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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: 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?
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: Permission to speak.
Dr. William Dedham: Shoot.
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: What started it was this knothead tried to push a hootchie-cootchie dancer off on me in Panama!
[Gilhooley laughs]
Dr. William Dedham: Gilhooley? Well, What's wrong with that?
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Nothing, except a marriage licence and wedding ring through my nose went with it!
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: [oft repeated line] Pax?
[Gilhooley about to throw bottle during fight]
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan: Not the brandy, you dope!
Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley: [puts bottle carefully down on bar] Sorry!
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Donovan's Reef Facts
Jack Warden, who played Elizabeth Allen's father, was only nine years her senior in real life.
In the beginning, Gilhooley tells the captain who "shanghai'd" him that they were supposed to be at the island "on the 7th". Taking into account the time-line of the movie, ending on Christmas, that would make Donovan and Gilhooley's birthday as December 7th, the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Actor John Qualen dubbed the voice of the sailor who yells "Man overboard!" in the opening scene, though it is not Qualen on-screen.
"Boats" is Navy slang for the rating of *Boatswain's Mate*. "Guns" is Navy slang for the rating of *Gunner's Mate*.
Actor Mickey Simpson is sometimes mistakenly credited as the mate hit with a mop by Lee Marvin in the opening scene. It is not Simpson but Duke Green.
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