China's Little Devils (1945) User Reviews

Excellent unknown WWII film

[barring889 · 8/10 · 26 December 2005]

I also saw this movie when I was young on TV in Los Angeles. It has not shown up anywhere that I'm aware of for nearly 40 years.

"China's Little Devils" is a Monogram Picture. Monogram became Allied Artists in the early 50's. They were bought by Lorimar in (I believe) the 80's. The Lorimar catalog was purchased by (again, I believe) Turner Entertainment which was itself acquired by Warners. I hope I've got the "line of authority" straight! But I'm certain that Warners now owns "China's Little Devils" and hopefully we may one day see a video release of this basically forgotten gem from WWII. Warners has released other Monogram titles, so hope is there.

I remember this movie also

[raycomp · 7/10 · 26 January 2010]

I saw this in the early 1950's broadcast in Minneapolis/St. Paul between late 1953 and 1956. It made a big impression upon me so that I do remember the name but only some sketchy scenes. For an 8 or 10 year old it was exciting.

I never saw it rebroadcast and had almost convinced myself that it was a figment of imagination.

I too would like to view this film to see if it "holds up" over time or would be as laughable as "Action in the North Atlantic" which is only shown now because it has Bogart. Would this movie compare or contrast to "The Big Red One", "Tora, Tora, Tora", "Das Boot" or "All Quiet on the Western Front"?

Teens and pre-teens in WWII China Blow Up Japanese Ammo Dump.

[donzilla · 1 November 2002]

This story is better than the original Hollywood film "The Flying Tigers" in a couple of respects. It tells of the willingness of the Chinese people in those days to cooperate with America. The "Devils" were (as with the "Devil's Brigade" in Germany) named by the enemy they pestered. The second point is: it shows how youths in all societies, in all periods of time, and in all philosophies have been the powerful force in vanquishing an enemy of freedom. These boys, some as young as five years old, formed a very tightly bound band of saboteurs who plagued the Japanese invaders - not only by blowing up their resources. They also salvaged fuel - which was common to the war machines of both sides - and helped keep the Flying Tigers in the air in their "pursuit" against the aggressors. I enclose "pursuit" in quotes because that was the primary mission of the P-40 aircraft: The "P" stands for pursuit.

A Great Kid Movie

[JCBar · 10/10 · 14 September 2005]

'Banzai, banzai, and see how you like it...' is the only line I really remember from this movie, but ironically, I remember many scenes. I saw it over and over again when I was around 9-11 (over 40 yrs ago), and would be interested to see how it has aged. I'm somewhat afraid that it would be laughable, but judging from the other comments, I also wouldn't be surprised to see the opposite. I most of all remember how it made the whole world war more real to me, as I watched youngsters my age fight the hated Japanese.

The high rating I give it is based ENTIRELY on what a 9 yr old boy would have rated it back then, but it's all I have right now. So....has anybody anywhere seen this movie for the last 30 years, or know where to find it?

FANTASTIC MOVIE

[john-250 · 10/10 · 11 November 1999]

I saw this movie many times in the early 1950's on TV in Los Angeles. I think it is one of the best war movies I have ever seen. I have been looking for it on video for several years. I hope that Turner or someone else will put it on video.

Watchable low rent wartime Flagwaver

[gordonl56 · 6/10 · 8 May 2016]

CHINA'S LITTLE DEVILS 1945

This one is a real low budget wartime quickie, put out by bottom end studio, Monogram. This flag waving programmer stars, Ducky Louie, Paul Kelly, Harry Carey, Jim Dodd, Gloria Ann Chew, Hayward Soo Hoo and Richard Loo.

Several pilots with the Flying Tigers, Jimmy Dodd and Paul Kelly rescue a young lad they find after a Japanese air raid. The squadron pilots adopt the boy (Ducky Louie) as sort of a mascot. The men collect funds and send the boy to a mission school ran by American Harry Carey.

The lad, Louie, is not the least bit interested in "book learning'. He just wants to get even with the Japanese for killing his family and friends. He is soon leading his fellow students on raids of the nearby Japanese supply dumps. The kids thieve rifles and ammo which they pass on to the local Chinese underground.

When Harry Carey discovers what is going on he tries to talk the kids out of dangerous raids. Of course this does not work. The kids led by Louie, become bolder with each raid, stealing ammo as well as using grenades to blow up Japanese fuel dumps. The area is soon plastered with wanted poster for the kids offering a big reward for info.

The raids continue and the Japanese now grab up school teacher Carey. December 7th 1941 has arrived and Japan and the States are now at war. The kids pull a sneak raid on Japanese headquarters and spring Harry Carey. They also rescue a couple of Flying Tiger pilots who have been shot down.

The kids are now armed up and fight a rear guard action while Carey and the Flying Tiger types make good their escape. Ducky Louie and the others are all killed, but they do stop the Japanese long enough for the others to get away.

This is not what one would call a good film, however, taken as the low rent programmer that it is, it supplies plenty of action at a decent pace. This 74 minute time-waster was produced by actor, Grant Withers. Suppling the music is seventeen time nominated, and four time Oscar winner, Dimitri Tiomkin.

Great movie, bad fate

[terrypold · 10/10 · 20 May 2013]

This was a great movie. I remember the garroting scene, the scene where the Japanese soldier was saying that the children will be strung up by their thumbs. The five year old boy holds up his thumbs in defiance and he is pulled back into the crowd. And, of course, "banzai yourself and see if you like it!". Unfortunately, this was one of the films destroyed to make room in a vault for new films. All negatives, and prints were destroyed. The movie will only live on in our memories. there hundreds of films destroyed including one called "Hells a popping'". this was one of the original parody films in the vein of "Airplane" or "The Naked Gun".

How come I can't find this film

[china-5 · 25 September 1998]

China's Little Devils. Has to be one of the best world war 2 movies I have ever seen. I believe they patterned the movie Red Dawn after this film. I used to watch this movie when I was younger in the late 1950's early 1960's on TV but have not seen it in over thirty years now on television. Why is that is this film no longer available to be shown. If any one can answer my ? and tell me if this film can be purchased or where it might be seen please e-mail me. Thanks

I remember it as extremely exciting!

[kenrmcdougall · 9 May 2001]

I saw this movie with my folks at the Michigan Theater in Detroit, Michigan when it came out first run. I was eight years old at the time. I remember it as being extremely exciting and have remembered it many times over the last half century+. Having come late to the internet and taped movies, I have begun a search for a copy on tape and have so far been unsuccessful.

If my memory holds correct, then it would be, if not a best seller, at least worth a distributor's time and effort to tape it.

There is so much trash made these days that it must be worth while to delve into some of the oldies but goodies.

Thank you!

I can't get it either!

[Frankg-5 · 22 November 1998]

I would like to get a copy or see China's Little Devils too. I remember seeing it in the early 1950's when Alan Freed (of Rock N' Roll Fame) was the mc for the afternoon movie on WXEL in Cleveland. He played the movie once - and had to repeat it multitudes of times to satisfy all the viewers that requested it again and again!