Donovan’s Reef — 4K 04/05/25

John Ford and John Wayne’s best ‘old man’s movie’ is deceptive — on the outside it’s as square as can be, an easy-chair comedy vacation for all concerned. But Ford imbues the proceedings with poetic formalism, and a nostalgia for a generation in retirement. John Wayne was never so at-ease charming, Lee Marvin does some marvelous clowning, and Elizabeth Allen’s pluck & spirit defuse the rampant paternalism in the screenplay. Peter Wollen was right: this South Seas island is a fantasy Valhalla for the western combatants of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. On 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
04/05/25