Dondi (1961)

That was an excellent one.

Simply A Masterpiece

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

In Europe, warm-hearted Cold War soldiers adopt cute five-year-old Italian orphan David Kory (as Dondi) and take him home to America as a stowaway. The little tyke gets lost in New York City, where he continues to perform Shirley Temple impressions. In between "Richard Diamond" and "The Fugitive", TV serviceman David Janssen (as Dealey) looks after the lad along with singing sweetheart Patti Page (as Liz Porter).The title song "Dondi" is sung by Ms. Page. Duplicating the success of the movie, it was released on the "B-side" of a non-hit single. Page, who has an excellent singing voice, also performs "Meadow in the Sky" and "Jingle Bells" (over the opening credits). This tediously ill-conceived and poorly executed film was based on the successful comic strip by Irwin Hasen, who has a cameo as the artist sketching "Dondi" for the police.** Dondi (3/26/61) Albert Zugsmith ~ David Kory, David Janssen, Patti Page, Arnold Stang

I first saw the movie Dondi back in 1966. I was 9. I found it to be a great little heart warmer for back then. Just because someone had a tooth ache doesn't make him a critique. Dondi is what really happened during the second world war It happens during all wars but Dondi captured all of them and they showed it too. I hate my family coming to my house I moved way in the woods. I am a recluse. I took a wagon wheel rim and modified it making a sign on my front yard drive way. It stands straight up on its end and it is stuck in concrete The words on my welcome sign to my front yard reads. Welcome Ira and Irma Deelybuddy. Our names are Ann and Joe. I bet my sister kid graduated high school by now She was eight the last time I saw her. Get the point Dondi was a great movie it had something for everybody but the tooth ache guy

I, too, was just a little kid when I saw "Dondi"...and I fell in love with it. I watched it on TV--probably on a Saturday afternoon--and was captivated by it's charm. Sweet little Dondi stole my heart. I only saw this movie once but it has stayed in my heart for over 40 years. I can still remember Patti Page singing a beautiful lullabye-like song about Dondi. By today's standards, it most likely wouldn't even be considered to be made---not enough sex and violence---but this is one that should somehow finds it's way to the "feel good movies" category on DVD....along with "The Toy Tiger", "Sitting Pretty", and "Mr. Belvidere". Hopefully some day we'll be able to get all of these great old movies on DVD!

The summary line is, of course, intended to parody David Kory's very strange use of language in this film, but I can't shake myself of the idea that the pinhead who first proposed this as a project spoke of it in like glowing words.The comic strip was okay for what it was. But trying to make a movie out of it? Watching this is a stomach-turner to be sure. The whole syrupy lovableness bit is nauseating, and I've heard stories of kids who watched this when it first came out having squirmed with embarrassment at it, which is pretty painful when you consider how undemanding kids usually are when it comes to kid-friendly movies. Even worse are the stale, unfunny jokes.A sequel was planned, but thankfully it went nowhere. David Kory couldn't act, but even worse is the fact that his director couldn't, evidently, do his own job either.