Does someone know this movie?

November 30, 2006 5:13 PM

Help me figure out what this movie is...

I saw this movie when I was a child, about 8 or 9 (late 70s). It's about missionaries in Africa. The little missionary boy becomes close friends with one of the African boys. He's injured in an accident where he was rolling down a hill in a huge inner tube and is flown to the US for treatment.

The people in the village raise money for the little African boy to fly to the US to see him. They make him a suit out of an old wool blanket. When he gets to America (NYC, I think) he gets lost and ends up on a bus with a bunch of kids on a field trip. The bus driver ends up being from his village and helps him find his way.

I remember being touched by this movie but never knew the name of it because I got to the theater late after the credits had rolled.

Does anyone know this movie? I'd love to see it again.

posted by mamaquita to Grab Bag (3 answers total)

Oh my word! I remember that film (well not the name). The scene with him rolling down the hill in the wheel has stuck with me for years. I saw it in Middle school during the very early 80s.

I'd love to find this film too.
posted by schwa at 5:51 PM on November 30, 2006

Ha. I too remember the inner tube scene, but can't remember the movie.
posted by bingo at 7:56 PM on November 30, 2006

IMDB is turning up noting similar between '65-'82 with assumptions it was made in USA and working with Child as part of the plot description. hopefully someone else can help
posted by edgeways at 8:33 PM on November 30, 2006