NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (April 2025): Kino has transferred John Ford's Donovan's Reef to 4K UHD and dual-layered Blu-ray with a maxed out bitrate. It is described as a "Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative". While we are in possession of the 4K UHD disc, we cannot resolve the encode yet and therefore cannot obtain screen captures. We hope to add to this review when possible. So, the below captures are from Kino's 2025 Blu-ray transfer. The Blu-ray disc features a 1080P transfer derived from the same 4K scan as the UHD. The transfers retain the scan’s clarity, with sharp details in Kauai’s landscapes and vibrant Technicolor hues. The Blu-ray colors are slightly less dynamic than the 4K’s expanded range, but expect a significant improvement over prior DVDs, with warm flesh tones, rich greens, and deep blues. The visual style of Donovan's Reef, shot by cinematographer William H. Clothier (Hellfighters, Bandolero!, The Devil's Brigade,) is a vibrant and evocative element that significantly shapes the film’s tone, atmosphere, and thematic resonance. Filmed on location in Kauai, Hawaii, the movie capitalizes on its lush tropical setting to create a paradisiacal aesthetic that contrasts with the rigid “civilized” world of the narrative’s Boston elite. The 1.85:1 framing mirrors the UHD, preserving Ford’s wide shots and intimate frames. Textures are pleasing on the dual-layered BD50 disc, supporting a high-bitrate encode for vibrant scenes, like the hula dance or Christmas pageant.

The Triple-Layered UHD100 4K UHD disc has an uptick in the contrast depth and finer textures. There is an improvement in most visual areas, like color richness (exotic Polynesian costumes) and tightness but only larger systems will proportionately notice the improvement. This contrast offers more balance for detail-heavy scenes, like the boat chase or rambunctious saloon brawls. It looked flawless on my system.

NOTE: We have added 52 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their 4K UHD and Blu-ray, Kino uses a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The sound effects in Donovan's Reef are carefully crafted to enhance the tropical setting, comedic gags, and action sequences, creating a vivid auditory landscape. The island’s environment comes alive through layered soundscapes. Waves crashing against reefs, rustling palm fronds, and distant bird calls (like those of Hawaiian honeycreepers) immerse viewers in Haleakaloha’s paradise. The film’s score, composed by Cyril J. Mockridge (Night People, I Wake Up Screaming, Where the Sidewalk Ends, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Thieves' Highway, Desk Set, The Ox-Bow Incident, The Dark Corner, My Darling Clementine, Nightmare Alley,) with additional contributions from Hawaiian music and uncredited arrangements, is a vibrant blend of orchestral themes, Polynesian melodies, and nautical motifs that mirrors the island’s cultural hybridity. There is clear dialogue (Wayne’s gravelly drawl, Marvin’s boisterous taunts), robust music (Mockridge’s Hawaiian-inflected score), and punchy effects (brawl smacks, crashing waves). The mono track, while limited spatially, delivers the film’s soundscape with fidelity. The lossless transfer is consistent and clean. Kino offers optional English subtitles on their Region FREE 4K UHD and Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

On their 4K UHD and Blu-ray, Kino offers two new audio commentaries. Joseph McBride, a preeminent Ford scholar, delivers a new commentary tailored for this release. Known for his exhaustive biography, Searching for John Ford, McBride offers a deep dive into the film’s production, Ford’s late-career mindset, and its place in his oeuvre. Expect insights into Ford’s thematic preoccupations - community, reconciliation, cultural hybridity - and how Donovan’s Reef reflects his nostalgia for simpler times. McBride unpacks Ford’s collaboration with Wayne, their 14th and final feature together, and the film’s understated critique of colonialism via Cesar Romero’s André. His commentary balances scholarly analysis with anecdotes, such as Ford’s health struggles during the Kauai shoot or the cast’s off-screen camaraderie, making it essential for Ford enthusiasts. Dwayne Epstein, a Lee Marvin biographer, provides a second commentary focusing on the actor’s contribution as Gilhooley. Epstein explores Marvin’s improvisational energy, his chemistry with Wayne, and how his boisterous performance shaped the film’s comedic tone. There are details on Marvin’s career trajectory in 1963, post-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and his approach to physical comedy in the brawls. Epstein contextualizes the film within Marvin’s persona as a tough yet charismatic outsider, offering a pleasant contrast to McBride’s Ford-centric lens. This commentary will appeal to fans of Marvin and those interested in the film’s lighter, performative elements. Relegated to the Blu-ray disc are trailers and The Growler Story. This rare 1957 short by Ford, running 21 minutes, adds significant value. It's a lesser-known work, likely a military or patriotic piece (details are scarce, but Ford’s shorts are often tied to his Navy service). Its inclusion provides a glimpse into Ford’s versatility beyond features, offering collectors a curio not widely available. The original theatrical trailer for Donovan’s Reef is included, as well as trailers for Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), The Horse Soldiers (1959), Hatari! (1962), Sergeant Ryker (1968), Paint Your Wagon (1969), and Prime Cut (1972.) These trailers, are a curated selection of films that either feature John Wayne or Lee Marvin (or both), or share thematic connections to the film’s adventurous, lighthearted tone. 

John Ford's Donovan's Reef is a fascinating entry in the legendary filmmaker’s oeuvre, often overlooked as a lightweight comedy but rich with thematic undercurrents, visual storytelling, and Ford’s signature exploration of community, identity, and reconciliation. It follows a loose, episodic structure typical of Ford’s later and more relaxed films. At its core, Donovan's Reef is about healing fractured relationships. Amelia’s estrangement from Doc stems from misunderstanding and distance, but her discovery of his children and life on the island fosters empathy. Similarly, Donovan’s rough exterior hides a protective loyalty, and his romance with Amelia resolves their initial antagonism. Ford, a devout Catholic, often infused his work with redemptive arcs, and here, forgiveness - between father and daughter, outsider and insider - drives the narrative’s emotional resolution. Kino Lorber’s Donovan’s Reef 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases are a love letter to Ford’s tropical romp, with a stellar audio-visual restoration that breathes new life into its Hawaiian vistas and Technicolor charm. The 4K scan, bolstered by HDR/Dolby Vision, makes Kauai’s landscapes and Ford’s compositions vibrant. The commentaries by McBride and Epstein provide scholarly and performative depth, while The Growler Story adds a rare Ford short for enthusiasts. The set prioritizes quality, making it a must-own for fans of Ford, Wayne, or classic cinema in 4K glory. It’s a fitting tribute to a minor but endearing entry in Ford’s legacy, ideal for revisiting Haleakaloha in vivid detail. Recommended to Ford / Duke digital library enthusiasts.

Gary Tooze