Our quest to find a Thanksgiving special has been accomplished once again. This time we have a special brought to us from Rankin-Bass from 1968 it's "Mouse on the Mayflower" , a different Rankin-Bass special with mice! The special has the voice of Tennessee Ernie Ford (Consult your local Ernie Ford today!), Eddie Albert (whom you may know from Green Acres) , Joanie Sommers (nice!) also Paul Frees (a Rankin Bass mainstay) and June Foray. Now on Joshuaonline this is "Mouse on the Mayflower"
The special takes us right into the Mayflower like we just wondered in to them and the boat's taking on water and we're not going to help. (We're mean that way!) Also, there's a mouse wearing clothes. (Network censors won't allow naked mice) The theme music takes over. Then it takes us to church in the modern times (because I see cars) and there's a mouse. Since this is a Rankin Bass special, we have a narrator, this mouse (voiced by Ford) and he tell us that should remember what Thanksgiving and his name is Willum and he is talking about his great (many greats) grand father was part of the Mayflower and signed the Mayflower compact. (Mice power!)
Mice also signed the Declaration of Independence and your checks/ Copyright NBC Universal
Also his relative was named Willum because, sure why not? Now it goes back in time to the days of the pilgrims. This is a musical? (I didn't sign up for this.) All the famous pilgrim people from the Thanksgiving story are there. (You're Watching Mouse Thanksgiving on History Channel, followed by Aliens did it!) The special mentions the correct original plans of the separatists wanting to go to Virginia to settle. It does skip of the other ship falling apart and being of no use, so they had to take the Mayflower. We have only 40 minutes so we don't have time for all that. (Peanuts has less time and still mentioned it )
I'll Miles Standish next to you/ Copyright NBC Universal
Is this special trying to pair Priscilla Mullins and Miles Standish? Oh no, wait they are setting up the details where she marries John Alden in Plymouth the next year.(Spoilers, sir!) Why are there villains in this special? When did villains join the mayflower. These two guys want the pilgrims' gold because the special has time for this.
They are the bad guys! Copyright NBC Universal
Where's the mouse? Oh there he is, he also gets on the Mayflower. (This special is called "Mouse on the Mayflower" not mice, meaning that he was single, therefore no lady nice, therefore his grand child shouldn't exist) The Mayflower is crowded, and we have time for 3 stooges gags. There's a song about the Mayflower being crowded. "How about a little elbow room?" Good, we have some more Maury Laws music, that's how Rankin Bass works! I think John and Priscilla are falling in love (don't do any sinning there you two). Now there's a storm and the bad guys want the pilgrims to abandon ship so, they can take the gold. (dark as heck!) Willum "tells" Miles that the main beam is breaking so, they'll need a great screw. The mouse changes history. Crises adverted. (that was quick) Granny (because this lady is voiced by June Foray) catches Alden talking to Priscilla (sinning!) .
Hey this is 1620! Go do that in 2020! / Copyright NBC Universal
Great news ! They let Joanie Sommers sing a song! It's a song about Priscilla wanting to be with John Alden because why not? Then they find land? (Would be strange if they went the wrong way and were back in England) Bad news folks! They didn't reach Virginia. (Oops) They are near New England. (There's a new England?) They are encouraged to start their own colony. Oh another song with Joanie Sommers. There's a native mouse, because of course. Also, a bear and native are hugging each other?
What the history books don't tell you/ Copyright NBC Universal
Meanwhile, the bad guys, the same native and a bear team up? What am I looking at? The bad guys wanted to start a war because gold. Then the mice get a deer to stop the pilgrims from shooting the natives. Thus stopping a war. Mouse unity made them not be enemies because that works. The bad guys are stopped easily so, sure. Another song. They are trying to beat winter's cold grip. Then winter hits, good thing they built so many houses in 1 month. They even mention the deaths that happened, so it's not shying away from that part of the story. Spring comes!
"There's a bug on your neck" / Copyright NBC Universal
After all the spring and summer. Hey it's 1621, when are John and Priscilla to be wed hurry up? Anyway, first Thanksgiving. The special's near end quotes "Psalm 100". Then it turns into modern times again showing contemporary America then roll credits!
had to include shot of the mouse / Copyright NBC Universal
It is an experience for a Thanksgiving related special. It's quite a messy special with the idea of having villains for some reason. They did put some moments of historical accuracy that I wasn't expecting because this about talking mice, and there's a bear who joins our villains which probably didn't really happen. I also see Rankin Bass saved their best songs for the Christmas specials but, the songs here are serviceable. It's goofy and strange, but at least it wasn't boring.
That does it for our Lookback, tune in next time when we wonder why there was only one mouse on the Mayflower.
