China Doll (1958)

Strong and Moving!

I wanted to but couldn't!

The movie is wildly uneven but lively and timely - in its own surreal way

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

in beginning, C-47 went from silver with post-war markings to olive with mid-WWII markings.Batjak--John Wayne's production company interesting to hear Denver Pyle without his put-on Southern accent 86 minute mark--totally random stock footage of airplanes inserted "China Doll" is not a terrible film but it certainly leaves a lot to be desired--particularly if you like war films or know much about WWII airplanes. It's sad, as with a few changes and a better ending, it could have been satisfying.The film begins in China during WWII. A group of American servicemen are responsible for flying 'the hump'--a journey from India to China to provide war materials for the fight against the Japanese. Victor Mature plays a captain who spends his time flying and drinking. Duirng one of his drinking spells, however, he accidentally purchases a woman. More specifically, she becomes a short-term indentured servant to him. Although it does not happen for some time, you know pretty much that the two will be in love by the end of the film. However, this is a film with LOTS of complications for their love--and the ending certainly won't satisfy romance lovers! See the film and you'll understand.For me, the sappy and sickly sweet (and difficult to believe) romance was not the major problem. Being a retired history teacher and airplane buff, I was really annoyed by the sloppiness of the use of stock footage of airplanes and air battles. Too often, they were just randomly tossed in and seemed to have no rhyme or reason. In some cases, it was really pretty funny, as the C-47 transport at the beginning of the movie is painted in silver--and it lands painted all in olive drab! Other times, plane types simply change in mid-air! It's all pretty irritating and even non-purists like myself will notice. Sloppy and a film you could easily skip.

After a decade's absence from the big screen director Frank Borzage did a few films toward the end of his life, the first being a tender love story set in Western China during World War II. Although you would hardly call Victor Mature's character an innocent like most of Borzage's protagonists, the female lead, Chinese actress Li Hua Li more than makes up for it in her character.Mature is a transport pilot in the China-Burma-India theater and during a night on the town he wakes up finds out he's bought himself a Chinese concubine from her father. On a three month trial basis and Li Hua Li goes with him. Naturally this arrangement doesn't please all at the base with their western views on morality especially the women nurses. But Mature finds a surprising ally in Father Ward Bond who runs an orphanage and has spent decades in China and knows the customs well. In fact the main scene of the film is Bond presiding over a Chinese style wedding when the two realize they're in love. Of course the fact that a little one is on the way does speed everyone's plans up.China Doll despite its themes of miscegenation is really a rather old fashioned film. Films like Sayonara and Love Is A Many Splendored Thing really tackled the whole issue far better. And I found the ending completely ridiculous especially if Mature's first concern was the safety of his infant daughter.Vic and Li Hua Li are a touching pair of lovers though and the wartime combat scenes are expertly handled. Fans of Mature and of Ms. Li who is a big name in the Chinese cinema might like this though.

Next-to -last movie in Borzage's filmography,one of the most important of the whole American cinema.Although the script is rather weak,compared to so many other works (see the other comments) ,there is in every Borzage movie at least one ,two and even three scenes which make the whole thing worthwhile .First there's Victore Mature ,suffering from malaria and the girl on his body ,recalling that the Borzagesque hero/heroine is prepared to sacrifice anything: Rosalie warming Pender up in "the river" or Timothy creeping in the snow in "lucky star".There's the baby playing with the identity disc (and the captain's salute to his baby-sitter) and the young girl holding it at the airport.Although it's often labeled war movie,war scenes actually take place at the end of the movie,most of the time being given over to the captain/Chinese girl relationship .Like this ? try these..."Sayonara" Joshua Logan ,1957 "Love is a Many-Splendored thing",Henry King,1955"The sand pebbles" ,Robert Wise,1966

I agree that it was touching in spots, downright sad in others, but what really spoiled it for me was the fact that the leading man and lady weren't able to kiss because of the race issue. That made it seem very stilted and unbelievable. Just when did they throw out the ban on interracial kissing, anyway?