The Major and the Minor (1942): Cast, Ratings & Box Office
The Major and the Minor is a 1942 romantic comedy directed by Billy Wilder, starring Robert Benchley, Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes and earned $184 worldwide. Critics gave it 73 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Billy Wilder
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Major and the Minor About?
The premise of The Major and the Minor without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A spirited New Yorker, Susan Applegate, pretends to be a young girl to obtain a train ticket to Iowa. The train conductor discovers her deception, and she cleverly hides in the quarters of Major Kirby, who is captivated by her seemingly innocent demeanor. As his fiancée and others become suspicious of her true identity, Susan uses her quick wit and charm to maintain the elaborate ruse and avoid exposure.
The Major and the Minor Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- military school
- train
- new york city
- screwball comedy
- military officer
- man in uniform
- woman pretends to be a girl
- military school cadet
- train ticket
- conundrum
- iowa
- cigarette smoking
+38 more Show fewer
- pretending to cry
- army uniform
- scalp treatment
- dry martini
- manhattan new york city
- park avenue manhattan new york city
- elevator
- boy
- girl
- grand central station manhattan new york city
- balloon
- stealing a balloon
- woman with pigtails
- money
- reference to cedar rapids iowa
- cigar smoking
- reference to chicago illinois
- woman changes clothes
- egg
- egg shampoo
- woman breaks an egg over a man's head
- breaking an egg over someone's head
- reference to charles boyer
- reference to tarzan
- reference to a bus strike
- telephone switchboard
- telephone switchboard operator
- mess hall
- fiance fiancee relationship
- moth
- dance
- dancer
- dancing
- tap dancing
- reference to the maginot line
- reference to sudan
- reference to nevada
- train conductor
The Major and the Minor Cast
Robert Benchley leads the cast, with Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland. Directed by Billy Wilder; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Billy Wilder
Also Starring in The Major and the Minor
· 6 moreMore from Billy Wilder
More films directed by Billy Wilder, best-rated first: Some Like It Hot, Double Indemnity, The Apartment and Sunset Boulevard.
The Major and the Minor Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Major and the Minor 73 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 73 Metascore
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 70% User score
See on TMDB
The Major and the Minor Plot Summary
What happens in The Major and the Minor from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
As the fallout from Albert Osborne’s (Robert Benchley) unwelcome advances lingers, Susan Applegate (Ginger Rogers) takes a daring step to escape her life as a scalp massager in New York City. She decides to return to her modest roots in Stevenson, Iowa. At the train station, financial difficulties compel her to adopt a clever disguise: she becomes Su-Su, a seemingly innocent 12-year-old girl. However, when two suspicious conductors catch her red-handed with a smoke, Su-Su seeks refuge in the compartment of Major Philip Kirby (Ray Milland). Mistakenly believing her to be a frightened child, he allows her to stay with him until they reach their destination.
Full summary
The whole story of The Major and the Minor, scene by scene
The Major and the Minor Box Office
The Major and the Minor grossed $184 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$184
- International
- $184
The Major and the Minor Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Major and the Minor.
How Well Do You Know The Major and the Minor?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the main disguise that Susan Applegate uses to travel?
Cars in The Major and the Minor
4 cars on screen, including the 1937 Dodge Touring Sedan and the 1940 Ford V8 De Luxe Station Wagon.
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1937 Dodge Touring Sedan Minor role -
1940 Ford V8 De Luxe Station Wagon Minor role -
1935 Checker Model Y Background role -
1937 Ford V8 1½-Ton Background role
The Major and the Minor Also Known As
11 alternative titles, including “Uniformes et Jupons courts” and “Frutto proibito”.
- Also known as
-
- Uniformes et Jupons courts
- Frutto proibito
- Der Major und das Mädchen
- El mayor y la menor
- A Incrível Suzana
- 大人与小孩
- 다수와 소수
- Майор и малютка
- El superior i la menor
- Kadettiheila
- Kadettflamman
Seen The Major and the Minor?
Movies Like The Major and the Minor
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Girl from Missouri, The Very Thought of You and General Nuisance.
The Major and the Minor FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Major and the Minor, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Major and the Minor?
The Major and the Minor runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was The Major and the Minor released?
The Major and the Minor was released on September 16, 1942.
Who directed The Major and the Minor?
The Major and the Minor was directed by Billy Wilder.
More films by Billy Wilder Who is in the cast of The Major and the Minor?
The Major and the Minor stars Robert Benchley, Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland, among 10 credited actors.
How much did The Major and the Minor make at the box office?
The Major and the Minor grossed $184 worldwide.
How is The Major and the Minor rated?
The Major and the Minor has 73 on Metacritic and 70% on TMDB.
Does The Major and the Minor have a post-credit scene?
No. The Major and the Minor has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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