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Display MoreOK. I'm honored to select "Donovan's Reef" as the group watch for December.
I haven't seen this in it's entirety since it played at the Paramount theater in 1963.
We deal in lead, friend.
Good choice Bill, I really like this one, no matter what others say!
Hope they work. I don't get the disposable kind, just use an extra long plug in one. Before I got the halter and I had to sit at a table, I just put a sweatshirt on that kept the heating pad up against my back.
As for Donavan's Reef, I particularly enjoyed seeing Duke take the kids out fishing and skiing.......he was very much at home and it showed. Due to all of his boating beginning with the Araner trips with Pappy Ford and his and Ward's trips in smaller boats hunting and fishing. Wonder if he could change a shear pin.....bet he could! KEITH
Hey great film that I'll try and join you, Sandra as had a course of injections in her stomach they have finished now and she is on tablets the swelling as gone from her leg and foot but she as got to have her leg measured for a stocking that she as to wear for 2 years. I know the heat pads work for old joints like mine I had forgotten about them will get some more, See Ya Rocklin
Well I got my Christmas turkey early this year, and since I selected "Donovan's Reef", you might say that I self basted.
The first half hour was fun. I found myself smiling and laughing at everything Lee Marvin did. Wayne was also relaxed and as watchable as always. Elizabeth Allen was probably amazed just to be in a John Ford movie and overacted per his instructions. I felt sorry for Dorothy Lamour's character which I guess was the point, but maybe she was too sad.
After the "plot" kicked in, the whole film dragged. Hard to believe that two writers were credited - the whole movie seemed improvised.
After an early remark that maybe 100 or 150 candles should be placed on Donovan's birthday cake, he shouldn't have romanced a woman in her 20s. Came off kind of creepy.
Up until now, I thought that the worst on screen Australian accent belonged to James Coburn in "The Great Escape". I owe Coburn an apology. Patrick Wayne can take that title to the bank and he only (thank God) speaks about four lines.
If this had been made in the '50s, a little closer to the war, it might have come off better.
Good scenery, robust performances by Duke and Marvin, some familiar walk-ons - Chuck Roberson, Cliff Lyons, Mike Mazurki - but that's about it.
This was obviously a movie more fun to make than to actually watch.
We deal in lead, friend.
Well, THAT was a bit of surprise since you chose it MB; however, we are here to discuss it, and it is hard to discuss a lot if everyone likes it, I suppose your review is a good thing.
As for the film dragging "after the plot kicked in", perhaps I missed that part because of all the fun, the shenanigans, the island music, the scenes from the island to the ship, wild jeep rides, and so on! Seems as if there was always something happening. I just had FUN with this movie. Guess it reminded me in a way of my Hawaiian friends, Kam and Lale who lived in Miami while I was there. Loved their accents, and all the things they did that were similar to the people on the island. Kam did knife and fire dancing to the music and native songs of Lale's Hawaiian band while her students performed Hula and other native dances. I learned to blow the conch from Kam. However, first, I had to get my own. Kam said you were not supposed to blow someone else's conch. So, I did on my next trip swimming out to the first reef with Oreste, the Cuban who had escaped from Cuba in an inntertube with his diving gear on, (no tanks......just flippers, mask, snorkle, shorty wetsuit, and a weight belt! I got my conch, and Kam taught me where and how to cut it with a hack saw. Took a great deal of practice, but all of a sudden, out came the haunting clear, LOUD "song" that only a conch can make! Pushing the outriggers out through a calm sea was like us launching a Hobie Cat, or one of the small 12 foot aluminum boats we used to head out to the Gulfstream to fish in.
The supporting actors all added to the fun.....only one that grated on my nerves a bit was the priest. Enough for now. I will write more on it later. I disagree with you Bill in that the movie was more fun to make than watch. Although, I would have loved to have been there to help make it, I enjoyed watching in immensely, and comedies are normally pretty well looked down upon by me. I don't imagine another viewing would help your opinion of it.....suppose not. Perhaps if you didn't watch Duke as closely and just let the island kind of take you over, LOL! KEITH
Plan to flesh out the characters a bit on my next visit to the Group Watch.
