Dondi (1961)

Six American GIs stationed in Italy befriend an orphaned boy, but the soldiers remain unaware that the lad has stowed away with them when they return to the U.S.

Director:

Albert Zugsmith

Writers:

Gus Edson (comic strip), Gus Edson

Stars:

David Janssen, Patti Page, Walter Winchell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Janssen	...	Dealey
Patti Page	...	Liz
Walter Winchell	...	Walter Winchell
Mickey Shaughnessy	...	Sergeant
Robert Strauss	...	Sammy Boy
Arnold Stang	...	Peewee
Louis Quinn	...	Dimmy
Gale Gordon	...	Colonel
Dick Patterson	...	Perky
Susan Kelly	...	Lt. Calhoun
John Melfi	...	Jo-Jo
Bonnie Scott	...	Gladdy
William Wellman Jr.	...	Ted
Nola Thorp	...	Candy
Joan Staley	...	Sally

Storyline

Six American GIs stationed in Italy befriend an orphaned boy, but the soldiers remain unaware that the lad has stowed away with them when they return to the U.S. The six go their separate ways, leaving the tyke alone in the big city. Now, New York becomes one big adventure for a little Italian boy named Dondi.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | cigar | reference to santa claus | character says merry christmas | sleeping child | 

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Taglines:

The Kid Who Captured an Army!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Music | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joan Staley's first credited film role.

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Quotes

Dealey: What do you say we stop all this tree-trimming jazz and hit the road to town?
Peewee: Oh now, Dealey, you know how I promised Mama about Christmas. You see, while she's trimming her tree in Peoria, I'm trimming mine right here. It's almost as if we're together!

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Horror of Party Beach (1997)

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Soundtracks

Dondi
(uncredited)
Music by Mort Garson
Lyrics by Earl Shuman
Sung by Patti Page

User Reviews

I Remember Dondi

I was about about 9 years old when the movie Dondi came to the Fernrock Theater in North Philly, the neighborhood I grew up in. I had been an avid reader of the comic strip (published in the Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer) since it was first introduced and I suppose because of my age at the time, I related to the title character. All I remember today is that I loved it as a kid and cried like a baby at all the sappy parts.

I am sure if I were to revisit this movie today as a jaded 50-something year old guy, I too might rain harsh words about this movie which has accumulated a whopping 3.3 stars by the reviewers. But I choose to rate it based on the way it made me feel when I was nine, and too naive to know old folks in the year 2004 would consider it a piece of crap. Today our kids grow up much too fast. A movie like Dondi might be just what the doctor ordered for your kids as opposed to say - a prescription for Ritalin.

Dondi gets a 7.5 from me.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seis Guerreiros

Filming Locations:

Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Albert Zugsmith Productions, Photoplay Associates

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White