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. The six go their separate ... See full summary »

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 aloin in the big city. Now, New York becomes one big adventure for a little Italian boy named Dondi.

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Plot Keywords:

manhattan new york city | write in campaign | watching through a window | watching tv | waldorf astoria hotel manhattan new york city | 

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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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seis Guerreiros

Company Credits

Production Co:

Albert Zugsmith Productions, Photoplay Associates

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

The entire background music score was composed for and played by a single, solo harmonica.

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Quotes

Dondi: [looking for his GI friends on the streets of New York] Buddies! Where you are? Is me, Dondi!

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: David Janssen/Lily Tomlin/Natalie Cole/Irwin Shaw (1975)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Cute WWII orphan befriends GI and stows away to America.

WWII is ending and now the Americans have occupied Italy. Dondi is an orphan, his home destroyed; little hope for the future. Dealy is a hard-boiled GI with no interest in kids, but for some reason, Dondi takes a liking to him and just won't go away, no matter what Dealy does. When Dealy is rotated Stateside, Dondi stows away.

This film is very sentimental, with the little boy, Dondi, reminiscent of Hamchunk, Jim Hutton's tag-along, in The Green Berets (David Janssen is in that film, too), or Mitsuo, the little boy who follows after Jerry Lewis, in The Geisha Boy.

As a kid, this movie was one of my favorites. I would love to view it, now, with my own children. While it is not one of the "Great Ones", it is well worth a watch.