Stars: John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Elizabeth Allen, Dorothy Lamour, Jack Warren
Best Quote: Well, there is our Mike Donovan. Three children and not one marriage. Oh, I do not say that he's the first man to put the cart before the horse, but three carts and no horse?
Donovan's Reef is one of my 100 most enjoyable movies - but is it a great movie? Hell, no. Is it good movie? Even that's debatable. But I like it. I like the cast, its full of my favorite actors. And I like Hawaii, AND John Ford's 'knock about humor", AND the corny music, AND the entire sensibility of the movie. So, shoot me.
So, What's Wrong With It?
- John Wayne's too old - and "Duke" was the first to point it out. James Garner would've been perfect, but Garner (in real life) was a greedy, kill-joy leftist and would've been a bad fit. Maybe Rock Hudson?
- There's not enough Lee Marvin. But he was drunk mostly, so Ford was glad to get what he got.
- Plot. What Plot?
- Its too long at 109 minutes. But if you have a DVD - problem solved.
Anyway, Ford knew all this before he started filming. He wasn't trying to film a masterpiece - just an enjoyable movie in Hawaii, with his old Buddies. And he succeeded - to me.
Favorite Scenes:
- Lee Marvin coming through the surf to be welcomed by the Islanders.
- Elizabeth Allen getting thrown off the jeep on her rear Allen.
- The Christmas Pageant
- Anything with Dorothy Lamour or Caesar Romero.
- The Ending.
Liberals Hate It
Or at least, the liberal critics do. I wondered why, since the whole movie is an attack on racism. But then I realized it supported Religion in general and Christianity in particular - which they hate. Furthermore, everyone, no matter what their color, gets along without hostility - and Leftists hate that too. Just one more reason to enjoy it.
Conclusion: One of my family's favorites, we watch it every Christmas. But its an acquired taste - others should view it with low expectations.
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