The Mouse on the Mayflower is an animated
Thanksgiving special produced by
Rankin/Bass Productions and originally aired on
NBC in 1968.
Tennessee Ernie Ford narrates as Willum Mouse, a church mouse whose presence on the
Mayflower has been hitherto overlooked by human historians. The animation was done by
Toei Animation.
The Mouse on the Mayflower provides examples of:
- Animal Talk: Willum's narration explains that he was able to communicate with the Native American mouse Little Big Thunder because they could both speak in, "mouse talk." Naturally, the special renders Little Big Thunder's "mouse talk" as Tonto Talk.
- As the Good Book Says...: The special ends with Willum quoting Psalms 100.
- Been There, Shaped History: Turns out it was Willum who directed the Pilgrims to the printing press that they used to reinforce that broken beam.
- Composite Character: The special's William Bradford seems to be a combination of the historical William Bradford and William Brewster.
- Disney Acid Sequence: Priscilla Mullins' "I Want" Song "When He Looks at Me", in which she imagines herself as Princess Classic and John Alden as Prince Charming.
- Evil Is One Big, Happy Family: The European villains Scave and Quizzler quickly form an alliance with the Native American villain Smiling Buzzard and his bear companion Big Wheeze. As they smoke a Peace Pipe together, it's revealed that all four of them (yes, including the bear) are performing a Lying Finger Cross. Willum's narration notes, "it takes one to know one."
- Fat and Skinny: The villainous sailors Scave (skinny) and Quizzler (fat)
- Hollywood Costuming: Captain Jones wears a bicorn hat, an item from the Napoleonic era, which is over a century and a half after the Mayflower.
- I Am Not Pretty: In "When He Looks at Me", Priscilla Mullins sings that, "I'm not a princess or a pretty girl." She may not be a princess, but she is quite pretty. In fairness, in the uncut version, Alden sings a reprise of the song where he sings "I'm not a prince or a pretty boy."
- Love Triangle: Miles Standish, John Alden, and Priscilla Mullins are naturally drifting through a loose remake of "The Courtship of Miles Standish."
- Stock Animal Diet: Willum and Little Big Thunder are both very excited to see cheese being served at the first Thanksgiving. You know, 'cause they're mice.
- Villain: Exit, Stage Left: The villains are chased off about two-thirds of the way through the special. Smiling Buzzard and Big Wheeze barely even got to be in it!