QUOTE=Gorch;122439]Well I got my Christmas turkey early this year, and since I selected "Donovan's Reef", you might say that I self basted.
The first half hour was fun. I found myself smiling and laughing at everything Lee Marvin did. Wayne was also relaxed and as watchable as always. Elizabeth Allen was probably amazed just to be in a John Ford movie and overacted per his instructions. I felt sorry for Dorothy Lamour's character which I guess was the point, but maybe she was too sad.
After the "plot" kicked in, the whole film dragged. Hard to believe that two writers were credited - the whole movie seemed improvised.
After an early remark that maybe 100 or 150 candles should be placed on Donovan's birthday cake, he shouldn't have romanced a woman in her 20s. Came off kind of creepy.
Up until now, I thought that the worst on screen Australian accent belonged to James Coburn in "The Great Escape". I owe Coburn an apology. Patrick Wayne can take that title to the bank and he only (thank God) speaks about four lines.
If this had been made in the '50s, a little closer to the war, it might have come off better.
Good scenery, robust performances by Duke and Marvin, some familiar walk-ons - Chuck Roberson, Cliff Lyons, Mike Mazurki - but that's about it.
This was obviously a movie more fun to make than to actually watch.
We deal in lead, friend.[/QUOTE]
I had only seen this film once before, and didn't really care for it then. So, I popped it in expecting the same reaction, but I actually enjoyed it a bit more this time around. I found myself agreeing with Gorch in that the dialogue seemed unscripted at times, and that Duke was a bit old to be courting his Navy buddy's daughter. But, that aside, it does tend to have funny and sentimental scenes throughout. I even picked up a few homages to The Quiet Man. The names of the ships Donovan owns, Duke dragging Elizabeth Allen out of the boat onto shore, and near the end when Duke and Elizabeth Allen were walking together mimicked the courtin' walk with Maureen. I won't list this as a classic, not even close, but it was an enjoyable watch. Thanks for suggesting it, Gorch. I may never have given it another look.
Mark
Donovan´s Reef is the perfect choice of a Duke´s movie for the Holiday season (the other one would have been The three Godfathers, but that´s a western...we all know that)!
I watch Donovan´s Reef every New Years Eve. The movie is pure fun, from the very first moment on! The Duke and Lee Marvin are GREAT and the lady, Elizabeth Allen, is very funny in her scenes with the Duke. - I know, Donovan´s Reef is not so popular amongst the Duke´s fans, but I always enjoyed watching it.
I was not able to watch Stagecoach last months, because my aunt is now in Vienna in Austria in hospital, and I am still working on my move from Germany to Vienna and I visited my aunt two times in Vienna, but FOR SURE I will watch Donovan´s Reef again. - My aunt is happy to be back home in Austria, to be visited by old friends from the highschool where she worked, and the hospital is a very good one. Maybe she will have a chance to survive and that would be the greatest Christmas present for me and my family...!
Hi Dukesfan,
I am so glad that you enjoy Donovan' Reef as do I. Never thought of including it in my yearly Christmas watchings, but that is a wonderful idea, thanks for giving it to me. More later when I can stop everything long enough to write a little somehing aout it.
It would be great if you could relate some of the bits you thought were the funniest.
Sure hope things are better soon with your aunt. HAGO, KEITH
Hi Mark, Glad you liked it better the second time. Now, if you watch it and only concentrate on the fun, some of the unscripted parts are really good, you might really enjoy it! By the way, you mentioned the Quiet Man,
I am pretty sure the ship that Duke owned that brought Elizaeth over was the Araner...........the name of Pappy Ford's boat that they all had such wonderful times on. There were other mentions to old films etc. I will try to put a bunch of them down. I think this was meant as a sort of a spoof on a great many of the old movies and good times had by the Stock Troup.
Anyway, it was great fun to me. More later, and if you DO watch it once again, let us know if you changed your mind in any way, LOL!
Oh, and you guys occasionally come out with the differences in ages. The one book I am writing is about Harold Joseph Gibbons. He was born in 1910, and I was born in 1950. It all depends on the people...NOT the ages. Elizabeth was quite able to keep up with Duke's character in most all things, and he with her.
