The Major and the Minor

"Is she a kid - or is she kidding?"

1942 1h 40m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 153

ComedyRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Low on funds, working-class girl Susan Applegate disguises herself as a youngster in order to pay half fare home. But little 'Sue Sue' finds herself in a whole heap of grownup trouble when she hides out in a compartment with handsome Major Philip Kirby.

“Is she a kid - or is she kidding?”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Ginger Rogers
Susan Applegate
Ray Milland
Major Kirby
Rita Johnson
Pamela Hill
Robert Benchley
Mr. Osborne
Diana Lynn
Lucy Hill
Edward Fielding
Colonel Hill
Frankie Thomas
Cadet Osborne
Raymond Roe
Cadet Wigton

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Billy Wilder
Writers: Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, Fanny Kilbourne
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

84 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Billy Wilder, shot by Leo Tover. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Robert Emmett Dolan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Doane Harrison shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland and Rita Johnson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Is she a kid - or is she kidding?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0035019 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Billy Wilder directs. Leo Tover behind the camera. Robert Emmett Dolan scores. Doane Harrison cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

184 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Billy Wilder, shot by Leo Tover. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Robert Emmett Dolan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Doane Harrison shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland and Rita Johnson carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Is she a kid - or is she kidding?".
7IMDB entry: tt0035019 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Leo Tover
Original score: Robert Emmett Dolan
Editing: Doane Harrison
Costume design: Edith Head
Makeup / hair: Wally Westmore
Runtime: 100 min · 1h 40m
Status: Released
Box office: $2,500,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Major and the Minor (1942)

Awards

National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Billy Wilder

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-06-10
★ 7/10
When she is reduced to giving a lecherous businessman an egg shampoo, "Susan" (Ginger Rogers) decides it is time to abandon the big apple and return to Iowa. Snag is, they've put the bus fares up and she can't afford the $30-odd to get home. Then she hits on an idea. Pretend you are a twelve year old called "Su-Su" and go half price. The conductors on the train weren't born yesterday though, and after some cat and mouse antics she finds herself in the salon of "Maj. Kirby" (Ray Milland). He takes pity on her and offers her some shelter, but when his fiancée "Pamela" (Rita Johnson) unexpectedly enters the cabin and spots this woman, she comes to an hasty conclusion that is only going to cause the major some hassle with her dad, the colonel - his boss (Edward Fielding). He has to explain things, so takes his new foundling to the military academy where he lives and "Su-Su" quickly finds herself the centre of attention for many of the three-hundred hormonal students vying for that first kiss. She is no pushover, and for the next hour or so manages to have some quick-witted fun running the place ragged whilst poor old Milland starts to succumb to her charms. Messrs. Brackett and Wilder have toned down their more screwball instincts for this, and provinding some really quite witty dialogue have managed to allow Rogers to showcase some of her skillful comedy timing whilst Milland acts almost perfectly as her foil. Diana Lynn also chips in well as the disgruntled sister "Lucy" and there an whole slew of impressionable young cadets to showcase the stupidity of the male sex when little better than in heat. This is short, sweet and well worth a look.

Production companies