Review of China Doll (1958) by Greg W — 17 Feb 2013

This is meant to be a simple, enjoyable, humorous, emotional, and entertaining movie. And it fits that description to a "T". It is modest budget yet has a remarkable cast who develop their characters rapidly and well. Vic Mature's acting is better than normal, in my opinion, and Ward Bond, as always is the "glue" and scene stealer that he has been from his very first film. Borzage does not pay attention to aircraft and aerial detail although to the ordinary aircraft layman, the scenes are very realistic. It tells the story of an emotionally deprived captain, (we never truly find out what has caused this although other reviewers have stated it is because of the men he has lost doing his job which is training crews to drop supplies to the US behind enemy lines). Because of his problem, he drinks to keep it at bay and associates himself as a friend to very few people.....Ward Bond as Father Cairns is one.

He awakes one morning and eventually, through the help of Father Cairns, finds that he has purchased the services of a young Eurasian girl for three months. His determination to keep her as only a housekeeper dissolves during a bout of malaria when he was delirious. The rest of the story should be saved for your enjoyment. Because that is what it will give you if you take it for what it is. The scenes before the ending have been criticized, but I found them to be exactly what I and any responsible and well trained service man would have done. Without giving the whole ending away, every member of his crew returns home safely "with his dog tags" which is a significant part of the film. Keith Payne.