The Mayflower (2006) (TV)

Director:

Lisa Wolfinger

Writer:

Rocky Collins

Release Date:

23 November 2006 (USA)

Genre:

History

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Keith Bartlett	...	William Brewster
Paul Drinan	...	Thomas Weston
Edward Herrmann	...	Narrator
Jacqueline King	...	Mrs. Brewster
Chris K. Layman	...	Captain of the Guard / Nobleman
Peter Lovstrom	...	King James I
Erin Raftery	...	Dorothy Bradford
Sam Redford	...	William Bradford
Shann Whynot-Young	...	John Alden

Directed by
Lisa Wolfinger

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Rocky Collins

Produced by
Lisa Wolfinger	....	producer

Cinematography by
Yoram Astrakhan

Film Editing by
Tony Bacon
Jed Rauscher

Production Design by
Katha Seidman

Set Decoration by
C. Kent Lanigan		(as Kent Lanigan)

Costume Design by
Andrew Poleszak

Makeup Department
Jason Allen	....	key makeup artist
Cyndie Boehm	....	makeup artist
Brenda McNally	....	hair stylist
Ronell Oliveri	....	makeup department head
Trish Seeney	....	key makeup: Massachusetts

Production Management
Ramsey Tripp	....	production manager

Art Department
Vanessa Knoll	....	property master
Christopher Sawtelle	....	assistant property master
Michelle Sherwood	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Josie Basford	....	boom operator: Boston
Jacques Boulanger	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Carabeo	....	boom operator
Tom Eichler	....	sound recordist
Chad Horn	....	boom operator
Jason O'Neill	....	sound mixer: Boston

Camera and Electrical Department
Beth Anderson	....	first assistant camera: Boston
J.D. Furlong	....	grip

Editorial Department
Corey Norman	....	post-production assistant

Other crew
Mark Brochu	....	production assistant
Melanie Cunningham	....	archival researcher
Blythe Robertson	....	production coordinator
Christopher Streeter	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Lone Wolf Documentary Group

Distributors

• History Channel (2006) (worldwide) (all media)

Also Known As:

"Desperate Crossing: The True Story of the Mayflower" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

180 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Lone Wolf Documentary Group

Interesting story about the Mayflower

I really enjoyed this made-for-TV program. Like most people from the U.S., my knowledge of the Puritans and the pilgrims in Plymouth is limited to Thanksgiving stories. I usually just think of them as religious people wearing funny hats and big white collars. I enjoyed several aspects of this show. First is that it starts well before their landing in 1620 in what is now Massachusetts giving an excellent background on what makes a person a Puritan, why they were different from the rest of the people in England, why they left, and very interestingly their couple of years in the Netherlands before departing for North America. I had known that they spent some time in the Netherlands but usually you never hear anything about the pilgrims and their life there. Unlike some of the other posters on this site, I thought the actors were quite good. I did not find them "homely" but then again, I'm sure the people in real life, having survived 16th-17th century smallpox epidemics were not quite the lookers we demand people to be today. The story covers very well the pilgrims' life in England, persecution, the Netherlands years, the crossing, why they ended up in what is now Massachusetts (I had no clue before), their very difficult first year, and the interactions with the local Indian population and how they were helped to survive. I thought it was nice to see men and women from the local Indian population portraying characters in the story. I believe one man that is used as a background historian also plays the part of the native man who makes first contact. The show is a combination of documentary with modern day historians commenting on certain aspects of the story. And a historically recreated film depicting actors in costume and using the language of the time. All in all, I came away with a much better knowledge of early 17th century England, the Massachusetts area of that time, the local native population and the importance of working together and helping each other.