Plymouth Adventure facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Plymouth Adventure |
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original film poster
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| Directed by | Clarence Brown |
| Produced by | Dore Schary |
| Written by | Helen Deutsch |
| Starring | Spencer Tracy Gene Tierney Van Johnson Leo Genn |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
| Cinematography | William H. Daniels |
| Editing by | Robert J. Kern |
| Studio | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Distributed by | Loew's, Inc. |
| Release date(s) | November 14, 1952 |
| Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3.2 million |
| Money made | $3 million |
Plymouth Adventure is a 1952 Technicolor film that tells a story about the Pilgrims. It's a drama film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The movie shows a fictional journey of the Pilgrims across the Atlantic Ocean on the famous ship, the Mayflower. It stars Spencer Tracy, Gene Tierney, Van Johnson, and Leo Genn. The film was directed by Clarence Brown and produced by Dore Schary. The story was written by Helen Deutsch, based on a 1950 novel by Ernest Gébler called The Voyage of the Mayflower. This was director Clarence Brown's last film.
Contents
The Mayflower Voyage Story
The film shares a made-up version of the Pilgrims' journey. They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to North America on the Mayflower ship.
Characters and Their Journeys
During the long trip, Captain Christopher Jones (Spencer Tracy) is the ship's leader. He meets Dorothy Bradford (Gene Tierney), who is the wife of William Bradford (Leo Genn). Their relationships face challenges during the voyage.
The ship's carpenter, John Alden (Van Johnson), is also a key character. He is said to be the first person to step onto Plymouth Rock in 1620. He becomes interested in Priscilla Mullins (Dawn Addams), one of the young Pilgrims. John Alden tries to win Priscilla's heart, even with Miles Standish (Noel Drayton) also interested in her.
Young William Button's Dream
Lloyd Bridges plays the funny first-mate Coppin. A young actor, Tommy Ivo, plays William Button. William Button was the only passenger to die on the real voyage. In the movie, he dreams of being the first to see land. He wants to be a king in the New World. He says, "I’m going to be the first to see land. Keep me eye peeled, I will. Then I’ll be the first. It’ll be like the Garden of Eden and I’m going to be the first to see it.”
Meet the Cast
Here are some of the main actors and the characters they played:
- Spencer Tracy as Christopher Jones, the captain of the Mayflower.
- Gene Tierney as Dorothy Bradford.
- Van Johnson as John Alden, the ship's carpenter.
- Leo Genn as William Bradford, a Pilgrim leader.
- Barry Jones as William Brewster.
- Dawn Addams as Priscilla Mullins, a young Pilgrim.
- Lloyd Bridges as First Mate Coppin.
- Noel Drayton as Miles Standish.
- John Dehner as Gilbert Winslow.
- Tommy Ivo as William Butten, a young passenger.
- Lowell Gilmore as Edward Winslow.
Making the Movie
The producer, Dore Schary, said that he wanted the Pilgrims in the film to seem strong. He believed they needed to be tough and brave to achieve their goals. This is why the actors chosen for the film were picked to show that strength.
Awards and Recognition
The film won an Oscar for Best Effects. This award is given for special visual tricks in a movie.
You can also see a model of the Mayflower ship from the movie. It is on display at the Original Benjamin's Calabash Seafood restaurant in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The restaurant bought the model at an auction in the mid-1980s.
