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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

MGM presents The Great TECHNICOLOR Drama of the Sea !

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance

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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)

Gross USA:

$1,909,000, 31 December 1952

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,025,000, 31 December 1952

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

Peter Lawford was originally cast in a supporting role, but Spencer Tracy took an immediate dislike to him and he was taken off the picture.

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Goofs

The New World was visited in 1607. In One scene they show a map of the Massachusetts area. They call it New England but they are headed to Virginia. How could they have mapped out New England without having visited it yet?

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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: ...
[...]

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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.

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Beautiful and romantic with wonderful dialogue

This is a very fine movie! As I am not American these pilgrims have not meant so much to me - although I recognized a name or two - but now I feel I know them and understand them a little. Not only because of what I learned in the movie itself, but from the reading I have done after wards because it awakened my interest and curiosity. Good historical movies shall work just like that - and for a good cause a little poetical license is acceptable! Because without the unconsummated and tragic love story, also if it did not happen in reality, this movie would not have been half as thrilling.

Some reviewers here have complained that Spencer Tracy looks too old to play Captain Jones, but I find this strange as the real Captain Jones was the same age as Tracy... and as Jones also partook of the hardships on board, not only on this famous voyage but in a whole life at sea, and in fact died only a year after he returned to England, HE probably did not look like a spring chicken either... I also must admit that I at least find Tracy attractive in this part!

The best thing about this movie is the dialogue; there are many lines that are as beautiful as poetry. Captain Jones' words when he talks of his broken ship, his lonely nights and his feverish longing for Mrs Bradford, is some of the best dialogue I have ever heard in a love scene written for a movie. Very pungent and erotic with a feeling of impending doom...

The feeling of being transported to the time period is very good. The sailing part is as far as I can see accurate - you get to see a little of the sailors really working the sails, pulling up the anchor etc. (I would have wanted more of this). The photo is beautiful and there are impressive storm scenes etc..

There is one thing lacking though: I would have expected more religious ardor from the passengers. More spirit. After all: these are the founding fathers!!! I think they come out as too ordinary, too preoccupied with practical matters like any migrating peasants.