Customer Reviews
Excellent documentary 
2008-09-28
This is an excellent docu-drama. I plan on showing it to my high school students next year before they read about the pilgrims--excellent movie.
desperate crossing 
2008-05-27
this movie brought the past to our present by being a drama and also a documentary,this makes you see the begining of our great nation,how Christians
Mayflower 2008-03-25
The History Channel special on the Mayflower gives a good history prior to the Separatist leaving England and the landing of the Mayflower. I read Bradford's account and Philbrick's account of the events. The special is faithful to both and throws in Native perspectives as well.
Superb!! 2008-02-08
In my opinion, this is the most fair and balanced description of the amazing event told from both the view of our white and American Indian brothers and sisters. America owes a great debt of gratitude to the American Indian. This program which accuratly tells the story of the Mayflower shows not only where America wrong, but also where they went right, when it came to the treatment for our American Indian brothers and sisters.
The Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower 2007-12-18
I saw this advertised on TV, then bought it for our elementary school library. This is an excellent video, with accuracy in both script and physical setting. Being of Native American heritage, I appreciate the portrayal of their roll in assisting the very survival of the Pilgrims. I highly recommend this for home schools, elementary schools, or to own personally!
Must see 2007-09-10
The History Channel provides a typically thoughtful documentary on the Pilgrims in DESPERATE CROSSING - THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE MAYFLOWER. The Royal Shakespeare Company provided actors for the extensively reconstructed footage of the trip on the Mayflower and the program also ventures into the first year in their new country as they attempted to forge a relationship with the Native Americans.System Requirements:Running Time: 23 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 733961768190 Manufacturer No: AAE-76819
Wish this had been available when I was in grade school! 2007-07-23
I felt cheated - went to school in a town where a significant percentage of graduating seniors attend Ivy League colleges - in other words, not a school system that is light on educational effort...but I never heard even 1/2 of this information about the Pilgrims! If this sort of information (and its excellent presentation) had been available when I was in grade school, I would have been much more interested and engaged US history and in history in general.
Desperate Crossings 2007-04-02
This was a great program for understanding the difficulties encountered in the early founding of our country. I was really astonished at how dangerous it was to be able to leave England and get to America. This show is very interesting and captivates your interest throughout.
Terrific! 2007-02-07
This History Channel presentation of the pilgrims is two and a half hours of a well-known and very important part of our American history, although you may not realize how little you actually do know of these separatists and of the times they lived. In fact, it certainly is more movie than documentary and, although interspersed throughout are historians filling in the gaps, this docu-drama is as engulfing and riveting as any full-length period movie I have seen. The lives and times of these early European settlers are authentically portrayed by use of English Shakespearian actors, and the quality shows. Never have I seen any other film put flesh on the bones of the pilgrims to the extent this one does. A social history extravaganza!
The clothing, lighting, effects (especially while on the Mayflower), and, at times, even some of the speech patterns are reflected fairly accurately. I did not see the typical revisionist history so often reflected in many of today's historical depictions. They were very religious folk bent on keeping their practices, even if they had to cross the ocean to do it, and this movie shows that in no uncertain terms.
The Indian dramatization was done very well for the most part, although I would have preferred to have their speech in their original (or close to their original) language and include the use of sub-titles.
Oh well, can't have everything.
As an extra added bonus, by the way, there are a couple of short (too short!) extra's - one features the making of this extraordinary documentary, and the other has outtakes and bloopers.
For teachers and lovers of history I recommend this docu-drama very highly. A wonderful way to learn about our early American history.
New Light on an Old Story 2006-12-13
Most Americans know the story of the Pilgrims and Mayflower...or do they? The History Channel has done a great job here, showing us that there is more to the story than we'd been taught. For example, who knew that many of the Pilgrims had actually moved to the Netherlands for an extended period (12 years or so) before deciding to try their luck in the New World? Or that there were actually two ships (the other being called The Speedwell), but the 2nd one was left behind because it was deemed un-seaworthy? Or that the Pilgrims landed first, not at Plymouth, but on Cape Cod, only to be driven off by the Native Americans there? These facts and many others are revealed in this interesting film.
Four stars. A bit long (almost 140 minutes) but I found it worth the time!
