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Donovan's Reef Overview:

Donovan's Reef (1963) was a Comedy - Romance Film directed by John Ford and produced by John Ford.

SYNOPSIS

A snooty Boston girl arrives on a tiny South Pacific isle in search of her missing father and encounters two old salty dogs. The mismatched trio creates an abundance of lighthearted fun in this last Ford-Wayne pairing.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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Donovan's Reef Quotes:

Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Gilhooley?
Marquis Andre de Lage: Gilhooley.
Lelani Dedham: Oh, Uncle Guns, please don't fight, don't spoil our party.
Sally Dedham: You stay out of it!
Luki Dedham: Go on Uncle Guns. Knock his block off!
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: I'll knock both his blocks off.
Miss Lafleur: [while being pushed off by Gilhooley] Oh, you've come back to marry me.
Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley: Oh, now look LaFluer, you're the love of my life. You're the only dame that meant anything to me, but I already told you I'd make a -
[Takes a big gulp of beer]
Miss Lafleur: I know.
Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley: I got a wife in Hoboken.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: ...and San Pedro, and San Diego and Norfolk, Virginia.
Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley: That's right. You wouldn't want me to go up on a bigamy charge, would you?
Australian Navy officer: I beg your pardon sir. Did I understand you to say, "Limeys?"
Diminutive Australian Navy Officer: I heard him.
Australian Navy Officer: Me too.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: [Enters] Gilhooley! Where the Hell is my suit?
Diminutive Australian Navy Officer: [Slaps Donovan on the chest] Stay out of this little man. You might get hurt.
Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley: You guys uh, looking for trouble?
Australian Navy officer: Tipperary born and bred Limeys.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Oh Monk, you're not gonna let three guys gang up on one guy even if it is Gilhooley.
Sergeant Monk Menkowicz: [Shakes his head] I seen it done.
Australian Navy officer: Three against two.
[Pokes Donovan in the chest]
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Me?
Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley: [laughs]
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Its the holidays. Christmas. Have a drink.
Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley: I will, then.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: On the house. Look, we're noble allies. Coral Seas - we were with you.
Australian Navy officer: He's got a point
Diminutive Australian Navy Officer: Yeah, a definite point.
Australian Navy officer: Ah, my apologies to you sir.
Diminutive Australian Navy Officer: And a Happy New Year to us all.
Australian Navy officer: FESTUS!
[Enter Festus, smiling and eager]
Australian Navy officer: My little brother. Festus, we're having a sporting event. Turn your hat around. You are now a Yank. Three against -
[punched by Festus]
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Ameilia, if I consent to marry you...
Ameilia Sarah Dedham: If you consent!
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: ...and if we are blessed with a child, and if it is a boy, he will be named Francis Xavier Donovan after my father.
Ameilia Sarah Dedham: He will be named Sedley Atterbury Dedham after my grandfather.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Sedley Atterbury... that's a hell of a name for a Donovan!
Ameilia Sarah Dedham: He will be named William after my father.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: The doc? That's swell. I'll call him Bill. Pax?
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: [oft repeated line] Pax?
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Donovan's Reef Facts
During the scene where Amelia is wishing to "charter the Araner", Donovan states that he owns the Araner and a boat named the Inisfree. Inisfree is the name of the village in Ireland in which The Quiet Man, another John Wayne / John Ford film, takes place.
Patrick Wayne, John Wayne's son, has a small cameo - he plays the Australian Shore Patrol officer that breaks up the final fight.
Ameilia asks the captain "to charter the Araner." That was the real name of John Ford's yacht, which is the yacht used in the movie.
In a fight with Lee Marvin, John Wayne underestimated an uppercut. He crashed through a table and fell down. Director John Ford decided to leave the scene in the movie.
Although the character's full name is Michael Patrick Donovan, he is called "Mike" only twice in the movie, by LaFleur as he is throwing her off the balcony into the pond, and by Andre as he is trying to undercut Donovan. The character is called "Mr. Donovan" by Amelia and "Guns" by everyone else.
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