This movie is a little different from the average action picture starring John Wayne. While Wayne still is a hard-living, hard-drinking guy, this movie is neither a cowboy nor war picture but is about a middle-aged guy living in the South Pacific along with his goofy friends (including Lee Marvin). In many ways, Wayne and company play a group of older guys trying desperately to live like crazed frat boys. On that level, the movie actually works at times, though this also greatly detracts from the rest of the film. If this is a "kinder and gentler" John Wayne who can take care of children and romance a woman, then bar room brawling seems out of place and contrived--much like what occurred in another John Ford film, WHAT PRICE GLORY?. I really wish Ford had directed this film a little less like a party with his drinking buddies and stuck to the other 90-95% of the film. Still, it is a lot of fun to watch and is a very amiable time-passer.

My conceptions about the South Pacific were formed when I saw this movie at the Elm Theatre in Brooklyn growing up. It has an honored place in my collection.

First off that music does get you. Every John Ford film is marked by a great use of music, in his westerns the use of traditional western themes pace the action. Here in Donovan's Reef the music under the credits sets the mood for the story set on this South Seas Paradise.

Secondly this was the last film that John Ford made with John Wayne. I believe this is the most successful actor/director relationship in the history of film by just about any standard you want to use, box office, quality of work, etc. The partnership went out on a high note.

John Wayne's westerns are usually a self contained world that operates on the principles of his universe. This film does also, but here it is more believable. This mixed group of people really do know the secret of living and let living. And the outside world occasionally does intrude and violently as the World War II background of the principal characters demonstrates.

This is also a film about believing stereotypes. John Wayne, Lee Marvin and the rest of the island believe Elizabeth Allen will be a racist. She's hurt by the abandonment of her father (Jack Warden) but she does come to accept her half-siblings. The film is anti-racist, but it also teaches a great moral lesson in not making your mind up about people prematurely.

The comedy as in all Ford films is heavy handed, but I still crack up at Wayne and Marvin and their escapades.

This is what the definition of escapist entertainment is.

DONOVAN'S REEF is an unusual social commentary comedy set on one of those idyllic South Seas islands that you only ever find in old movies. At least there are no cannibals in this one. The story sees a bunch of ex-pat Americans wreaking havoc in the era as they try to keep secrets from one another and court beautiful women.

I watched this as part of a John Wayne kick and I have to rank it as one of his lesser efforts. Wayne is his typical self but the film doesn't really do much with his character. Lee Marvin has some funny drunken scenes and Cesar Romero is always a welcome presence in film but the movie as a whole is a bit of a slog, made when director John Ford was on his last legs. It didn't give me much reason to laugh.