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.
Review of Donovan's Reef
