This week’s mystery movie was the 1963 Paramount film Donovan’s Reef, with John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Elizabeth Allen, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero, Dick Foran, Dorothy Lamour, Marcel Dalio, Mike Mazurki, Jacqueline Malouf, Cherylene Lee, Tim Stafford, Edgar Buchanan and Jon Fong.
Photographed by William H. Clothier.
Art direction by Hal Pereira and Eddie Imazu.
Edited by Otho Lovering.
Set decoration by Sam Comer and Darrell Silvera.
Assistant director Wingate Smith.
Special photographic effects by Paul K. Lerpae.
Process photography by Farciot Edouart.
Orchestration by Leo Shuken and Jack Hayes.
Technicolor consultant Richard Mueller.
Costumes by Edith Head.
Makeup by Wally Westmore.
Hairstyles by Nellie Manley.
Sound by Hugo Grenzbach and Charles Grenzbach.
Music scored by Cyril Mockridge.
Conducted by Irvin Talbot.
Screenplay by Frank Nugent and James Edward Grant.
Story by Edmund Beloin.
Produced and directed by John Ford.
Further information on Donovan’s Reef is available from the AFI Catalog.
Donovan’s Reef is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
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I have been waiting a couple of years for an excuse to do Donovan’s Reef, and a play on last week’s movie, based on the novel Donovan’s Brain, seemed as good a reason as any. I saw the movie when it came out, but, rather curiously, I only remembered two scenes. The rest of the movie was a blank.
I can’t imagine Bosley Crowther approved of such goings-on.
A.H. Weiler (The New York Times, July 25, 1963) gets the job:
Only an ancient hermit would believe that director John Ford and his writers, Frank S. Nugent and James Edward Grant, were serious in their approach to Donovan’s Reef, which turned up yesterday like a welcome port in a storm at the Paramount, Trans-Lux 52nd Street and Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Theaters. For this running account of Pier 6 brawls, miscegenation, romance and religion that disrupt the idyllic life on a post-World War II South Sea island paradise is sheer contrivance effected in hearty, fun-loving, truly infectious style.
For Monday, we have two mysterious fellows.
Update: This is Jon Fong, left, and Harold Fong.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Elizabeth Allen.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mysterious swimsuit salesmen). Note to Sylvia E.: You’re on the right track — a bit.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious fellow.
This is Edgar Buchanan.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Wayne Selover (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery woman), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie), Benito (mystery movie) and Michael Lott (mystery movie and Monday’s mysterious swimsuit salesman).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is a shadowy Mike Mazurki.
We also have this enigmatic personage. He does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Jack Warden.
We also have this mysterious chap.
Update: This is Cesar Romero.
And, finally, this mysterious woman.
Update: This is Dorothy Lamour.
Brain Trust roll call: Blackwing Jenny (Tuesday’s mystery woman and Wednesday’s mysterious lawyer), Greg (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery woman and Wednesday’s mysterious lawyer), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery lawyer), Roget-L.A. (Wednesday’s mystery lawyer), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious swimsuit salesman, Tuesday’s mystery woman and Wednesday’s enigmatic attorney), Chrisbo (Wednesday’s mystery attorney), Mary Mallory* (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sheila (Wednesday’s mysterious attorney) and L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast).
Note to Megan: Yup, that’s him!
*Rescued from the spam folder.
For Friday, we have this mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Lee Marvin.
And our mysterious leads.
Update: This is Elizabeth Allen and John Wayne.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests 2-4), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery guests 1, 3-4), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Chrisbo (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests 2-4), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests plus Friday’s mysterious leads), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Earl Boebert (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guest No. 3) and Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery guests 1 and 4).
ladailymirror.com 
Harold and Jon Fong in Donovan’s Reef (1963).
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Benson Fong
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I’m getting that feeling again, but no movie comes to mind. A Rom Com from the 1960s, set in Shanghai or Hong Kong maybe….with American G.I.s involved. “See the pretty bikini? Get it for your best girl at home. I’ll make you a great deal!”
No idea really. Just rambling.
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Elizabeth Allen
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Benson Fong; Elizabeth Allen. Donovan’s Reef, 1963.
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Is it “Donovan’s Reef” by any chance?
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DONOVAN’S REEF?
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One of the actors for Monday was Harold Fong and the movie is Donovan’s Reef.
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Wednesday is Edgar Buchanan; for the record Tuesday is femme lead Elizabeth Allen.
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I believe Tuesday’s prim lady is Elizabeth Allen. I know Wednesday’s mystery man is Edgar Buchanan. Put the two together and you have Donovan’s Reef from 1963.
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LOVE AMERICAN STYLE, Love and the Cryptic Gift. Edgar Buchana today, Elaine Giftos yesterday.
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Edgar Buchanan.
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I think Wednesday’s mysterious fellow is Edgar Buchanan.
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Harold Fong, H.W. Gim, Elizabeth Allen and Edgar Buchanan in DONOVANS REEF.
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Edgar Buchanan Wednesday?
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DONOVAN’S REEF. Jon and Harold Fong Monday, Elibeth Allen Tuesday, and Buchanan today. I haven’t seen a lot 1950s-1960s films, so these more a challenge for me.
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Edgar Buchanan for Wednesday?
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I can’t remember this actor’s name. He was always “that guy that looks like Burl Ives”.
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Donovan’s Reef (1963) Elizabeth Allen, Edgar Buchanan, Harold Fong, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero, Dick Foran…
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Marcel Dalio, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero, and Dorothy lamour.
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Oh wow … Mike Mazurki, Cesar Romero, Dorothy Lamour … this must be “Donovan’s Reef”
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Mike Mazurki; Jack Warden; Cesar Romero; Dorothy Lamour.
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Donovan’s Reef. Cesar Romero, Jack Warden and Dorothy Lamour on Thursday
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Thursday – the light dawns and I get what you meant in your response to my blathering on Monday.
“Donovan’s Reef” 1963
Monday – maybe one of the guys is H.W. Gim?
Tuesday – I think this is a “be-suited” Elizabeth Allen
Wednesday – almost sent in a guess yesterday but talked myself out of it – dang. Edgar Buchanan
Thursday – Mike Mazurki, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero and Dorothy Lamour
That leaves John Wayne, Lee Marvin and a “less buttoned down” Elizabeth Allen for Friday
Director John Ford really arranged for a family holiday in Hawaii for a lot of people. Wayne’s kids, Mazurki’s kid – who didn’t have a family member in this movie?
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Mike Mazurki, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero and Dorothy Lamour.
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For “Aha Thursday”, we have Mike Mazurki, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero, and Dorothy Lamour in Donovan’s Reef (1963).
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Donovan’s Brain then Donovan’s Reef? Cesar Romero on Thursday, methinks.
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Our movie is Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood, with Dorothy Lamour and Mike Mazurki.
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Mike Mazurski Thursday, Lee Marvin, Elizabeth Allen, and John Wayne today.
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Lee Marvin, Elizabeth Allen and John Wayne.
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Lee Marvin; John Wayne.
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