Feature1942·100m·7.1

The Major and the Minor

Is she a kid - or is she kidding?

ComedyRomance

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.

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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

Charles Smith

Cadet Korner

Larry Nunn

Cadet Babcock

Billy Dawson

Cadet Miller

Lela Rogers

Mrs. Applegate

Aldrich Bowker

Reverend Doyle

Boyd Irwin

Major Griscom

Byron Shores

Captain Durand

Richard Fiske

Will Duffy

Norma Varden

Mrs. Osborne

Gretl Dupont

Mrs. Shackleford

George Anderson

Train Passenger (uncredited)

Stanley Andrews

Conductor #1 (uncredited)

Details

Status
Released
Original language
English
Languages
English
Budget
Revenue
$2.5M
Age rating
Quality
4K UHD · HDR10 · Dolby Vision
Production
Paramount Pictures

Crew

Director

Billy Wilder

Writers

Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, Fanny Kilbourne, Edward Childs Carpenter

Doane Harrison

Editor

Edith Head

Costume Design

Robert Emmett Dolan

Original Music Composer

Leo Tover

Director of Photography

Gallery

Reviews

CinemaSerf

6/10/2026

7.0

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.