Captain John Smith overcomes the treachery of some of his men and resentment of the local Native Americans to establish the colony of Jamestown.Captain John Smith overcomes the treachery of some of his men and resentment of the local Native Americans to establish the colony of Jamestown.Captain John Smith overcomes the treachery of some of his men and resentment of the local Native Americans to establish the colony of Jamestown.
Jody Lawrance
- Pocahontas
- (as Jody Lawrence)
Douglass Dumbrille
- Chief Powhatan
- (as Douglas Dumbrille)
Beulah Archuletta
- Powhatan Woman
- (uncredited)
William Cottrell
- Macklin
- (uncredited)
Francesca De Scaffa
- Powhatan Maiden
- (uncredited)
Joan Dixon
- Powhatan Maiden
- (uncredited)
Jack Kenny
- Settler who Discovers Gold
- (uncredited)
John Maxwell
- Ship's Doctor
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIt is highly unlikely that Smith's version of his relationship with Pocahontas is true. When he first retold the events of 1608 in 1616, the Indian princess was, by his account, ten years old. On later retelling of those same events, she grew to twelve or thirteen. It was later discovered that Smith had told another, extremely similar story of being rescued by a young Turkish girl in 1602. Smith's stories about his relationship did not begin until 1616, when Pocahontas traveled to London with husband John Rolfe and was celebrated as Native American royalty.
- GoofsAlthough scalping was known by Native Americans in other areas, it was not practiced in Virginia in the early 17th Century.
- Quotes
Wingfield: By whose order do you assume this authority?
Capt. John Smith: By whose order do you question it?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Imagining Indians (1992)
Featured review
It's a White Man's New World
This film is a swift seventy-five minutes, yet the film makers cram in enough misogyny and racism to make it feel twice as long. Captain John Smith (an awkward Anthony Dexter) is recounting his adventures to the king (an awkward Anthony Eustrel), and the film serves as a flashback to his time in the new Virginia colony of Jamestown. The screenwriters paint Smith as a lovable rogue, a brilliant military mind who gets into all sorts of shenanigans and hijinks. He finds himself in charge of the settlement, and butts heads with butthead villain Wingfield (an awkward James Seay). After slaying a bunch of Native Americans in a confused battle, Smith decides to go make piece with Chief Powhatan (an awkward Douglass Dumbrille) of the local tribe. Smith happens upon Pocahontas (an awkward Jody Lawrance) when he is stumbling around the forest, and the two take a shine to each other. Smith, Charlie (an awkward Alan Hale, Jr.), and John Rolfe (an awkward Robert Clarke) are captured and threatened with execution by ruffian Opechanco (an awkward Stuart Randall). Pocahontas throws herself on Smith, saving his life, and the settlers and Indians fall into an uneasy friendship. Pocahontas must marry Smith, and Wingfield connives for his own personal gain.
I suppose this may have started life as an action epic, but this film is a B-movie to be sure- the locations, the costuming, and the special effects are all second rate. Many of the lines are unintentionally hysterical ("I, a roving adventurer. She, an Indian princess"), I haven't laughed this hard at a 1950's historical epic since John Wayne starred as Genghis Khan in "The Conqueror." I am not kidding, the words "Captain John Smith" are uttered no less than a dozen times in the opening ten minutes of the film. While the English of 1607 had some pretty quaint ideas about the role of the female in the settlement, and back in London, these scenes pale compared to the blatant racism against Native Americans. I haven't been this disappointed by how they are portrayed onscreen since "Annie Get Your Gun." White actors obviously slathered with brown makeup and black wigs, lots of tomahawks and threats to scalp, dancing around big fires and banging drums- the sheer stupidity of the "naturals" scenes is overwhelming. Lew Landers directs on a small scale, with only one memorable shot- a fight set against some orange flames near the end of the film. The cast flounders, trying to deliver their unnatural lines naturally. The Native Americans talk like all movie Indians talked back then- unconvincing poetry, third person self-references, and even a "forked tongue" line. The real issue of the Native Americans dying from diseases brought by European settlers is lost in the ineptitude. I am pretty sure the Disney cartoon from a few years back got more right historically than this film, and "The New World" probably serves as the definitive version of the Smith/Pocahontas story, which seems to be a combination of bravado and myth on Smith's part. "Captain John Smith and Pocahontas" is as awkward as its title, a silly effort that isn't worth your time.
I suppose this may have started life as an action epic, but this film is a B-movie to be sure- the locations, the costuming, and the special effects are all second rate. Many of the lines are unintentionally hysterical ("I, a roving adventurer. She, an Indian princess"), I haven't laughed this hard at a 1950's historical epic since John Wayne starred as Genghis Khan in "The Conqueror." I am not kidding, the words "Captain John Smith" are uttered no less than a dozen times in the opening ten minutes of the film. While the English of 1607 had some pretty quaint ideas about the role of the female in the settlement, and back in London, these scenes pale compared to the blatant racism against Native Americans. I haven't been this disappointed by how they are portrayed onscreen since "Annie Get Your Gun." White actors obviously slathered with brown makeup and black wigs, lots of tomahawks and threats to scalp, dancing around big fires and banging drums- the sheer stupidity of the "naturals" scenes is overwhelming. Lew Landers directs on a small scale, with only one memorable shot- a fight set against some orange flames near the end of the film. The cast flounders, trying to deliver their unnatural lines naturally. The Native Americans talk like all movie Indians talked back then- unconvincing poetry, third person self-references, and even a "forked tongue" line. The real issue of the Native Americans dying from diseases brought by European settlers is lost in the ineptitude. I am pretty sure the Disney cartoon from a few years back got more right historically than this film, and "The New World" probably serves as the definitive version of the Smith/Pocahontas story, which seems to be a combination of bravado and myth on Smith's part. "Captain John Smith and Pocahontas" is as awkward as its title, a silly effort that isn't worth your time.
helpful•01
- NoDakTatum
- Oct 9, 2023
Details
- Runtime1 hour 15 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
Top Gap
By what name was Captain John Smith and Pocahontas (1953) officially released in India in English?
Answer