Donovan's Reef (1963)

Comedy subtly dealing with moral issues such as racial bigotry, corporate greed, American belief of societal superiority and hypocrisy.

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Frank S. Nugent (screenplay) (as Frank Nugent), James Edward Grant (screenplay)

Stars:

John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Elizabeth Allen

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan
Lee Marvin	...	Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley
Elizabeth Allen	...	Ameilia Dedham
Jack Warden	...	Dr. William Dedham
Cesar Romero	...	Marquis Andre de Lage
Dick Foran	...	Australian Navy Officer Sean O'Brien
Dorothy Lamour	...	Miss Lafleur
Marcel Dalio	...	Father Cluzeot
Mike Mazurki	...	Sgt. Monk Menkowicz
Jacqueline Malouf	...	Lelani Dedham
Cherylene Lee	...	Sarah 'Sally' Dedham
Jeffrey Byron	...	Luki Dedham (as Tim Stafford)
Edgar Buchanan	...	Boston Attorney Francis X. O'Brien
Jon Fong	...	Mister Eu

Storyline

In an ideal society on a picturesque South Sea island, there are people of several races and backgrounds living together in harmony. John Wayne is a WWII hero, who worked hard to own a shipping company and finds his true love. She is a strong a woman as he is a man. An adventure and love story.

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Plot Keywords:

falling into water | priest | roof leak | swimming in the ocean | medical doctor | 

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Taglines:

Gangway...For This Years BIG Adventure!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

19 July 1963 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Die Hafenkneipe von Tahiti

Filming Locations:

Hanamaulu Bay, Kauai, Hawaii, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,686,585 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$6,600,000, 31 December 1963

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Ford Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Patrick Wayne, John Wayne's son, has a small cameo - he plays the Australian Shore Patrol officer who breaks up the final fight.

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Goofs

When the piano is destroyed in the bar brawl, there's no sign of its metal frame and strings in the debris.

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Quotes

Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: [oft repeated line] Pax?

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Connections

Referenced in Family Guy: Friends of Peter G. (2011)

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Soundtracks

Waltzing Matilda
(uncredited)
Music by Christina McPherson
Lyrics by A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson
Sung by the Australian sailors

User Reviews

John Ford and John Wayne's last hurrah.....together

From the very beginning of this movie you know what you have let yourself in for, when Lee Marvin belts the ship's bosun over the ear with a broom. Followed by, "Permission to leave the ship"; then literally jumps ship and swims for the beach. You realize then that you are in for 150 minutes of a Fordian, boisterous knockabout comedy.

This was the last time that Ford and Wayne would team up together. Maybe this production was a farewell rave-up for both of them. With Lee Marvin thrown in to assist in turning it into a roughhouse just for the hell of it. Added to this pugilistic mixture, you have the jumbo-sized heavyweight, Mike Mazurki, serving as a French Colonial Gendarme. As a welcome opposite to the boisterous muscle we have the smooth, suave Cesar Romero, oozing glossy charm and good manners, serving as the colonial governor of this supposed French Polynesian paradise. Add to that, Dorothy Lamour, back in the sarong after a long absence, as a duskey maiden-type decoration. The three children belonging to Doctor Dedham add a nice child-like innocence to this warring male atmosphere. Here the softer side of Big John comes to the surface when he tries to comfort the eldest of the three children who becomes emotional over her half-cast origins. Elizabeth Allen adds a well bred prim and proper touch of class to this nonsensical tropical South Pacific potion.

This movie then, has a friendly-like approach to bar room brawling with smiles thrown in. Harmless and bruising fun all the way. I always imagine that this kind of rough and tumble movie seems to be "cobbled" together...somehow. Then everything seems to fall into place at the end. The end result being order out of chaos.

It's a sad to think that nearly all the lead characters plus John Ford, have all faded out and gone to the big movie studio in the sky. God help anybody else up there with this lot! That's all.