I Was a Male War Bride ©1949
I Was a Male War Bride was a low-key screwball comedy starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan, directed by Howard Hawks. Based on a true story, Grant and Sheridan play a French captain and an American WAC lieutenant assigned to work together on a mission. The gender-role reversals begin when Sheridan is required by regs to pilot their motorcycle and Grant has to ride in the sidecar.
Although they dislike each other at first, they eventually fall in love and get married (not quite a cliché yet, at the time). Their wedding night is interrupted by Sheridan being transferred Stateside, and when Grant tries to accompany her under the War Bride Act more hijinx ensue, culminating with Grant in drag as an army nurse to pass more easily. This last bit proved to be a huge hit with audiences, and the film became one of the top-grossing releases of the year.
Under traditional copyright law, this film would have become public property at the end of 2005.