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runningqrtr · Grip Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 3 Location: Texas

Excuse me for not lurking for long but I have been looking for a movie for my father. He saw it when he was a young boy in the 40's or 50's. He does not know what the title is or who the actors were but he remembers the movie vividly. Evidently, he has been earnestly looking for this movie for about 5 years know. I did not know about this until last month and about 8 months ago I saw this movie on TCM or AMC. I did not see the title or the actors because I did not know that he was looking for this movie. The movie took place in the South Pacific and it was about a group of young orphans living in an orphanage run by nuns. One of the oriental boys who hated the Japanese because their bombing killed his parents, organized a group of gorillas from within the orphanage to go out and conduct raids against the Japanese patrols and ammo dumps. This boy had a dream to fly the plane that dropped the bombs on Tokyo, but was unfortunately killed during one of the raids. The closing scene showed a ghost like figure of the boy's spirit in the cockpit of the plane that was dropping the bombs on Tokyo.

If anybody has any clue about the title or actors or if you have any idea about how to find this movie somewhere else please help me. I would love to get a copy of this movie and deliver it to him in October when I go to see him. He has cancer (doesn't seem to be life threatening yet) but I would love to find this for him and make him smile.

Thanks in advance,

Amy

beltmann · Posted: 09.25.2003 11:50 pm Post subject:

Come on people, let's figure this one out.

Eric

the night watchman · Posted: 09.26.2003 1:22 am Post subject:

I've been making some inquiries, but no luck yet.
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Danny Baldwin · Posted: 09.26.2003 2:48 am Post subject:

Yeah, I must know this...I think I can I think I can...
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Michael Scrutchin · Posted: 09.26.2003 3:12 am Post subject:

Fellow Online Film Critics Society member Scott Weinberg suggested that it may be a 1945 film called China's Little Devils (IMDb details). Unfortunately, it's not available on video or DVD. Do you think this film might be it?
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beltmann · Posted: 09.26.2003 3:24 am Post subject:

Sounds very possible to me. Good work, Michael!

Eric

filmsRpriceless · Camera Operator Joined: 26 Jun 2003 Posts: 65

Sounds very familar; I actually think Michael got something, though the film isn't in the TCM or AMC library (if that means anything).
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runningqrtr · Grip Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 3 Location: Texas

China's Little Devils is the title of this movie. Thank you so much for your time in helping me figure this out. I have researched the issue and found that the screenwriter of the movie, Samuel Ornitz was one of the Hollywood Ten that were arrested for communism and then sentenced to a year in prison for not answering questions during the trial. The director, Monta Bell was employed by Paramount when this movie was made. Paramount's archives from 1935-1959 were sold in the 60's. I'm still researching this but have come to a seemingly dead end. There is a company who has been searching for this movie for about 3-4 years now with no luck. They are now looking for a collector or someone with a private copy that would have been made back in the 50's. If you know of any movie buffs out there that would have any information about this movie or actually own a much sought after copy, please let me know. I would still love to get this movie for my Dad.

Thanks again,

Amy

Michael Scrutchin · Posted: 09.28.2003 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: Thank you!!

I'm glad we could help out.

I did some snooping online and stumbled across a post on another forum in which the poster claims he's heard rumors that Steven Spielberg has been searching for the film and has offered a big reward to anyone who finds a print.
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