HAGO MARK, KEITH
I had only seen this film once before, and didn't really care for it then. So, I popped it in expecting the same reaction, but I actually enjoyed it a bit more this time around. I found myself agreeing with Gorch in that the dialogue seemed unscripted at times, and that Duke was a bit old to be courting his Navy buddy's daughter. But, that aside, it does tend to have funny and sentimental scenes throughout. I even picked up a few homages to The Quiet Man. The names of the ships Donovan owns, Duke dragging Elizabeth Allen out of the boat onto shore, and near the end when Duke and Elizabeth Allen were walking together mimicked the courtin' walk with Maureen. I won't list this as a classic, not even close, but it was an enjoyable watch. Thanks for suggesting it, Gorch. I may never have given it another look.
Mark
I liked Donovan's Reef, and got the feeling that it was just kind of an "old home week" movie.
True, it drags a bit in places, but (IMO) not enough to take me out of it. The one thing that bothered me beyond belief was Elizabeth Allen's character. She GRATES on my nerves!
I liked Donovan's Reef, and got the feeling that it was just kind of an "old home week" movie.
True, it drags a bit in places, but (IMO) not enough to take me out of it. The one thing that bothered me beyond belief was Elizabeth Allen's character. She GRATES on my nerves!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
She was supposed to Russ, LOL......just like the priest. Of course, at the end, she was to have changed. I gave her the benefit of the doubt! Figured the way her and Duke's characters were, they were perfect for each other at the end.
Did you like the "Island" music. I was subjected to a lot of that in Miami and the Bahamas, (will never forget Eric and his Knights on my Honeymoon....bought every album they had, LOL!, and a great deal of the steel drum type. I enjoyed it immensely as it brought back some really found memories. KEITH
And here is our dedicated thread
Donovan's Reef
Thanks EK. Glad I remembered it without reading anything written about the movie. I like to make up my own opinions and find little "nuggets" like that by myself.........makes it a lot more fun. I believe Mark found his on his own also. Only my opinion, but I think your write-ups are great. I just think they should be put AFTER everyone has given their opinions. Then you can show that you already knew much of what was posted by perusing Wikipedia, IMDB, etc. Hopefully, most of the GW posters don't look at anything except the movie and form their own opinions and find their own little "gems". Of course, the ones that don't are pretty darned obvious to us, LOL. KEITH
Watched the movie last night enjoyed it as much as the first time which made me giggle at times with the fight scenes. You noticed That the priest never used the money that came from the saloon given by Guns & Gillhooley to repair the Church roof, but when he won the money out of the machine he used it to repair the roof even though it came from the saloon. The music was great all through the movie, even watched the trailer when the menu came up at the end of the movie.
Heh heh, three cheers for Tommy who can actually say out loud that he "giggled" at scenes in this movie, LOL. The whole movie isn't about giggling, but a great deal of it is! Right you are about the priest using "tainted" money for the roof.......couldn't very well feed the poor with That, now could he?
Great addition Tommy and thanks for your invite. I accepted, of course! KEITH
Watched the movie last night enjoyed it as much as the first time which made me giggle at times with the fight scenes. You noticed That the priest never used the money that came from the saloon given by Guns & Gillhooley to repair the Church roof, but when he won the money out of the machine he used it to repair the roof even though it came from the saloon. The music was great all through the movie, even watched the trailer when the menu came up at the end of the movie.
Keith - I know her character was supposedto elicit a response, but MAN! She (IMO) went WAY above and beyond the call of duty!!
As for the music, I enjoyed it. I had the pleasure of visiting the very island where they filmed this (Kuai) 40 years later! The luaus reminded me A LOT of DR...
BTW - I found out my disability has been approved!
Just a reminder that if any of you found a dvd of "Donovan's Reef" under the tree, you still have time to watch it and post your opinion.
We deal in lead, friend.
Thanks for the reminder, Bill. I forgot I was going to try to put all the references to old Ford films down. So, think I will watch it now and do that. Hope someone will add to them....I know for sure I will not find them all, LOL!
But, before I forget, DukesFan, I hope your aunt is doing better and was able to enjoy Christmas!
Hope all had a "swell" Christmas.
KEITH
Merci, mon ami. Nice pic for the end of this Group Watch. Have one more post to make mentioning all the things in it from other Pappy movies. KEITH
