Donovan's Reef poster

Donovan's Reef

1963-06-12
N/A
6.22 (IMDB)
AdventureComedyRomance
en
Released
Languages:
  • Français
  • English
  • Italiano

Reviews:

John Chard (8/10)

Sunny, breezy and flipping delightful.

You hear the names John Ford and John Wayne and one automatically thinks of Westerns, sprawling landscapes and machismo in bunches. Odd then that their last collaboration should be a knock about comedy set on a paradise isle. Perhaps even odder is that it should turn out to be one of their most entertaining films. Donovan's Reef finds the two Johns in very relaxed mood, as is the rest of the cast I might add. A cast that includes Lee Marvin, Mike Mazurki, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero, Dorothy Lamour and the lovely Elizabeth Allen.

Speaking personally, I found the film far more rewarding by not knowing much about it before hand, I really only ventured into it out of loyalty to the Johns and the Marv. So in that, this isn't much of a review as such, because I would simply urge people to give it a go. Why you ask?, well because it's one of those films that can brighten your day when things have gone dark, you got The Duke and The Marv slugging each other at regular intervals, not in the normal way associated with these guys, but jocular-with this biff bang machismo comes laughs a plenty. We have Romero and his beard on prime slime mode, Allen as delicious as she is prim and proper and the Kaua'i location work gorgeously realised by William H. Clothier's photography. It's not just a comedy either. Under the mirth we find Ford dealing in thematics such as anti-racism, anti preconceptions and one of his pet leanings of brotherhood.

Donovan's Reef is a smashing film, it's far from perfect, something the principals were aware of. But in the end it's obvious that all involved just said to hell with it, lets enjoy it and hope the audience buys into that attitude as well. One can only hope that you do buy into it, and thus get as much fun from it as yours truly most assuredly did. 8/10

2018-12-24

Where to Watch:

Rent

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home

Buy

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home

Similar Movies:

The Apartment

The Apartment 8.2

Comedy, Drama

1960-06-21

Stalag 17

Stalag 17 7.694

Comedy, Drama

1953-05-29

Harold and Maude

Harold and Maude 7.6

Comedy, Drama

1971-12-20

The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz 7.591

Adventure, Fantasy

1939-08-15

The Little World of Don Camillo

The Little World of Don Camillo 7.577

Comedy

1952-03-28

All of Us Strangers

All of Us Strangers 7.457

Romance, Drama

2023-12-22

Santa Claus Is a Stinker

Santa Claus Is a Stinker 7.324

Comedy

1982-08-25

The Night of the Iguana

The Night of the Iguana 7.176

Drama, Romance

1964-08-06

Die Weihnachtsklempner

Die Weihnachtsklempner 7

Comedy, TV Movie

1986-12-23

The Man Who Invented Christmas

The Man Who Invented Christmas 6.836

Drama, History

2017-10-12

Sixteen Candles

Sixteen Candles 6.757

Comedy, Romance

1984-05-04

Bridget Jones's Diary

Bridget Jones's Diary 6.748

Comedy, Romance

2001-04-13

The Crime of Padre Amaro

The Crime of Padre Amaro 6.7

Drama, Romance

2002-10-01

This Christmas

This Christmas 6.5

Comedy, Drama

2007-11-27

8-Bit Christmas

8-Bit Christmas 6.427

Family, Comedy

2021-11-24

Last ExMas

Last ExMas 6.4

Romance, Comedy

2024-10-14

The Tattoo

The Tattoo 6.4

Comedy

1968-08-17

EXmas

EXmas 6.396

Romance, Comedy

2023-11-17

Passchendaele

Passchendaele 6.2

Drama, Romance

2008-10-17

Look Who's Talking Now!

Look Who's Talking Now! 5.329

Romance, Comedy

1993-11-05