Movie with a boy whose toy soldier comes to life to aid him to expose a plot to smuggle top secret info?

Question

I'm trying to remember like crazy, but there's this old film, very early 90s or earlier (could even be 80s or 70s) with a boy whose toy soldier/action figure comes to life (actually he appears to him life-sized played by a real person, no CG effects) to aid him to expose a plot to smuggle top secret info. Bits I remember are that his dad didn't have time for him and basically ignores him. His hero is some character that his action figure is based on. It appears to him in real life as a real person and works together with him to uncover some spy plot. I vaguely remember a few scenes like there's this guy who helps him with long hair and geeky glasses, also his toy (the life-sized human version) gets shot at the end but isn't dead because he's imaginary or something. Near the end, they're at an airport and he insists these two old people are spies and they have something in their possession. This is found to be true and they're apprehended. It's an old kids movie. Can anyone help??

Answer 1

That sounds like "Cloak and Dagger" with Dabney Coleman

Answer 2

Life Size Toy Soldier

Answer 3

Toy Soldier Film

Answer 4

Cloak & Dagger (1984)
Henry Thomas and Dabney Coleman
IMDB summary:
11-year-old Davey (Henry Thomas), whose mother is dead and whose father (Dabney Coleman) is preoccupied with his own problems, has retreated into a world of video games and an imaginary hero-pal, the swashbuckling superspy Jack Flack (Dabney Coleman again). When an FBI agent about to be murdered slips him a video cartridge containing top-secret data, Davey is suddenly plunged into the intrigue and danger of real-life espionage. No adult believes his story, so he must run a gauntlet of violence and villainy aided only by a younger girl (Christina Nigra) and the encouragement of Jack Flack at his side. How long can a comic-book role model guide him through this encounter with reality?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087065/
Of special interest are veteran husband and wife acting team John McIntire and Jeanette Nolan.

EDIT: I forgot to add that the figurine of the soldier doesn't actually come to life; it remains small and inanimate. Instead, the boy sees his roleplaying figure full-size, looking like his father but dressed in appropriate Jack Flack gear.

Answer 5

A toy soldier comes to life in Indian in a Cupboard as well, but the movie came out in the 90's.

Answer 6

Iron Giant is really popular with boys, if it is the movie you are speaking of. My Grandsons have it memorized and there's a toy just like it.

Answer 7

cloak and dagger! great flick!! i used to be addicted to that movie.

Answer 8

iTS CALLED TOy SOLDiERS.

Answer 9

it is "SMALL SOLDIERS"
go to IMDB.com to double check