Forever Young, Forever Free (1976) DVD-R

Starring Jose Ferrer, Karen Valentine, Bess Finney, Muntu Ndebele,
Norman Knox
Directed by Ashley Lazarus

Print: color
Runtime: 85 min.
Genre: drama
Print quality: A

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.