As a disciplinary measure, the Army transfers a heavy-handed Major to a ROTC academy where he must shape-up cadets and improve the school's overall ratings.
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Title: The Private War of Major Benson (1955)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Charlton Heston | ... | Maj. Bernard R. 'Barney' Benson | |
| Julie Adams | ... | Dr. Kay Lambert | |
| William Demarest | ... | John | |
| Tim Hovey | ... | Cadet Thomas 'Tiger' Flaherty | |
| Nana Bryant | ... | Mother Redempta | |
| Tim Considine | ... | Cadet Lt. Gerald Hibler | |
| Sal Mineo | ... | Cadet Col. Sylvester Dusik | |
| Milburn Stone | ... | Maj. Gen. Wilton J. Ramsey | |
| Mary Field | ... | Sister Mary Theresa | |
| Joey D. Vieira | ... | Cadet Cpl. Scawalski (as Donald Keeler) | |
 |
Gary Pagett | ... | Cadet Lt. Molony |
|
|
Mickey Little | ... | Cadet Lt. Hanratty |
| Don Haggerty | ... | Harold Hibler | |
| David Janssen | ... | Young Lieutenant | |
| Richard H. Cutting | ... | Monsignor Collins | |
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
A Major noted for advancing with his mouth before thinking is given a choice: to be drummed out of the Army, or take command of and shape up the ROTC program at Sheridan Academy before it fails its next inspection. At Sheridan he encounters three hundred pre-teen cadets who range from rascally to adorable, and a female doctor who has just the right prescription for him. Written by Martin H. Booda <booda@datasync.com>
Taglines:
They're out to bust the Major See more »Parents Guide:
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Young Lieutenant: Major, you're exposed!
Maj. Bernard 'Barney' Benson: Get the men back to their original positions. We'll try it again.
Young Lieutenant: Major, we've executed the maneuver 27 times since noon. The men are tired.
Maj. Bernard 'Barney' Benson: They missed their objective by 17 seconds. Now do it till they do it right.
Young Lieutenant: Yes, sir.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
St. Catherine's Military School, which still exists in Anaheim, California, supplied the scenery and its students as extras for the film. The K through 8th grade school is the only Catholic Military School west of the Mississippi. It was established in 1880. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Young Lieutenant: Major, you're exposed!
Maj. Bernard 'Barney' Benson: Get the men back to their original positions. We'll try it again.
Young Lieutenant: Major, we've executed the maneuver 27 times since noon. The men are tired.
Maj. Bernard 'Barney' Benson: They missed their objective by 17 seconds. Now do it till they do it right.
Young Lieutenant: Yes, sir.
See more »
Connections
Referenced in The Colgate Comedy Hour: Host: Charlton Heston; Guests: Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, The Marjorie Fields Moppets, Bob Williams & his dog Red Dust (1955) See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
2 December 1955 (Finland) See more »Also Known As:
The Private War of Major Benson See more »Filming Locations:
St. Catherine's Military School - 215 N. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, California, USA See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$600,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
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While channel hopping on TV I came across this movie being shown and had no idea it even existed. It's simply delightful to watch Charlton Heston as Major Benson learn to cope with the youngsters at the academy. I was thinking he rather resembled the "bull in a china shop" until one of the cast in the movie says Benson was like "an elephant on an escalator" which says it all.
How regrettable that Heston should have been typecast and only known for serious roles at which he excelled of course, but it's oh so pleasant to see another side of him too, the humorous side.
I've only watched the movie for a first time and look forward to future viewings because the witty dialogue overflows from almost every scene. I'll allow the experts to fill in the details for now. An enjoyable film.