Forever Young, Forever Free

Also known as Lollipop and E Lollipop, Forever Young, Forever Free is a studied piece of whimsy filmed in South Africa and Harlem. Norman Knox plays a white orphan installed in a South African mission; his best friend is black foundling Muntu Ben Louis Ndebele. When Norman requires emergency surgery, he is flown to New York, where he bemoans the fact that he has been separated from his black chum. Whereupon, Muntu and priest Jose Fesser jet to the big apple themselves--but Muntu gets lost in the airport, and winds up in Harlem under the supervision of social worker Karen Valentine. Allegedly a demonstration of how racial barriers can be overcome by the innocence of children, Forever Young, Forever Free comes off as patronizing and not a little insulting, with the black child being regarded more as a pet than a person. When first telecast on American TV, the 87-minute Forever Young, Forever Free was cut by nearly 20 minutes--one of the few instances that the "edited for television" disclaimer was welcome. - Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide