Les diables jaunes

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!

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.

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.

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".

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.