Donovan's Reef

John Wayne's 1963 swan song with director John Ford is a rollicking, roughhousing good time. The Duke stars as "Guns" Donovan, whose idyllic life on a Pacific island is shattered first by the arrival of brawling buddy "Boats" Gilhooley (Lee Marvin), and then by Amelia (Elizabeth Martin), the estranged, snooty, Boston-bred daughter of the local doctor (Jack Warden), who, unbeknownst to her, married a Polynesian princess with whom he has two children. To ward her off, Donovan passes off the children as his own. Feminists will likely be outraged by this irredeemingly sexist romantic comedy, and the PC police could have a field day with the ethnic stereotypes. But guys will be too caught up in the saloon-clearing, furniture-smashing dust-ups between Wayne and Marvin to care. Although the DVD contains no extras, the excellent digital transfer is sharp with vibrant, even color saturation. Recommended. (K. Lee Benson)