It was a coincidence that I watched Clarence Brown's Oscar-winning "Plymouth Adventure" right before Thanksgiving. Either way, the whole thing is basically a cringefest due to its inaccuracy.
While it's true that the English Separatists - now known as the Pilgrims - fled persecution in England, what's not widely known is that they initially went to the Netherlands, a common refuge for victims of persecution. However, the English Separatists didn't like how tolerant the Dutch were! So they sailed across the ocean, and upon setting up their colony, established a theocracy (they even banned celebrating Christmas!).
But most importantly, they weren't the first English people to settle in what's now the US. England had established Jamestown in present-day Virginia in 1607, and already had slaves there before the English Separatists sailed over! The English separatists were headed for Virginia before storms blew them north.
Anyway, the movie has a fine cast - Spencer Tracy, Gene Tierney, Van Johnson, etc - but it's worth seeing more for the visuals than the historical accuracy.
While it's true that the English Separatists - now known as the Pilgrims - fled persecution in England, what's not widely known is that they initially went to the Netherlands, a common refuge for victims of persecution. However, the English Separatists didn't like how tolerant the Dutch were! So they sailed across the ocean, and upon setting up their colony, established a theocracy (they even banned celebrating Christmas!).
But most importantly, they weren't the first English people to settle in what's now the US. England had established Jamestown in present-day Virginia in 1607, and already had slaves there before the English Separatists sailed over! The English separatists were headed for Virginia before storms blew them north.
Anyway, the movie has a fine cast - Spencer Tracy, Gene Tierney, Van Johnson, etc - but it's worth seeing more for the visuals than the historical accuracy.