Donovan's Reef (1963)

"Donovan's Reef" is a strange film I suggest or many reasons, and about as physically glowing as a film can be. it is a hymn to Polyneisa, to its natural beauty, its friendly people and its future, from John Ford and John Wayne who clearly by the film's message hope not to see these qualities spoiled. I find it a strong element in the script that the faults of Bostonians, an allegorical composite for super-rich-government connected types, are discredited---with the qualities that describe unrealistic power-mongers--inability to enjoy simplicity, lack of a sense of humor, intolerance, frigidity in sex, inability to seek amity, unwillingness to compromise on nonessential points, bigotry against all those poorer or differently, worship of power...all the traits that define corporate-man of the U.S. increasingly throughout the 20th Century (but have the opposite quality of truly American values). The film is gentle, deliberate in pace and pits two screwball comedy types, the seemingly over-macho but lovable brute and the seemingly stuck-up by basically-goodhearted girl against one another; and from the beginning as his steely spirit and her iron resolve meet sharply , sparks fly. In the film's focused storyline, a youthful, would-be heiress from Boston, Ameiia (Elizabeth Allen), travels from her cold, snowy and overly-formal zone of existence to locate her father, missing since WWII. She had been born near the beginning of that Pacific conflict; but he stayed in French Polynesia and has never seen her. He stands to inherit millions, that is the prospect; she needs to prove that he is "morally unfit" in order to overturn that provision of a will. The assumption is he must be living in sin, he's in paradise--not Boston. She is met not by her errant papa but by his friend, "Guns" Donovan, an ex-sailor, and a man who who owns the local saloon, 'Donovan's Reef'. What she does not know is the father has had three children since, by a Polynesian mother. It takes time, a brawl over a shared birthday, meeting and growing to love the people, some tense scenes with her father, ceremonies, arguments, a water-skiing contretemps involving two sorts of bathing suit representing Boston and Polynesia and an opportunistic play for her by the governor that the girl finally melts--in so far as iron can. She decides it is more logical to stay with Donovan than to deny her feelings, and her love for the island. Donovan spanks her, the Amelia that was; but the action is symbolic, for from this point on they will be equals,; his brawling partner will own 'Gilhooley's Reef' and and they will make a life together where people get along and respect one another's differences. . The film is an amiable service-style comedy--John Ford is never far from cavalry-post humor--and the build of the romance from a hotly-denied spark through incidents, misassumptions, mutual interactions and learnings prepares us not for surrender but for a warlike alliance at the end; and for a procession of priests, friends, children, Gilhooley, her father, and a huge French policeman bearing her worldly goods to Donovan's house in train behind the happy couple. The cinematography by William Clothier and the art direction by Sam Imazu and veteran Hal Pereira are I found often stunning. Icons Sam Comer and Darrell Silvera did the set decorations, Edith Head the colorful costumes and Nellie Manley the many hairstylings. Wayne's favorite writer James Edward Grant worked with Frank Nugent on a story by Edmund Beloi

Fmovies: Donovans Reef was the last collaboration between John Ford and John Wayne. Its not a great film, but its a very good one. Like The Quiet Man its a pastoral symphony, but its pastoral with an edge. This is ,in fact an anti_racist, anti-Puritan film.This well cast, well acted, and very funny picture is worth watching and enjoying.

"Donovan's Reef" is set on an island in the Pacific, which is basically getting by on its own merits without much contact with the modern world. John Wayne and Lee Marvin team up to portray two navy buddies that seem to have two things in common--the same birthday and a desire to punch each others' lights out because of a quarrel that started several years before on that birthday. The rest of the cast occupy themselves trying to keep the two "friends" alive because they genuinely are decent guys.

Into this island bliss comes Elizabeth Allen, portraying a lady from Boston who is attempting to prove that her father, played by Jack Warden, has been living on the island in standards less than acceptable by Boston customs so she can claim his share of a family shipping business. Through one scene after another, the film takes a merry romp through its plot and gives the viewer a very enjoyable time.

Donovan's Reef fmovies. This was a beautiful film, not least because of the warm and lively music, and also because of the cool, sensual presence of Elizabeth, who died only recently. The comedy, as written above, could indeed be a little ham-handed, but there's no substitute for the scene when Amelia, riding the back of a jeep, is vaulted off the rear as it hits a bump and lands flat on her a**. John Wayne looks down at her and asks quietly, "Did you hurt your ---- self?" This is a pleasant, human drama, with a strong anti-racist message built around a great cast of characters. A solid, pleasing John Ford / John Wayne partnership, and Elizabeth Allen was a pure pleasure.

This film is not one of Johns best but it ranks pretty high. It's good to see John Wayne in something besides a cowboy movie. It has a great supporting cast. Lee Marvin out does his self in his role as the out cast friend who has the same birthday as John Wayne. Cesar Romero plays his part brilliantly as the French Ambassador. And the kids in this film could not have been cast better. Jacqueline Malouf plays her part as the teen age daughter of Jack Warden so convincingly you forget she was 22 at the time. And Cherylene Lee is the cutest little girl who ever played a part in the movies.

The plot is a little lame and Elizabeth Allen is a little young to be playing John Wayne's love interest. John Wayne appears to look the oldest of the three Americans who stayed on the island to help the inhabitants during WWII. But the movie comes off pretty good if you can over look the age difference. Besides, Wayne and Allen do work well together. I like to watch this movie from time to time. It's a feel good movie were everything comes out good in the end.

Donovan's Reef is fun. It has a decent story, good characters, and stunning scenery. This is why you go to the movies, isn't it? If compared against Ford's acknowledged masterpieces, Dononvan's Reef does not measure up, but measured against other escapist films, it is a great movie. John Wayne's performance is consistently good, and as always, believable. Wayne was so real in his films, that he is never considered to be a good actor, but if you look at his body of work, you have to admit he could do it all. His Guns Donovan character is certainly up to snuff, and he does well with what he has. His interaction with Lee Marvin as Boats Gilhooley is as good as any of his other brawling, head-butting clashes with legends like Ward Bond or Victor McGlaglen. Lee Marvin is very funny and clever in his scenes, and very rarely over the top. He could always deliver on a character that was supposed to be likable, but mentally ill.

Aside from the fun, we have a significant plot element of prejudice considering the behavior of Guns, Boats, and Andre, where they hide the Doctor's half-caste Polynesian children from the All-White Bostonian daughter, Amelia. Paradoxically, we have Chinese stereotypes in the form of goofy looking morons with toothy grins and heavy accents. Still, in the end reason prevails in that the young Leilani shows wisdom beyond her years. When she sings a prayer of thanks to the goddess of the canyon where Guns chops down their Christmas tree, Amelia asks if she believes in gods and goddesses. Leilani replies, "I believe in one God, as we all do, but I respect the customs and beliefs of my people." Amelia subsequently accepts the cultural differences with a gracious bow to Leilani, who is being honored as the last hereditary princess of the island. That is a nicely done scene.

If you focus on what Donovan's Reef isn't, it will be a disappointing film. If you enjoy it for what it is, you will have a great time.