Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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169 of 169 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The movie to watch every year on the Fourth of July, July 20, 2001
Every 4th of July I watch "1776," the musical that has our Founding Fathers singing and dancing their way to Independency, and every time John and Abagail Adams sing goodbye to each other ("Till Then" and "Yours, Yours, Yours"), I get choked up. William Daniels has his role of a lifetime as John Adams, the obnoxious and disliked Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress who is the most fervent advocate of independence ("Piddle, Twiddle and Resolve"). Virginia Vestoff plays his wife Abigail, and their exchanges are based on the "Dearest Friend" correspondences they wrote to each other during the crucial summer of 1776. However, the most unforgettable performance in "1776" comes from Howard Da Silva as Dr. Benjamin Franklin. The actor, who played movie villains for years, manages to convey not only Franklin's wit but also his firm belief in the new race of "Americans." Ken Howard plays Thomas Jefferson and joins with Adams and Franklin in the show's two cutest numbers, "But, Mr. Adams" and "The Egg." I have never cottoned "The Lees of Old Virginia," the song sung by Richard Henry Lee (Ron Holgate) and where every lyric line ends with "LY," but at the other end of the spectrum is the chilling "Molasses to Rum to Slaves," the song about the Triangle Trade sung by South Carolina's Edward Rutledge (John Cullum). The ensemble cast brings the Second Continental Congress alive, with Roy Poole as Stephen Hopkins, David Ford as John Hancock and William Hansen as Caesar Rodney standing out. Most of the cast members were in the Tony Award winning original Broadway cast, although Blythe Danner replaces Betty Buckley as Martha Jefferson ("He Plays the Violin").
Peter Stone's book is remarkably accurate in relating the historical events; the biggest error a historian would point to is that John Dickinson (Donald Madden), did not show up the day of the crucial vote so that Pennsylvania would not kill Independence. But Broadway and Hollywood must be allowed to make things more dramatic. What makes "1776" so wonderful is how it teaches history while being so entertaining. The opening of the film, where the tirade by Mr. Adams against the do nothing Continental Congress is interrupted by the collective Founding Fathers jumping up and singing "Sit Down, John," sets the tone and Peter H. Hunt's film delivers throughout. The show's best moment comes in "Is Anybody There?" when John Adams, all alone in the quiet chamber, dreams of the pomp and pageantry of a free America.
I also have the laserdisc version, which runs 176 minutes and includes 35 minutes of material originally cut from the film, including the song "Cool, Considerate Men" and alternative shots in several sequences. While the quality of the additional material is in very sad shape, fans of "1776" will take what they can get. Hopefully the complete film can be restored before we get to the DVD version (hint, hint, hint). Granted, the idea of a musical about the Declaration of Independence seems bizarre; I once blew off a chance to see "1776" on stage because I thought the idea was stupid. But this is a first-rate musical that makes the time and issues come alive, so that even thought we obviously know the outcome, we are enthralled because it looks like Mr. Adams will never get his Declaration adopted. If you are looking for a film to watch each 4th of July, "1776" is the one.
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105 of 106 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
For God's Sake, John, Sit Down..., April 18, 2003
First, let me say that I'm not a big fan of movie musicals. However, I've always made an exception for 1776. I suppose it's my abiding interest in history, and in the popular presentation of history, that keeps me coming back to this film. For the uninitiated, 1776 is the story of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and was first presented on Broadway in the late 1960s. Set in Philadelphia in June and early July of 1776, the action centers around John Adams's attempt to get a reluctant Continental Congress to declare the 13 colonies independent of Great Britain. Adams, and his allies (including Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson), is opposed at every step by the conservatives in Congress, led by John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. Although we know the ending, it is to scriptwriter Peter Stone's credit that we realize things may have turned out rather differently.My first recorded version of this movie was taped off of a local television station that had drastically edited it for length and content. When I finally got around to buying the VHS version of 1776, I was amazed at what had been left out, particularly when it came to the earthier dialogue. Imagine my reaction to the new DVD director's cut edition of this musical; it was like watching a completely new movie. Bridging scenes that had been edited out now provide a nearly seamless narrative flow, and the musical number "Cool, Considerate Men" has been restored, providing for greater balance between the conservatives and radicals in Congress. The cast, a number of whom reprise their roles from the Broadway production, is nearly flawless. William Daniels IS John Adams, hard-headed, driven, passionate, "obnoxious and disliked". Howard da Silva is equally effective as Benjamin Franklin, elder statesman and earthy man-of-the-world, while the rest of the actors do very well by their characters. Of necessity, the film's emphasis is on Congress, and therefore on the male of the species; women are limited to two roles--Martha Jefferson, played by Blythe Danner, and Abigail Adams, played by Virginia Vestoff. Of Danner's role, there is little to say beyond the fact that the actress is a luminous screen presence. Vestoff, on the other hand, has a rather more substantial role as John Adams's wife, confidant, and sounding board. The film effectively portrays the correspondence between John and Abigail, a partnership that was, in many ways, remarkable in American history. Director Peter Hunt keeps things moving along at a lively pace, propelled by the music of Sherman Edwards, who also wrote the lyrics. It's hard to pick a favorite song, but two stand out in my mind--the chilling "Molasses to Rum to Slaves" and the poignant "Mamma, Look Sharp". The former underlines the flawed nature of the American Experiment--that a new nation established on the principle that "all men are created equal" would also keep hundreds of thousands of people in chains. The latter song brings home the fact that while Congress engages in endless debates, men (and boys) are dying on the field of battle. I could dwell at some length on the historical inaccuracies embodied in this movie--the character of Judge Wilson, for one, and that of Richard Henry Lee, for another. However, purism aside, what 1776 makes clear is just what a close run thing independence really was, that there was, indeed, a significant proportion of Americans (and their representatives) who wished to remain loyal to the British crown. Better yet, the Founding Fathers are portrayed mot as marble men, but as the passionate, flawed, flesh-and-blood individuals they were.
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51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Favorite Movie of All Time!, March 31, 2001
If it was possible, I would give this movie 100 stars! This movie got me into the American Revolution, and the men behind it with its almost perfect representations of our Founding Fathers. Though everyone knows the story of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, '1776' adds so much more detail and insight into the event. William Daniels is a perfect John Adams...his dogged determination for indpendence are wonderfully portrayed. John Cullum is a chilling Edward Rutledge, and his song 'Molasses to Rum', is a painfully accurate picture of the slave trade. Howard da Silva and Ken Howard are both notable as Franklin and Jefferson, but my favorite actor has to be Ronald Holgate as Richard Henry Lee. He gives such an energetic and humorous performance, and 'The Lees of Old VA' is probably my favorite scene in the movie. '1776' is great for both history buffs and casual viewers. It's really an experience to see how it probably really was in Philadelphia that summer, and it gives so much more body to the men who created our nation. A great movie!!!
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