer their thoughts.
“The Ringbanger” (#16, 01×16)
Originally Broadcast: Sunday, January 21st, 1973
Written by Jerry Mayer
Directed by Jackie Cooper
Capsule Summary: Hawkeye and Trapper scheme to keep a colonel whose unit suffers a high casualty rate from returning to the front.
The problem with “The Ringbanger,” if you can call it a problem, is that it relies on multiple characters acting really dumb. Is it believable that Colonel Buzz Brighton would fall for Hawkeye and Trapper’s plan to convince him he’s losing touch with reality? Could he be that oblivious? I don’t think so. Would Margaret, who never trusts Hawkeye and Trapper, so easily accept their diagnosis of Brighton? And Frank is observant enough to realize Brighton is hanging around too long but doesn’t pick up on anything else going on?
What about Colonel Blake accepting Radar’s explanation for why the Army wants him to get checked out for small arms proficiency at night? Actually, that seems more in character. Still, none of them noticed Buzz’s belongings–not to mention the PA speaker–being moved around? Frank and Margaret were often spying on Hawkeye and Trapper but they missed this?
None of this bothers me, though, because Leslie Nielsen does such a terrific job playing Buzz. I almost feel sorry for him at the end. It’s that easy to forget he’s a callous, self-serving military man who doesn’t care how many of his men are killed as long as he gets ahead. Buzz seems like such a nice guy, drinking and joking around with Hawkeye and Trapper.
At first, there doesn’t seem to be anything objectionable about Buzz. He’s eager to get back to his men, which seems admirable. True, he disparages soldiers with battle fatigue, but a lot of people in the military probably felt the way he did. But then he starts talking about the war not lasting long enough for him to “perfect” being an officer, “knocking off a thousand gooks,” and making a name for himself. Even then, he’s still joking around.
Later, Radar reveals that Buzz’s unit has suffered twice as many casualties yet gained half the ground as any other. Other than joking and drinking, the only thing Buzz is good at is getting men killed. That’s when Hawkeye and Trapper decide to make Buzz believe he’s suffering from battle fatigue and spring into action.
They do so by moving his belongings from tent to tent so he starts questioning himself. They also convince him Colonel Blake is an alcoholic and Frank a homosexual. Buzz worrying about Frank’s interest in him is funny yet also a little troublesome when the episode is watched today. It may have been troublesome to some viewers back in 1973 as well.
I’m not sure exactly what Hawkeye and Trapper hoped to accomplish by tricking Margaret into trying to comfort Buzz to reinforce his masculinity. They talk her up to Buzz and he seems excited she’s going to drop by his tent but when she shows up he doesn’t want anything to do with her. Is he worried or turned off because Hawkeye and Trapper told him she’s a boozer?
The tag scene is strange. Hawkeye has himself carried into the O.R. on a gurney and asks Frank for a nose job. Presumably, there were actual casualties. Why else would everyone be in surgical garb? Or did Hawkeye and Trapper go to all that trouble just for a joke?
Leslie Nielsen receives a “Special Guest Star” credit for his appearance in this episode. He’s the only guest star to get that specific credit.
At the time he made his guest appearance in “The Ringabanger,” Nielsen had yet to transition from dramatic roles to comedic roles. When asked why Nielsen was cast, Larry Gelbart had this to say:
Another example of Gene Reynolds’ and Burt Metcalfe’s uncanny, unfailing and creative ability at casting.
This was the first episode directed by Jackie Cooper, the former child star who ultimately directed 13 episodes of M*A*S*H between 1973 and 1974.
When Margaret visits Buzz in his tent, it looks like he’s reading a copy of the Army’s technical manual TM 9-6920-210-14 about Small Arms Targets and Target Material.
If you listen closely, you can hear Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers talking as they approach Buzz’s tent as the announcement about the red pickup truck plays over the PA. I can clearly hear Alda say something like “I read an article once” but that’s all. I wonder what they were talking about.
Father Mulcahy and Klinger are not in this episode.
There’s a very cryptic piece of dialogue that takes place between Buzz and Hawkeye about Margaret. No one can figure out what it means.
Buzz: You call her Hot Lips, huh??
Hawkeye: And it’s not because she’s left handed.
What??
I’m glad it’s not just me who doesn’t get that joke.
I think that’s because left-handed people are usually regarded as more sexy and special than right-handed people. It seems a 14 year old has trumped a bunch of adults at something! lol
I don’t know about sexy or anything, but from what I understand, apparently left-handed people tend to use more of their brain power than right-handed people do, hence why they’re usually regarded as “more special.” That and apparently only 10% of the people in the world are lefties, so I guess that makes them an exotic fruit.
I always took it as meaning there can be only one reason she is called Hot Lips. To me, Hawkeye could have used any other off the wall “reason”.
This is one of those episodes that suffers particularly bad in syndication, because they cut out the entire scene in Henry’s tent where Frank barges in to complain, and we see he startled Henry so much that he accidentally sliced his ear as he was trimming his hair; up until I got the show on DVD, I used to wonder why Henry was later scene with what looked to be a bandage or something around his ear.
Margaret’s definitely fan service in this episode, since we’re treated to her gams.
As for Jackie Cooper, he apparently hated everybody in the cast, especially Alan Alda and Gary Burghoff.
If I remember correctly from Burghoff’s book “To M*A*S*H and Back..” Gary discusses the difficulties between the cast and Cooper. It seems that Cooper announced himself to others as THE director of the series (rather than one of many directors used in the series).
I’ve never had the pleasure of reading Gary’s book, but from what I understand from certain sources that supposedly came from the horse’s mouth, Jackie complained that Gary always acted like a bitchy little diva, and that Alan Alda was as self-righteous off camera as Hawkeye could be on camera.
“They talk her up to Buzz and he seems excited she’s going to drop by his tent but when she shows up he doesn’t want anything to do with her. Is he worried or turned off because Hawkeye and Trapper told him she’s a boozer?”
They had made Buzz think Margaret was Henry’s girlfriend, and that Henry was jealous; which leads to the scene in the tent with Henry, now drunk, waving his gun and Buzz getting nervous.
What about Colonel Blake accepting Radar’s explanation for why the Army wants him to get checked out for small arms proficiency at night? Actually, that seems more in character. Still, none of them noticed Buzz’s belongings–not to mention the PA speaker–being moved around? Frank and Margaret were often spying on Hawkeye and Trapper but they missed this?
What WAS Radars explanation?I don’t remember seeing the scene in the TVLand copy of this episode.
I’ve never heard of left handed people being special. It was always looked as the “Devil’s Hand”. Also, parents went out of their way to make sure kids were right handed. The “special” label is regarded as special in a way that is not good…
There’s a small continuity error in the scene where Hawkeye and Trapper are first following Buzz into his tent (after the “confusion” regarding the PA speaker). If you watch closely, you’ll notice a glass of milk already on the bedside table (behind Trapper) just before Radar sneaks in to place it there from outside.
I agree with BDOR on Jackie Cooper’s remark on Alan Alda as being self righteous
I have seen that remark more than once,
In regards to BDOR June 6, 2016 posts:
Jackie Cooper’s complaints kind of boomerang and say more about himself than the cast … considering the many other directors (Gene Reynolds, Hy Averback, Charles Dubin, Bert Metcalfe, Don Weis) who directed more episodes, stayed more years, got along just fine with the cast, and voiced how great the cast was to work with.