1776 (1972)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Peter H. Hunt

Writers:

Sherman Edwards (play)
Peter Stone (play)

Release Date:

17 November 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | History | Musical

Plot:

The film version of the Broadway musical comedy of the same name. In the days leading up to July 4, 1776...

Plot Keywords:

Thomas Jefferson | Broadway Musical | Declaration Of Independence | John Adams | Benjamin Franklin

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

William Daniels	...	John Adams (MA)
Howard Da Silva	...	Dr. Benjamin Franklin (PA)
Ken Howard	...	Thomas Jefferson (VA)
Donald Madden	...	John Dickinson (PA)
John Cullum	...	Edward Rutledge (SC)
Roy Poole	...	Stephen Hopkins (RI)
David Ford	...	Congressional President John Hancock (MA)
Ron Holgate	...	Richard Henry Lee (VA)
Ray Middleton	...	Col. Thomas McKean (DE)
William Hansen	...	Caesar Rodney (DE)
Blythe Danner	...	Martha Jefferson
Virginia Vestoff	...	Abigail Adams
Emory Bass	...	Judge James Wilson (PA)
Ralston Hill	...	Congressional Secretary Charles Thomson
Howard Caine	...	Lewis Morris (NY)

MPAA:

Rated PG for language. (edited version)

Runtime:

142 min | 168 min (director's cut) | 180 min (Laserdisc version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:G | USA:PG (longer video version) | Singapore:PG

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The final scene shows the members of Congress being called individually to come forward in order to sign the Declaration of Independence while the camera trucks back, or zooms out. The characters' final positions are an approximation of John Trumbull's famous painting, The Declaration of Independence. The actual painting shows the congressional chamber from the front behind Hancock's desk while the scene in the movie is from the rear of the chamber, and therefore the characters appear reversed with the five members of Congress who were assigned to the committee to write the Declaration on the right of the desk as opposed to the left. Far fewer of the actual number of delegates, who were in Congress, are represented in the movie, but the resemblance to the painting is unmistakable including the delegate sitting with one leg crossed over another.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the movie Martha came to Philadelphia to see Thomas Jefferson, as the two had not been together "for 6 months" - a common refrain by Tom. While Tom wrote the Declaration, Martha stayed in Virginia, recovering from a miscarriage - there is no record of such a "conjugal visitation."

Quotes:

Dr. Benjamin Franklin: If we do not hang together, we shall most assuredly hang separately!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Playing Columbine (2008)

Soundtrack:

Till Then

Finally, a good musical!

*** 1/2

Starring: William Daniels, Howard DeSilva, Ken Howard, and Blythe Danner.

There haven't been many good musicals at all (with the exception of Grease) so I decided to take the chance and rent 1776. I've heard a good rap from many critics so why not? After seeing this movie, really why not? The movie was excellent. It's a historical musical (what are the odds?) about all the signers of the Declaration of Independence. William Daniels portrays the second U.S. president, John Adams. DeSilva portrays Benjamin Franklin. Howard portrays our 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson. Danner, who looks exactly like her daughter Gwyneth Paltrow, portrays Jefferson's wife Martha Wilkes Jefferson. This movie is a must see, and finally a good musical since Grease.