Charming and raucous action-comedy, released in 1963. Directed by John Ford and written by Edmund Beloin, James Edward Grant, James Michener, and Frank S. Nugent. Starred John Wayne as Michael Patrick "Guns" Donovan, Lee Marvin as Thomas Aloysius "Boats" Gilhooley, Elizabeth Allen as Ameilia Dedham, Jack Warden as Dr. William Dedham, Cesar Romero as Marquis Andre de Lage, Dorothy Lamour as Miss Lafleur, Marcel Dalio as Father Cluzeot, Mike Mazurki as Sergeant Monk Menkowicz, Jacqueline Malouf as Lelani Dedham, Cheryline Lee as Sally Dedham, and Tim Stafford as Luki Dedham.
The film, Wayne and Ford's last feature film together, is set on a beautiful island in the South Pacific, which has become home, in the years after WWII, to a hefty population of expatriates from around the world. Wayne is the owner of the local tavern, Marvin is his ne'er-do-well brother, Warden is the island's saintly doctor, and Allen plays the doctor's snooty daughter trying to drag him back to Boston. From there, it's a freewheeling caper as everyone tries to keep Allen from discovering that Warden married the island's princess years ago and fathered a trio of adorable youngsters. In addition, this movie features beautiful scenery, a number of hilarious barroom brawls (usually started by Wayne and Marvin and quickly attracting almost everyone in town), and one of the best Christmas Eve church services ever filmed.
This is a fun, fun movie. It's a blast to watch, and it's pretty clear that everyone in the cast was having a good time, too. It's highly recommended. Why haven't you rented it already? |
