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 as 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:

Wild, Wayne and Wonderful!

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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:

Donovan's Reef

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

The Christmas tree cutting location and the war monument both overlook Waimea Canyon, also known as The Grand Canyon of the Pacific, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

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Goofs

French Polynesia was 4,000 km (about 2200 nautical miles) east of the farthest Japanese expansion, and there was no fighting there.

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Quotes

Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Ameilia, if I consent to marry you...
Ameilia Sarah Dedham: If you consent!
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: ...and if we were to be blessed with a children, and if the first should be a boy, he will be called Francis Xavier Donovan after my father.
Ameilia Sarah Dedham: He will be called Sedley Atterbury Dedham after my great uncle.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Sedley Atterbury... that's a HELL of a name for a Donovan!
Ameilia Sarah Dedham: He will be named William after my father.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: The doc? That's swell. I'll call him Bill. Pax?

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Connections

References Beau Geste (1939)

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Soundtracks

Frere Jacques
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung by the children

User Reviews

Paradise Lost

With The Duke and Lee Marvin, I knew that this was going to be a fun movie to watch. No disappointment there. Filled with the splendor of the South Pacific and scored with beautiful music from the islands, it will appeal to any fan of the tropics. Elizabeth Allen is stunning as the leggy Boston blue blood who arrives on the island and gets everyone stirred up. She, along with Wayne, Marvin and Jack Warden make the film funny and appealing. If you want to watch a film that does not use today's hackneyed formula of gratuitous sex, profanity, explosions and car chases, fix yourself a Mai Tai, put on your flowered shirt and watch Donovan's Reef. Aloha.