Capt. John Smith leads a rag-tag band of English sailors & soldiers to the New World to plunder its riches for England (or, more precisely, for Governor Ratcliffe, who comes along for the ride). Meanwhile, in this "New World," Chief Powhatan has pledged his daughter, Pocahontas, to be married to the village's greatest warrior. Pocahontas, however, has other ideas. She has seen a vision of a spinning arrow, a vision she believes tells her change is coming. Her life does indeed change when the English ship lands near her village. Between Ratcliffe, who believes the "savages" are hiding the gold he expected to be plentiful, and Powhatan, who believes these pale newcomers will destroy their land, Smith and Pocahontas have a difficult time preventing all-out war, and saving their love for each other.
Written by Joe Sewell <jsewell@iu.net>
A song titled "If I Never Knew You" was cut after children in test audiences found it boring. At the time, it was almost fully animated, with the exception of color. The unfinished sequence was shown in ABC's 1997 airing of the film. For the 10th anniversary DVD release, the animation was completed and the song inserted back into the film, as well as a short reprise in the final scene.
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Goofs
Factual errors:
The movie depicts John Smith as being in actual danger of execution at the hands of Powhatan's men and depicts Pocahontas saving his life because of her love for him. In reality Pocahontas was playing a role in a highly scripted symbolic ceremony where Smith would be adopted into the tribe after his life was "saved".
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Quotes
Wiggins:
Do you think we'll meet some savages? Governor Ratcliffe:
If we do, we shall be sure to give them a proper English greeting. Wiggins:
[holds up baskets of wine and cheese]
Ooh, gift baskets! Governor Ratcliffe:
Oh, no. And he came so highly recommended. See more »