Review of The Major and the Minor (1942) by Kevin N — 20 Sep 2011
It's unbelievable that this premise works, and it couldn't possibly today, but leave it to Billy Wilder to get the job done. This was his first directed film in America (though he already had a number of Oscar nominations for writing) and he admittedly chose it because he knew its mainstream popularity would allow him more freedom to direct some darker and more complex films later.
Besides the sharp writing, the keys to the film's success are Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland, both of whom have the kind of natural charm needed to make these characters instantly likable. Sure, anyone watching the film can see that Rogers isn't a twelve-year-old girl, but we believe she has enough brains and wit to pull a fast one on the people of the movie, and that's just fine.
Wilder directs with the typical precision he would become famous for later. This is the kind of film, even if isn't one of his major masterpieces, that shows why he was such a unique treasure- if this premise hadn't been tried by him, it wouldn't have been tried at all; luckily it was, and it has enchantment galore.
This review of The Major and the Minor (1942) was written by Kevin N on 20 Sep 2011.
The Major and the Minor has generally received very positive reviews.
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