Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure

From our early school days, we may remember the basics of the Puritans' story of first coming to America. "Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure" brings their story to life. A 41 year old Anthony Hopkins is excellent as Mayflower Captain Christopher Jones. Richard Crenna at 52 is a very believable and appealing Reverend William Brewster. Great supporting cast. Excellent costuming and believable performances all around.

Pleasingly simple in its approach and production, this film focuses on the story of the pilgrims and their difficult crossing. The other familiar characters are here – John Alden and Priscilla Mullens, Captain Myles Standish and the cynical, crusty sailors who don't like the Bible-thumping passengers. In the end, all aboard seemed changed by the epic journey.

However missing without explanation are two key figures - John Carver and William Bradford. Bradford was one of the most important Separatists and served for many years as Plymouth Colony's governor.

There were earlier English colonies but THIS trip of the Pilgrims in 1620 and the colony they started in Massachusetts (not part of the film) was the foundation on which the United States was built.

The politics, the devout, God-fearing religious values and the faith of these early settlers are all well-portrayed. A highly worthwhile film for anyone who wants to get a better sense of what the Pilgrims adventure was all about. Great for viewing in November around Thanksgiving and essential viewing before any trip to Plymouth, Mass.

FOOTNOTE: Five years later, Hopkins would star as William Bligh - another sea captain in the 1984 film - "The Bounty".

Let's be honest, a lot of those Made-for-TV movies leave a lot to be desired, but that's not the case with this one. It gives a pretty realistic picture of what it was like for the Separatists (a.k.a. Pilgrims) but before they left England and on the journey to the New World, which was no pleasure cruise, to say the least.

Along with the stories of William and Mary Brewster, Miles and Rose Standish, John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, and others aboard the ship, there's detail about the way they had to live, the cramped quarters, lack of privacy, rationing of food and water (the former often bug infested the latter less than fresh), illness, storms, leaks in the hold, damage to the ship, not to mention the clash of lifestyles between the pious Pilgrims and the earthy sailors. It was entertaining, yet not sugar coated.

I recommend this one.

This is an HBO production of the Pilgrim's journey to the New World. 95% of the film takes place on the boat. If you are in the mood for something pretty simple to watch...There isn't much history to learn from this film and Anthony Hopkins doesn't give his best performance. I'd give it a C+.

In September-November 1620, the Mayflower carries 102 passengers plus 25-30 crewmembers from southwest England to the cape in what is now Massachusetts. Anthony Hopkins plays the captain while Richard Crenna is on hand as the leader of the Pilgrims, a group of Calvinist Puritans who chose to separate completely from the Church of England and were thus dubbed Separatists.

"Mayflower: The Pilgrim's Adventure" (1979) is a television production criticized as 'the Love Boat without a shuffleboard' due to some romantic subplots, but it works well enough to help you see what the daring historical adventure was like. Besides, as the enlightening Epilogue blurb points out, Priscilla Mullins (Jenny Agutter), John Alden (Michael Beck), Myles Standish (David Dukes) and Rose Standish (Trish Van Devere) were all real-life people.

Jenny was already a minor celebrity due to "Logan's Run" and "The Eagle Has Landed" from a few years earlier (not to mention "Walkabout" from the early 70s). Meanwhile Michael Beck was notable for just starring in "The Warriors."

Hopkins had gained great momentum with his previous movie, "Magic," and easily carries this one (in a performance he could probably do in his sleep). And Crenna assists with aplomb.

The obvious problem with productions like this is that it's a confined-setting movie wherein 62 minutes of the runtime take place on the small vessel (just over two-thirds of the runtime). The proceedings are dramatically mundane with the occasional real-life challenge. It goes without saying, people who need an explosion every ten minutes and a flashy guy with a cape saving the day should stay away.

It runs about 1 hour, 32 minutes.

GRADE: B-/B.

I was acquainted with several members of the cast. Misters Barrett, Loggins and Davis were active in a Fordham University-affiliated summer stock program along the St. Mary's River, near St. Mary's City - the filming locations. They reported that everyone enjoyed their jobs, which helped improve the slight script. Mr. Schaefer kept things moving, which helped improve the slight action.

Although the Mayflower landed in Mass., this filming location in southern Md. Was the site of another very early settler landing in the 1600's. A replica of their ship "played" The Mayflower here. Very recently, archeologists unearthed the original village.

Please note that the bio information for Mr. Barrett and Mr. Davis is incorrect but I was unable to edit thru IMDB's edit program. Barrett was a Fordham student who did not develop a film career. Davis was the Theater Dept. Director at Fordham-Lincoln center, helping to train many talents, including Denzel Washington and Patricia Clarkson.