Die Hafenkneipe von Tahiti

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.

FYI...the summary of this film identifies Dr. Dedham's daughter as "Elizabeth". "Elizabeth" Allen is the actress who portrays the daughter. The character's name is "Amelia". This film may not be one of John Wayne's best movies, but it provides all the action, fun and adventure typical of all his films. This is a film for the whole family to enjoy.

"Donovan's Reef" is an accurately made, funny, light-hearted work, with some moments of deep poetry. For the audience it is more a relaxing vacation than an actual movie: we are transferred to a paradisiac South Pacific island, where a bunch of super-nice guys, our friends John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Elizabeth Allen, Dorothy Lamour, Mike Mazurki, Cesar Romero make a funny show to entertain us. From the very beginning we find John Ford's characteristic sense of humour: we see a family meeting of sullen Bostonian shipowners, who all take for granted that their relative Dr. Dedham (Jack Warden) is living in orgiastic promiscuity over there, in the Islands of Sin. And then there is the usual number of (harmless) fist-fights and brawls... and a quarrel-loaded love-story... and many comic misunderstandings...

"Donovan's Reef" is one of the very last cinema appointments of John Ford. Inside this light comedy, the old Master inserts touches of his poetic legacy, his trade-mark messages of peace, brotherhood, anti-racism. An evident instance is the scene of the Christmas Mass and Ceremony, with the islanders in their native costumes. And then there is an extremely poignant short scene, just few seconds. The nice little French priest is walking on a beautiful, sunny lawn, shaded by palm-trees, close to the sea: it's the cemetery. We see tombs with a Celtic cross, a French cross, a David's star; then the priest stops at a native barrow, covered with garlands, and he starts to pray (this is the tomb of the late native princess, the doctor's wife). After the storms of our life on this earth, we become all brothers in a better world. This quiet and dignified, yet full of religious hope acceptance of death is one of the most felt and profound themes of Ford's poetry.

I recommend "Donovan's Reef": enjoy the humour, the funny action, the fine performances of the cast, and don't miss the deep poetic touches of the Master John Ford.

This film is not one of Johns best but it ranks pretty high. It's good to see John Wayne in something besides a cowboy movie. It has a great supporting cast. Lee Marvin out does his self in his role as the out cast friend who has the same birthday as John Wayne. Cesar Romero plays his part brilliantly as the French Ambassador. And the kids in this film could not have been cast better. Jacqueline Malouf plays her part as the teen age daughter of Jack Warden so convincingly you forget she was 22 at the time. And Cherylene Lee is the cutest little girl who ever played a part in the movies.

The plot is a little lame and Elizabeth Allen is a little young to be playing John Wayne's love interest. John Wayne appears to look the oldest of the three Americans who stayed on the island to help the inhabitants during WWII. But the movie comes off pretty good if you can over look the age difference. Besides, Wayne and Allen do work well together. I like to watch this movie from time to time. It's a feel good movie were everything comes out good in the end.

This was a beautiful film, not least because of the warm and lively music, and also because of the cool, sensual presence of Elizabeth, who died only recently. The comedy, as written above, could indeed be a little ham-handed, but there's no substitute for the scene when Amelia, riding the back of a jeep, is vaulted off the rear as it hits a bump and lands flat on her a**. John Wayne looks down at her and asks quietly, "Did you hurt your ---- self?" This is a pleasant, human drama, with a strong anti-racist message built around a great cast of characters. A solid, pleasing John Ford / John Wayne partnership, and Elizabeth Allen was a pure pleasure.