Originally a hit Broadway production in 1969 (winner of the Tony for Best Musical), this film is of course about the events leading up to America's Independence Day, July 4th 1776 . My co-worker, a history buff who normally doesn't like musicals, introduced me to the film on VHS, which I enjoyed tremendously, even if it was a horrible-looking "pan-and-scan" version. (The DVD features the restored widescreen director's cut which I highly recommend)
Though a hit on the stage, the film version never found its audience upon release. And ever since, few people outside of history buffs remember this inspiring film. Proof: it never made AFI's list of 100 Years...100 Cheers. The audience of the early '70s probably thought of this as either a snooze-fest or just cornball fluff. A thought provoking film, filled with debates among the delegates, it tackles hard issues such as slavery, and makes you think about the past, present, and future. Hardly fluff, though there is plenty of fine comic relief.
Author Peter Stone knew how to appeal to history buffs and modern 70's audiences by including a few mild-yet-still-racy sex jokes. (ooh, I got you interested now, didn't I? Pervs.)
Though the film didn't have any top box office stars, it nonetheless features a fantastic group of actors who give wonderful performances, making this a film not to be missed.......
Blythe Danner as Martha Jefferson. The film's breath of fresh air. She makes a grand entrance that reminds you of classic Hollywood. She is so pretty, and you can see the resmblance to her daughter Gwen Paltrow. And her one song - "He Plays The Violin" - is one the best in the film, in my opinion. Also in this sequence is a beautiful violin solo you'll hear as she dances with John Adams and Ben Franklin. A highlight of the film.
William Daniels as John Adams. Most people rightly remember the Emmy winning actor for his television work, but everyone forgets about his brilliant performance as Adams on Broadway and in this film. Why he did not get an Oscar nomination is beyond me.
Howard Da Silva as Ben Franklin. Da Silva plays him flawlessly with so much depth. If you want to learn about Franklin, watch this film. We see a very human portrayal: serious, playful, stern. Classic. Another Oscar nomination should have gone to Da Silva.
Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, the young delegate from Virginia. A great performance by another TV actor (and recent Emmy Winner - "Grey Gardens"); he portrays Jefferson as a moody newlywed faced with the challenge of writing the historic Declaration. His performance lets us feel all the uncertainly he feels about being judged by the entire world.
Donald Madden as John Dickinson, the delegate from Pennsylvania who refused to sign the Declaration. A character constantly at odds with John Adams throughout, he provides alot of interesting moments in the debate scenes, and sometimes comical. Watch this film and his performance - does he sort of remind you of former Saturday Night Live actor Phil Hartman? Almost could be twins, I always think.
Ron Holgate as Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate. His character, who comes from a prestigious pedigree, gets the whole story moving along. He only has one major scene, where he performs the "The Lees of Old Virgina". So memorable was his performance on Broadway that he won the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical. And he's just as enjoyable in the film.
If you enjoy musicals, and haven't seen this yet nor are familiar with the songs, I recommend giving 1776 a try. If you ask me, the songs (which range from comical to simply haunting) rank right up there with those from My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, and West Side Story.
Plus it's a great film to watch to get a sense of America's history; you will really appreciate what these men of differing opinions went through to come together to agree on the Declaration, even though there were many outstanding issues to settle.