China Doll

This penultimate film from Frank Borzage, made in his mid sixties, is very much a slow moving, sad, bleak old man's film. But then again I'm a geezer myself (albeit not, I fancy, a bleak or sad one) so I can definitely relate. And, unlike the previous reviewer, I think Victor Mature is the best thing about it since his general mien is slow moving, lugubrious and hopeless and, apart from his bad attempts at playing a drunk (agree with the previous reviewer there), perfectly embodies the director's overall tone. Less good is the film's leading lady, Li Lihua, not because she is a poor actress (apparently she was the recipient of the award for best actress in Chinese language films) but because Borzage and his scenarists, Thomas Kelly and James Nablo, fail to provide her with anything beyond the submissive, saintly stereotyped Good Asian Woman role. And the stories and characters beyond Mature and Lihua are, with the partial exception of Ward Bond's chess playing priest, rather dull. I especially disliked the streotyped Cute, Precocious "I shine your shoes, GI" Asian Kid. So, let's give it a very generous B minus for being the last interesting film from a great director.

PS...I want one of those bomber jackets with the map of China on the back.

This film is reminiscent of The Good Earth in the sense that it sticks very close to actual Chinese mores and customs. Li Hua Li gives a sensitive performance as the romantic interest of Victor Mature. The movie is unexpectedly a two-hanky affair, and not just another GI Joe in Asia adventure.

The film highlights the Flying Tigers, a military unit that struck petrifying fear in the hearts of the Japanese occupation forces within China during WW 2. There is very little jingoism or gung-ho dialog, as normally associated with Hollywood productions. This is because this is not a Hollywood production, but a well-made independent film. Kudos to the producers of this film and the screenwriters who made this film unforgettable. Some might say it is a bit corny and sentimental, but those sentiments are quickly dashed after the film's plot begins to unravel. You can keep Gigi, the winner of the Best film of 1958. This film is much better.

An interesting medium-low budget film that brings together all the narrative ingredients that Hollywood is known for, but in this case, due to the budget, there are no flashy visuals or grand fireworks. The narrative line is quite well-constructed, and the characters, though sometimes a bit too caricatured, fit the stereotypes of the era. The film's interest lies in its thematic focus, which places the action at the airfield the Americans improvised in the Chinese city of Kunming. The Americans intervened in the Sino-Japanese War, first incognito in Chinese uniforms and later, after the declaration of war against Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor, in American uniforms. And it was precisely in Kunming where the Flying Tigers were established, the volunteer aviators of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) who significantly contributed with their flight expertise to the still immature Chinese air defense at that time.

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?

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.