Guest blogger Brandie Ashe presents a look at 1942′s
The Major and the Minor, starring
Ginger Rogers and
Ray Milland:
The
film is a must-see, if only for the slightly disturbing sexual
undertones that inevitably make the uninitiated viewer squirm the
slightest bit. Setting pedophilia nuances aside, however, this picture
is an utter delight from start to finish, held together by
Billy Wilder’s witty script and Rogers’ canny comedic performance.
There are some people who only associate Ginger Rogers with dancing partner extraordinaire
Fred Astaire,
and that does Ms. Rogers a great disservice. Though I love the
Astaire-Rogers pairings as much as the next film fan, and though I
appreciate her Oscar-winning work in the sentimental melodrama
Kitty Foyle (1940),
I think Rogers’ strongest work comes from her “solo” work as a
comedienne. Just see her turn as a wisecracking wannabe stage actress in
1937′s Stage Door (where she more than holds her own with the likes of
Katharine Hepburn and
Lucille Ball), or as the dance hall girl who marries staid professor
Jimmy Stewart
in 1938′s screwball comedy Vivacious Lady (also featuring one of the
most hilarious cat-fights ever captured on film), or as the harried
single store clerk-turned-overnight-adoptive-mother in 1939′s
Bachelor Mother.
And
The Major and the Minor provides Ginger with perhaps the best comedic
role of her career, as 39-year-old Rogers plays Susan Applegate, a woman
who dresses up as a 12-year-old girl in order to score a half-priced
train ticket back home.
Forget that the disguise is completely
unbelievable; the joy of this film comes from Rogers’ deft ability to
make you laugh while shaking your head at the incongruity of a “preteen”
with a penchant for cigarettes, martinis, and attractive “older” men in
uniform. And Milland meets her step for step as the clueless “straight
man,” a military school teacher who longs to join the active front and
takes little “Su-Su” under his wing. The two leads play their roles
without an ounce of irony, preventing the material from sliding into
lasciviousness, and the ending, though predictable, has an un-cynical
sweetness about it that is wonderful to watch.
Perhaps the film’s
most notable footnote in cinematic history is its importance in the
career of its director. The Major and the Minor marks Billy Wilder’s
directorial debut, and he co-wrote the screenplay (based on the play
Connie Goes Home by Edward Carpenter). Beginning with this film and
continuing through
Double Indemnity (1944) and
The Lost Weekend (1945), Wilder rivaled
Preston Sturges
as the premier writer/director of the 1940s. But Wilder’s career would
go on to last much longer than that of Sturges, highlighted over the
next two decades by such classics as Sunset Boulevard (1950),
Sabrina (1954),
Some Like It Hot (1959), and
The Apartment (1960).
In
The Major and the Minor, you can see the hallmarks of Wilder’s
directing style taking root. He eschewed flash and grandiose
cinematography in favor of highlighting the nuances of story and
dialogue, and his work became more about the performance than the visual
effects. It’s no wonder that actors like
Jack Lemmon clamored to work with Wilder repeatedly, and that he would become the
second-most nominated director, behind William Wyler, in Academy Awards
history (and he won two, for 1945′s
The Lost Weekend–which also brought a Best Actor award for Milland–and 1960′s The Apartment).
Brandie Ashe is a freelance writer and editor from Alabama. Brandie and her co-authors Carrie and Nikki run True Classics: The ABCs of Classic Film,
where they share their love of Alfred Hitchcock, screwball comedies,
Katharine Hepburn, and all things old-school Disney. Visit their
Facebook page here.
Ginger Rogers was one of the
pretiest and excellent actress of her time but is more now that she is
appreciated more than Fred's dancing partner, and even that she was his
best! I love Ginger and all her films.
...Great review, y'all! Cool to see a fellow Alabamian on the classic blogosphere!
This
film is one of Ginger's top 5, for sure... love it when Ginger's
real-life mom, Lela Rogers, plays...well, her mom! The 'outtakes' from
those scenes were probably hilarious!
There's so many great scenes
in this one...and while it's hard to imagine Ginger (31 at the time) as a
12 year old, I think Marjorie above nails it, as the Major is the only
one who really can't 'see' well enough to notice... and the ending is
perhaps my fave of all Ginger films.
Thanks for the review!
Not sure if this is ok to do, but for all things Ginger, please stop by at
Gingerology.com!
KIG!
VKMfanHuey
---
Ginger was so great that it seems
to be that even today some actresses-Jennifer Aniston comes to mind
-seem to be channeling her,though not with the original's success
rate.Fred was lucky to be paired with her because it was Ginger who had
the personality.I still search TCM for any of her old films that I
haven't seen,ruing the day when I have seen them all.
Love Ginger. One of my very favorites is 'Roxie', the story that became the big hit 'Chicago'. Ginger is great in that one.
I love "The Major and the Minor".
Ginger Rogers does it all well. Billy Wilder's first directed movie
and he got Ginger who was really hot right after winning an Oscar.
Everything in this movie is funny and I love the dialogue.
Cute, cute movie. Ginger was so
versatile and proved to be a great actress as well as great dancer. One
of my favorites was "Once Upon a Honeymoon" with Cary Grant and Walter
Slezak.
