Some people thought that John Ford was crazy to do such a picture with John Wayne. Where is the action? This movie is a departure for Ford and Wayne collaborations in that it plays more like a 30s screwball comedy in a scenic location that the typical Ford/Wayne picture that you've seen before (Rio Grande, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon etc). All the actors do good jobs and the script, like a 30s screwball comedy, is not likely to happen in real life but fun to watch. The movie was filmed in Hawaii and the scenery is gorgeous. The interplay between Wayne and Co-Star Elizabeth Allen ("Amelia") is reminiscent of Wayne and Maureen O'hara. Allen compares favorably to O'Hara in that she plays the strong woman who is not overshadowed by Waynes "Guns Donovan". I enjoyed Caesar Romero, who played the Governor of the island and is looking to court Amelia only after he checks her wealth in Dun and Bradstreet. Pay particular attention to Lee Marvin's "Boats Gilhooley", grab a beer, and sit back and enjoy.
Review of Donovan's Reef
