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American Experience

The Donner Party

Season 5, Episode 3, Aired Oct 28, 1992

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7.3

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Tragic tale of families attempting a short-cut passage to California in the 1840s, with narration of their life-and-death struggle taken from their own journals.

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David McCullough

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Documentary at its strongest and weakest, all at the same time -- but effective.

7.3

"Good"

By Mac-Ale, Jan 16, 2007

The story of the ill-fated Donner Party, lots of detail, a little repetitive.

This is one of the more memorable entries on the "American Experience" series and its a nice illustration of just what it took to move west during the middle of the 19th century. The beginning is particularly strong, lots of details on the planning and outfitting of the party, as well as their complete gullibility and dependence on both their guides and the tales of those who had gone before.

The installment is certainly realistic, and also hugely depressing, as the group jouneys into the mountains during a heavy Winter. Its made more authentic by readings from the actual journals of the party. Soft piano music and scenes of falling snow are effective but very ponderous. Perhaps this echos the feelings of the people who were sometimes forced to consume the remains of those that had died before them and wonder if they have any chance of survival.

Overall, the message comes across, as Mary Donner said after the ordeal was over "don't never take no cut-offs, and hurry along as fast as you can."moreless
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TRIVIA (1)
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- The so-called "Hastings Cut-Off" actually added a month to the trip to California and was primarily responsible for the group being caught in late October mountain snowstorms.
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QUOTES (1)
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- Mary Donner: (in a letter to a friend considering moving west) Don't never take no cut-offs, and hurry along, as fast as you can.
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NOTES (4)
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- This story was expanded to a full episode during the planning and production of Ric Burn's "The Way West" - an American Experience series that aired in 1995.
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- This entry in the series won a Peabody Award.
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- This episode was produced by R. Burns and Lisa Ades.
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- David McCullough narrates this episode as well as introducing it.
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