2020 Paley Archive Elements 3840x1536 Banner2

MOUSE ON THE MAYFLOWER, THE (TV)

Summary

An animated television special about the first Thanksgiving, told from the perspective of a mouse amongst the Mayflower pilgrims. William, a modern-day church mouse, narrates the story of his ancestor Willem, a mouse who accompanied the Mayflower on its voyage ("Mayflower"). The story begins in England in the year 1620, when a number of Pilgrims led by preacher William Bradford decide to set off for the Virginia colony in the New World to escape persecution for their religious differences. Soon their ship, the Mayflower, is constructed and readied for the long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. One of the leaders of the expedition is Captain Miles Standish, who works to keep everything orderly on the Mayflower. His new assistant John Alden becomes enamored of a Pilgrim woman named Priscilla Mullins. Alone, he wishes that he could be noticed by her ("When She Looks at Me"). The Mayflower sets off on its journey on September 6th, 1620. Willem, the church mouse at Bradford's church, nearly misses the voyage due to oversleeping, but manages to come aboard before it departs. The captain of the Mayflower is paid off in gold by Bradford, and a pair of scheming sailors named Quizler and Scab plot to use an upcoming storm to steal the gold and return to England with it. The pilgrims grow frustrated with the cramped conditions on board the Mayflower ("How About a Little Elbow Room?"). Finally the storm strikes and Quizler and Scab prepare to enact their plan when they notice that the main beam of the ship has cracked, which will cause the Mayflower to sink. Willem hears this plan and attracts Captain Standish's attention by stealing his medal and leading him to the damaged beam. The ship captain says that the damage is irreparable outside of a dry dock, but Willem gives Captain Standish the idea to use a printing press as an improvised tool to prevent the beam from collapsing, thus saving the Mayflower. Eventually the storm passes. John continues to try to endear himself to Priscilla, although his efforts remain unsuccessful. Unbeknownst to him, Priscilla is falling in love with him as well ("When He Looks at Me"). Land is sighted and the pilgrims rejoice, but the captain informs Captain Standish and Bradford that the storm has blown them off-course, and they have arrived in New England instead of the Virginia colonies. Heading south to Virginia is impossible due to the approaching winter, so they decide to form their own colony in New England. They dock and decide to make their settlement in Plymouth, which they name after their original home in England. The Mayflower Compact is signed, and Willem affixes his ink-soaked paws to it as a "signature" of his own. Unbeknownst to the pilgrims, Native Americans observe their landing from hiding. John and Priscilla spend some time together and reveal their feelings towards each other ("Time Stand Still"). Willem does some exploring and encounters a Native American mouse named Thunder. The two soon become friends, able to communicate in "mouse-speak." Thunder says that his people are curious about the pilgrims and wish to make friends with them. One native, Smiling Buzzard, wishes to make war on the pilgrims, but the rest of the tribe disagrees with him and kicks him out. Smiling Buzzard and his bear companion Big Wheeze form an alliance with Quizler and Scab, hoping to drive both the pilgrims and natives to violence. When the natives first visit the pilgrims, the scoundrels make it seem as though the natives are attacking, and violence is about to ensue when Willem and Thunder intervene. Seeing the mice's friendship, Captain Standish and Bradford decide to forego hostilities and make friends with the natives, especially when the deception about the "attack" is revealed. The pilgrims set about building their new settlement ("This Land Was Meant to be Free"). Soon after its completion in 1621, the colony is hit with a long and harsh winter. The cold and lack of food weighs heavily on the pilgrims, who recall their seemingly better lives back in England ("Good Times"). Through hardship and death, the pilgrims eventually see the winter turn into spring. With assistance from the natives, the pilgrims are able to farm the land and that summer they produce a bountiful harvest. To celebrate, Bradford calls for a feast of thanksgiving, and the natives are invited as well. Thus the first Thanksgiving is held ("November Sky"), setting the stage for the remainder of American history. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: November 23, 1968 7:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:52:02
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:27154
  • GENRE: Animation
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Animation
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV special, 1968
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Jules Bass … Producer, Director, Lyrics
  • Arthur Rankin Jr. … Producer, Director
  • Toei Studios … Animation
  • Romeo Muller … Writer
  • Maury Laws … Music by
  • Tennessee Ernie Ford … Narrator, Voice, William
  • Eddie Albert … Voice, Captain Standish
  • John Gary … Voice, John Albert
  • Joanie Sommers … Voice, Priscilla Mullins
  • Paul Frees … Voice, Various
  • June Foray … Voice, Various