Major Barbara

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Gabriel Pascal directs. William Walton scores. Charles Frend cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 185 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
• 2Original score by William Walton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 3Editor Charles Frend shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 4Wendy Hiller and Rex Harrison and Robert Morley carry the top of the cast.
• 5IMDB entry: tt0033868 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 6Only 26 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Original score

William Walton

Editing

Charles Frend

Costume design

Cecil Beaton

Runtime

121 min · 2h 1m

Status

Released

Original language

EN

Certification (US)

NR

IMDB

Major Barbara (1941) ↗

Also by

Gabriel Pascal

• 
  Caesar and Cleopatra

  1945 · ★ 6.2

Community reviews

What people are saying

• CinemaSerf2022-06-25
  ★ 7/10

  Gabriel Pascal and (George) Bernard Shaw have reunited for this enjoyably paced, quirky and characterful adaptation of his 1905 play. That creation uses chocolate, this one replaces it with arms as the eponymous, upright and virtuous character - Wendy Hiller - re-evaluates her leading light position in the Salvation Army when their General (Dame Sybil Thorndike) agrees to accept two huge donations - one from a recently ennobled brewing magnate, the other from her father "Andrew Undershaft" (Robert Morley) - the aforementioned, billionaire arms dealer. It's oft described as a comedy, this - and there are certainly comedic elements to it, especially from Morley and her academic suitor Rex Harrison ("Adolphus Cusins"), but is largely presented more of a question to us, the audience. It challenges us to assess which is (or might be) the more important influence: religion or money; prosperity or integrity. Are they mutually exclusive? Perhaps it is a rather simplistic choice, but Shaw offers us scenarios ably illustrating the opportunity and hypocrisy that we may appreciate both the emotional and practical quandaries of "Maj. Barbara" as her resistance to her father's mercenary existence is tempered with his argument justifying his wealth, and his power. Morley is super - his delivery potently justifies his position to the point where it seems irrational to doubt it! The staging is a little too fixed. Though there are a few outdoor scenes, the vast majority appears overly hemmed in. The brewery lights flashing on and off; the scenes in their shelter, and at their home - all are just a bit linear. The pretty lively scenes with an on-form Robert Newton (the down-to-earth, working-class pragmatist "Billy") come across as just a bit too stifled - the flow is almost staccato at times. With the likes of Ronald Neame, David Lean, Charles Frend and Vincent Korda helping out behind the camera, it was always going to be a well made film, and indeed it is. A social commentary that pitches avarice against principle - and one that leaves us to decide... Good stuff.

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• GA

  Gabriel Pascal Productions

  GB

Key crew

• Costume DesignCecil Beaton
• Music DirectorMuir Mathieson
• Art DirectionVincent Korda
• Assistant DirectorDavid Lean
• ProducerGabriel Pascal
• EditorCharles Frend
• Assistant DirectorHarold French
• CinematographyRonald Neame

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• based on play or musical
• estranged father
• salvation army

Release history · US

When it landed

• Theatrical1941-05-14NR

Also known as

International titles

• George Bernard Shaw's Major BarbaraGB