MovieChat Forums > Bewitched (1964) Discussion > Samantha's Thanksgiving to Remember

Samantha's Thanksgiving to Remember

posted 6 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
8 replies | jump to latest

I absolutely adore this episode, and never miss it on Thanksgiving (along with Woody Allen's
delightful Thanksgiving film, "Hannah and Her Sisters").

This episode is well done in every department, which really shows what an astute producer
Bill Asher was. Everything from historical details, to the wardrobe, to the guest cast, who
are all perfection (especially the super hot Peter Canon, with the big red beard and blue
eyes, who plays "Miles Standish").

Let's not forget the script itself, which is tight and brilliantly written. Including Gladys in
their trip is fantastic - I simply love Gould here ("I don't like this dream - it's too much
work!"). The highlight, of course, is Samantha's gorgeous speech at the end, which is
still so on target and moving, without sounding overly preachy. A peach of an episode.

This ep was remade with Sargent in season seven's "Samantha's Old Salem Trip." It's
not nearly as effective, and stretches out the Salem theme, which had, by this point,
overstayed its welcome.

Funny side thought: I'm amused at how Gladys goes running back in her Pilgrim getup
thinking that being dressed like this will convince Abner that Sam is a witch and she really
went back to the first Thanksgiving!! Oh, sure, THAT would make him believe her!

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

Always a favorite holiday episodes from any sitcoms. We always had the Thanksgiving parades on, but my sisters and I would always look for this episode.

It's just so much fun. I watch it every year. I get a kick out of Darrin's explanation for his hunger. "I only had puff-ed rice for breakfast."

This episode had a number of things that would qualify under "things you never noticed before" (like the thread you started on ILL).

Some anachronisms- In the dwelling when they arrive, there is a grandfather clock. The first Thanksgiving was in 1621. Those clocks were not invented for another fifty years. I didn't know that until years later. When Phineas is carving the turkey, you can see very clearly in that scene and later, the actor's wedding ring. The Pilgrims didn't wear jewelry or any adornment. And men certainly didn't wear wedding rings until the twentieth century. Someone should've told the actor to take off his ring for those scenes!

More about Phineas, when Darrin gives him that "strange greeting" (How's it going?) and he drops the turkey, it really looks like one of those fake plastic turkeys used for displays and decoration. Also, why was HE carrying a turkey to the table? He wanted Darrin's "womenfolk" to go and join the other women who were cooking. I'm not sure, but it seems that the women would be doing all the serving.

Going back to the grandfather clock, I finally noticed that it says 4:00. But Phineas says that Darrin, the strange visitor, gave him a strange greeting "On the morn." Well since those clocks hadn't even been invented yet, it was probably broken. lol

As for Aunt Clara's reminiscing, she says she wants to see her old friends from the first Thanksgiving. Did she mean that they were still alive and she was going to visit them? That would mean that there WERE witches present then. Or did she plan on a little time travel all along? If so why didn't some of them recognize her? Maybe they did!

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

I never knew all that stuff about the grandfather clock. Nor about jewelry. So much for my thinking they were
so historically accurate.

As far as Clara, I don't get that the pilgrims were witches. I just felt Clara knew many of these historical characters -
even mortals - due to her age. After all, she was Queen Victoria's Lady in Waiting, and Victoria isn't depicted as
a witch ("If we had known this in the 20th century, we would've had you FLOGGED!!").

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

Oh I didn't mean that the Pilgrims were ALL witches! It's not surprising that Clara knew a lot of historical figures due to her age. But she says that, "reminiscing about the girls I knew that settled there, I'd like to visit them."

My question was HOW was she going to visit them? If she was just heading up to Plymouth to see "the girls" that meant they were still alive and magical witches just like herself and Samantha. If not, I wondered if she was planning a trip back in time to see them.

According to historical records, there were only about fifty Pilgrims at that Thanksgiving, so how come no one recognized Clara?

Okay, I'm splitting hairs. Maybe if it was a two part episode there would've been time for her to have a reunion with old friends.

Still one of my favorite holiday episodes. Samantha's speech at the end is very stirring. It's very relevant for today.

One other detail in this episode is changed for later episodes. Samantha is able to use her witchcraft to dress them in appropriate garb. Later on she is able to make "the witch's stick" light again.

But in the next season it's different in the episode with Gerry the wood nymph. Sam asks Endora to send her back in time to prevent Rufus the Red from killing Darrin the Bold.

Endora tells her that she won't be able to use her witchcraft in the past. She'll have to "rely on her wits."

Well, guess that's not too unusual. The rules of the show change to suit the episode.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

Sorry, I don't get that Clara knew anyone who were witches. Again, she was Queen Victoria's Lady in Waiting,
and QV makes it clear she is NOT a witch! I think Clara was an oddball, sort of a witch sideliner, and she had
fun making friends - witches AND mortals, which is why she was so accepting of Darrin.

Clara says she wants to go back in time to see "the girls that settled there", as well as "Miles Standish." Well,
Standish wasn't a warlock. It's pretty obvious that all these human beings are long dead in 1967. When
Clara goes back, she is going back in time, although I agree that they'd be shocked at what an old lady she
suddenly was. And none of the town folk seem to recognize her. But who cares? It's so beside the point of
this offering.

At any rate, I love the episode so much, and. as I posted regularly on imdb, the "age" stuff with the witches
has never interested me.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

Well you answered my question!

I wondered if she meant that she was going to see "the girls" in present day Plymouth because Darrin offered to make plane reservations for her. Clara said she could get there on her own. I took it to mean that she would fly there by herself.

But I guess she was going to do a little time travel and everyone else got caught in her spell.

"Witch sidliner", ha, never heard that before! Yes , Clara seemed to be one of those open minded types who could make friends with witches and humans. She never had any prejudice against Darrin the way Endora did.

The episode doesn't dwell too much on the "age" stuff, but it does interest ME! It's an intriguing aspect which the show was always vague about. But I love to speculate on it. I'm just OCD I guess.

It is a heartwarming episode and I enjoy the way Samantha "spoke Pilgrim."

One other thing I noticed. Not sure if I'm right. When they got back home and Tabitha runs to Samantha, isn't that Diane Murphy in that brief scene and not Erin?

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

Yes, that is Diane. I can always tell them apart, because they really didn't look too much alike.
Considering they were searching for identical twins, it's strange that the fraternal Murphy twins
got the job.

The "Plane reservation" line is a joke line. Clara takes Darrin literally (as if he would make a plane
reservation to go back in time). I think she wanted to go back to that first Thanksgiving, as she's
looking back at the people then. She obviously only meant to go ALONE.

I think this theory is cemented by the Queen Victoria story. Clara meant to back in time then, not
bring QV here to the 20th Century!

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

Ha,ha! I took Darrin literally too! I really thought he was offering to send her to present day Plymouth. At the beginning of the episode he was looking forward to a quiet Thanksgiving with "just the three" of them. So he was quick to offer to send her on her way.

I thought he was graciously offering to buy her a ticket. Clara's flying ability was rather shaky.

[–] Galactus03 (4289) 6 years ago

Dang I forgot to watch it on Thanksgiving and also did not get a chance to watch the Halloween eps on Halloween. All great episodes. The Thanksgiving one wasn't really historically accurate but even today though and movie productions have a hard time of making things accurate. So I can forgive it. But yeah a fun episode