Actually this wonderful film was
made in 1941 before the start of WWII and not released until after we
got into the war. There are references about us getting involved in the
film. Ginger was 29 when she made this film and said it was one of her
favorites because she didn't have to wear so much makeup. One of the
funniest parts is the girls the cadets use as women from Miss
Shackleford's school and their tribute to Veronica Lake. The double
standards of the day are evident in this film but it's such a sweet
story and very beguiling. And of course Su Su wins her hero in the end.
One of my favorites too and on a rainy day there's nothing better then a
glass of milk/coffe and The Major and the Minor.
While Ginger didn't look 12
through the whole movie, I still love the transformation scene when she
comes out of the train station rest rooms walking pigeon toed and swipes
the little kid's balloon.
It should be noted that the only person she fooled before Ray Milland
vouched for her was the Major, and The Major has vision issues. If
someone you know says "this is my niece" and you think "hmmm, she looks a
little old for 12" you don't say "what a load of hooey!" because you
figure they'd know their own niece... so you chalk it up to her being
one of those kids that grows faster.
Also unlike a real girl trying to pass as a 12 year old, Ginger was
the pretty female lead in a movie, made up and groomed to be 12-ish
looking some of the time but always the beautiful starlet underneath.
FYI - Sue-sue didn't convince the Major to go fight, he was already
exercising his eye because it galled him to have been rejected. It was
his fiance that wanted to keep him home, by any means necessary.
And I for one enjoyed the cadets turning the Maginal Line into a line...
......pardon the false message
ending... (as I do with my friends). There are several major chain
retailers who sell new and previously viewed DVD's for $2.50-$7.00.
It's worth the effort.
Too often I have been
disappointed to find that DVD's have been discontinued, when I have the
desire to add them to my collection. But I've been able to find some
gems (including this one) in some of the DVD bins at discount stores. I
found most of my Bogart/Bacall, Clint Eastwood, and John Wayne copies at
these stores. There were films like Mutiny on the Bounty, with Clark
Gable, The Maltese Falcon, Lassie Come Home & many others. Dig deep
and often. They seem to be available in spurts with long waits between
availability, but the waits are worthwhile. Get together with friends
who will call you (as I do others
Major and the Minor is a great Ginger Rodgers film,
and
I think she actually brought out the best in Milland as his co-star in
this movie. And sometimes it even appears as if she shrinks in age as
she does her little girl act.
But, I think Vivacious Lady has got to be her crowning moment in
comedy. She is so dam funny in that movie, especially during the cat
fight scene on the balcony. I urge anyone who hasn't seen it to look for
it on TCM. You won't regret it.
Btw, Ginger Rogers and Lucille Ball were related to each other.
Wilder is in my top 3 favorite directors. It's a shame the movie
industry turned on him in his later years and he found it hard to get
work. We would have had quite a few more of his films to enjoy.
No matter how you slice it, there is some FUNNY stuff in this film:
He (leaving their compartment for the dining car): would you like me to bring you back anything?
She
(groggily): Just coffee. (Remembers she's supposed to be 12): I, I
mean a glass of milk with a few drops of coffee in it! Mom always
called it coffee!
Wilder hit a home run with his
first directorial effort. In an interview Wilder talked about how Ray
Milland who was a big star on the Paramount lot at that time agreed to
do the film to help the first time director out. Ginger Rogers is great
even though she hardly looks 12 years old, but that's part of the fun.
Diana Lynn who also worked with Preston Sturges is terrific as well. And
Ginger's real mom plays her mother. A great comedy that still holds up
today.
You left out a very good movie
with Ginger Rogers. She played the First Lady, Dolly Madison. The name
of the movie is Magnificent Doll. Burgess Merideth played President
Madison. Ginger played Dolly Madison. Good movie.
Actually Ginger was born in 1911 and would have been 31 in 1942.
Actually the Major and the Minor is available on DVD at
Amazon.com and
TCM.com
Never Too Young is available on DVD but it is in a $150 box set from Paramount.
One spooky aspect of the film is
its timing. In it, Ginger Rogers' character persuades the leading man,
an army officer, to do the right thing and get himself assigned
overseas. The assignment is in the Phillipines, right before World War 2
broke out. I wonder if his character was forced to surrender, or, like
my uncle, faded into the jungle and fought as a guerilla until
liberation.
A gem of a film with Ginger
Rogers and Ray Milland perfectly suited for their roles. Musis plays a
big role too. Favorite scene and there are many, Ginger convincing
cadet to leave switchboard unmanned. It's fun from start to finish!
Actually technically Wilder's
debut is Mauvaise graine (1934) (available on Kino) where he is
co-director though some (Danielle Darrieux) have stated that he was the
main director on it.
I liked this movie though I'm not sure I would put it as a must see
with Wilder's mass amount of great films that you mention (I would add
Stalag 17 as well).
A lot of older films aren't available on DVD. It's often very frustrating.
You're right, Blair. The story
was revamped for Martin and Lewis in 1955 as You're Never Too Young.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you're a Ginger Rogers fan), it's not
currently available on DVD.
Didn't Dean and Jerry do a re-make of this film? What was it called...?
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