Plymouth Adventure (1952)

Trials and tribulations beset the one hundred odd settlers that journey to Virginia in 1620 including unexpectedly arriving in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

Ernest Gebler (novel), Helen Deutsch (screenplay)

Stars:

Spencer Tracy, Gene Tierney, Van Johnson

Won 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Spencer Tracy	...	Capt. Christopher Jones
Gene Tierney	...	Dorothy Bradford
Van Johnson	...	John Alden
Leo Genn	...	William Bradford
Barry Jones	...	William Brewster
Dawn Addams	...	Priscilla Mullins
Lloyd Bridges	...	Coppin
Noel Drayton	...	Miles Standish
John Dehner	...	Gilbert Winslow
Tommy Ivo	...	William Button
Lowell Gilmore	...	Edward Winslow
The Mayflower	...	Itself

Storyline

The story of the voyage of the "Mayflower" in its historic voyage across the Atlantic to the New World. The passenger list includes John Alden and Priscilla Mullins among those who made the 96-day storm-filled crossing. Along the way the Captain has an ill-starred romance with the wife of a religious fanatic that ends in a sudden, dramatic way off the coast of Cape Cod.

---

Plot Keywords:

new world | settler | mayflower | ship | new england | 

---

Taglines:

MGM presents The Great TECHNICOLOR Drama of the Sea !

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance

---

Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 November 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Capitaine sans loi

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,185,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Spencer Tracy and Gene Tierney had an affair that lasted for the duration of filming.

---

Goofs

With so many dying in the first few months, the settlers would not make nice solid wooden pews for the meeting hall, before the first houses were finished.

---

Quotes

Capt. Christopher Jones: I can see through this clean New World talk.
Gilbert Winslow: It's possible, Captain Jones, you see no further than the end of your nose. These are honest men.
Capt. Christopher Jones: There are no honest men!
Gilbert Winslow: There are those that try to be.
Capt. Christopher Jones: I've lived long enough in the world to know what men are made of.
[Looking out to sea]
Capt. Christopher Jones: There's the good of the world, Mr. Winslow - the good clean sea and my ship... my good ship. I put faith in my ship, and she's never failed me. Don't put your faith in men, and you'll never be disappointed.
Gilbert Winslow: ...
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

The end credits are the most comprehensive cast list. After each actor is shown in character, in reverse order from the opening credits, the ship The Mayflower (a replica of the 1620 vessel) is shown floating in the water and identified by a graphic.

---

Soundtracks

Confess Jehovah Thankfully
(1612) (uncredited)
by Henry Ainsworth

User Reviews

Hollywood style drama about the Mayflower journey to Virginia in 1620 including unexpectedly arriving in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

It tells the Mayflower odyssey , it was the ship that transported the first English Separatists , known today as the Pilgrims , from Plymouth to the New World in 1620 , a very dangerous voyage carried out by a brave passenger list that made the 96-day storm-filled crossing . There were 102 passengers , the majority of them becoming the settlers of Plymouth Colony in what is now Massachusetts and the crew is estimated to have been about 30, but the exact number is unknown . The pilgrims are looking for a land where they can worship according to their beliefs . Captained by Captain Christopher Jones (Spencer Tracy) who piloted and helped the valiant pilgrims , he stayed at the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts , waiting for favorable weather to return home to England on the "Mayflower" . This voyage has become an iconic story in some of the earliest annals of American history , with its story of death and of survival in the harsh New England winter environment . About half of these emigrants died in the first Winter . Many Americans can trace their ancestry back to one or more of these individuals who, 'Saints' and 'Strangers' together, would become known as the Pilgrims . Thirteen of the eighteen servants listed were attached to Leiden families, the other five were families who boarded in London . Four of those travelers listed were small children , to be classed as indentured servants . Other notorious pilgrims were John Alden (Van Johnson) , William Bradford (Leo Genn) , Gilbert Winslow (John Dehner) , Edward Winslow (Lowell Gilmore) , and William Brewster (Barry Jones) . Luckily , it took place the culmination of the voyage in the signing of the Mayflower Compact was an event which established a rudimentary form of democracy, with each member contributing to the welfare of the community . The Native Americans living in the area , the Patuxet, were totally wiped out by a series of epidemics between 1616-1619 caught from English fishermen who landed regularly in the area . Indian tribes ran away and fell ill , and then the colonialists built in the cleared area where the Indian village stood and utilized the cleared farm land that the tribe had abandoned . However , actually , after landing in Massachusetts , the colonists tried three times to sail southward to Virginia, but was driven back by storms .

Interesting historical film about the famous feat based on the novel by Ernest Gebler with screenplay by Helen Deutsch , describing trials and tribulations of the risked sea journey , a fundamental event in American history . It packs emotion , drama , love stories and historical happenings . Very good cast plenty of familiar Hollywood faces as Spencer Tracy who has an ill-starred romance with the wife of a religious fanatic well played by Gene Tierney , both of whom had an affair that lasted for the duration of filming . Support cast is frankly excellent , such as : Leo Genn , John Dehner , Barry Jones , Dawn Addams , Lloyd Bridges , Paul Cavanagh and Van Johnson , though filmmaker Clarence Brown later said casting him was a huge mistake . In addition , other uncredited players : John Dierkes , John Alderson , Murray Matheson and Rhys Williams . The film is well based on historical events , though including some fictitious incidents ; as Dorothy Bradford did indeed fall overboard and was drowned while husband William was exploring for a site for the establishment of Plymouth . For once , the colonists are correctly shown building framed houses, and not log cabins as is commonly supposed . Decent production design by prolific Cedric Gibbons , though most film is set on the vessel , being some claustrophobic . Colorful cinematography in Technicolor by William Daniels , Greta Garbo's regular cameraman . Evocative and thrilling musical score by Miklos Rozsa .

The motion picture nicely produced by Dore Schary was professionally directed - though with no enthusiasm- by Clarence Brown . Clarence studied and learned with French director Maurice Tourneur . He directed several actors in Oscar-nominated performances. During his career Brown directed or produced more than 50 widely-acclaimed full-length films , many during his long association with prestigious MGM and worked with many of the industry's most illustrious performers . Clarence got a lot of successes , such as : Anna Karenina , Maria Walewska , Intruder in the dust , The yearling , National velvet , Song of Love , among others .