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See China and Die (1981) (TV) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   12 votes
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Up 18% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Release Date:
9 December 1981 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
A maid who reads detective stories finds herself embroiled in a real life mystery involving her dead... more | add synopsis
User Reviews:
Esther Rolle - A Great Actress more (2 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Esther Rolle ... Momma Sykes
Kene Holliday ... Sgt. Alvin Sykes
Frank Converse ... Tom Hackman
Paul Dooley ... Ames Prescott
Andrew Duggan ... Edwin Forbes
Laurence Luckinbill ... Dr. Glickman (as Lawrence G. Luckinbill)

Jean Marsh ... Sally Hackman
Fritz Weaver ... Poston
Jane Hitchcock ... Ruth
Claude Brooks ... Jessie Sykes
William Walker II ... Andy Sykes
Miguel Pinero ... Gonzalez
Jack Straw ... Norman
Arthur French ... Rib Man
James Dukas ... Transplant
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Momma the Detective (USA) (alternative title)
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Runtime:
86 min | USA:100 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Esther Rolle, Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter are all sisters to one another. more
Quotes:
[Mama Sykes and her son are talking at the police station]
Sgt. Alvin Sykes: I'm worried about you, mama.
Momma Sykes: NOBODY'S gonna kill ME! Your father tried that a couple times and even he couldn't do it.
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FAQ

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7 out of 7 people found the following review useful.
Esther Rolle - A Great Actress, 4 December 1998
Author: Ralph McKnight from New York, New York

"See China, And Die" starring Miss Esther Rolle. I loved her. She recently died and I was very sad - mixed emotions surrounded me as I thought back to seeing Miss Rolle on the screen, both tv and in the movies. She was a wonderful actress.

Her starring role in the long running series, "Good Times," gave me many years of entertainment. She was a strong, concerned mother, who loved her children and an excellent wife who stood by her husband, who faced racism, joblessness and frustration in white America. Rolle gave pathos and exhilaration to her role as "Florida" in this series.

When I saw, "See China, And Die" on tv, Rolle made me love her more. She was playing a maid again, but this time, an amateur detective who was trying to solve the case of her murdered boss.

Her arrogance reminded me of an earlier movie maid, Hattie McDaniel, who, tho subservient, was a bold and earthy woman. Miss Rolle was the "maid" for several tenants in the building where her boss was killed. She solved the case despite the police and her policeman/detective son who tried unsuccessfully to quash her "work".

During the proceedings, Rolle almost got herself killed, but turned the tables on all suspects during a dinner revelation of the "real killer".

The picture was fun, because Esther Rolle brought her special quality, as an actress to the the role of "Mama". The New York locations added a touch of authenticity to the film.

I enjoyed many of the performances, especially Fritz Weaver, Paul Dooley and the rest of the cast.

Many people have caught this film on late night tv and enjoyed it, and then, putting ads in publications trying to find ANYone who had a copy of the film. They wanted to add it to their personal collections. I was lucky...I have a copy.

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