This is one of the less aired Rankin-Bass specials, so I didn't grow up on watching this one, among certain others. I watched it a couple late nights/early mornings ago on Youtube, on Thanksgiving day. I've got to say, it's a nice spin on a piece of history. I think the only, other reinterpretation of this I've seen is This is America, Charlie Brown. Although I'm sure many are all familiar with the true story of how this country came to be, has anybody else besides all those who viewed it and the reviewers here ever heard of the little known fact of how at least a couple of mice were involved in how that was made possible?
The special begins with a church mouse named William telling the viewers a story of how not only how that all happened, but also explains just how his ancestor, also named Willum, played a part in this too. Aside from the difficult, challenging, perilous expedition of getting there and after with all of the things that got in the way of the pilgrims, and they had to go through like a storm, going in the wrong direction, a harsh winter, and illness, they would manage to make their way to their destination successfully eventually. There are also sub-plots of a love triangle amongst Captain Miles Standish, John Alden, and Priscilla Mullins, as well as a side story about a pair of baddies aboard the Mayflower who are seeking golden riches and they'd later team up with another pair of baddies, a rogue Native American named Smiling Buzzard and his bear after arriving on what would later become known as the American shores. William himself would team up with a Native American mouse or red mouse named Big Little Thunder.
As to the technical aspects of this. There may be those who find the art style in this Rankin-Bass/Toei co-production to be better than several of the other, 2-D animated Rankin-Bass productions, such as, say, 'Twas The Night Before Christmas. I didn't think about what was the perfect art style and what wasn't at the time, but I think I like the art style in this more than the other traditionally animated Rankin Bass projects. It's just so different that it separates itself from the more, typical style that those may not see as the nicest looking. As much as I like the stop-motion efforts as well, I also don't know how anybody would know what form of animation worked best for R-B. As for the animation quality itself, it seems fine and fluid enough. The 2-D animation, especially in this, is alright to me. The voice work is well done by the whole cast. Both Willums are great, lead characters, the other heroes and villains are as well. This animated, historical musical contains several great songs, such as the one about forming a new colony. Found the all the music enjoyable. Everything else about this is the same.
I know that some time after its original airing, it ended up fading into obscurity. This Is America, Charlie Brown is good, but I think I like this version of The MayFlower story more, for the fact that it's essentially a what-if-spin on the story. For all those who haven't seen it, I recommended it. Another R-B holiday classic in my eyes.
