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William Daniels, Howard Da Silva, Ken Howard, David Ford, Roy Poole ... see more see more... , Andy Albin , Emory Bass , William H. Bassett , Howard Caine , Blythe Danner , Jack De Mave , Gordon Devol , Frederic Downs , William Duell , Peter Forster , William Hansen , Ralston Hill , Patrick Hines , Ron Holgate , John Holland , Daniel Keyes , Donald Madden , Richard McMurray , Ray Middleton , Stephen Nathan , James Noble , Barry O'Hara , Jordan Rhodes , Rex Robbins , Wabei Slyolwe , Virginia Vestoff , John Myhers , Leo Leyden , Mark Montgomery , Jonathan Moore , John Cullum

The first independent production of former studio mogul Jack Warner, 1776 was adapted from the hit 1969 Broadway musical by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards. William Daniels, Ken Howard, and Howard Da ... read more read more...Silva are among the many actors who recreate their Broadway roles. The story is set during the first Continental Congress, when the Declaration of Independence was drafted by such founding fathers as John Adams (Daniels) and Benjamin Franklin (Da Silva). The script attempts to "humanize" these remote historical figures by contemporizing them -- particularly the character of Ben Franklin. Blythe Danner's character of Martha Jefferson is expanded for the film version to allow for an elaborate outdoor production number. After 1776, Warner made only one more film, the 1972 "grunge Western" Dirty Little Billy. On an added note: the picture was originally rated G with its theatrical running time of 141 minutes. It was later expanded to 166 minutes; the added scenes caused the MPAA to re-rate it PG (for language) in 1992. Both versions are available on video. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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80% liked it

8,118 ratings

Critics

57% liked it

14 critics

PG, 2 hr. 22 min.

Directed by: Peter H. Hunt, Peter Hunt

Release Date: January 1, 1972

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DVD Release Date: July 2, 2002

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Flixster Reviews (609)

  • Bostonceltics6
    December 12, 2011
    Bostonceltics6
    Maybe it's the hard vocabulary- or maybe it's just the fact that I don't really like musicals very much. I don't want to seem like a weirdo or anything, but I didn't like this one much. I don't really have a plot for this one, because it's just old colonial heroes singing ballads... read more of all the Declaration stuff and eh, you know what I mean. I don't think that George Washington ever sang a tune about himself, same thing with John Adams or Ben Franklin. If you're that kind of person who doesn't like musicals like I do, then you won't like 1776. After all, John Adams never sung his anger. Is 1776 really like 1776? You answer that, fair reader.
  • TheCreeper11
    October 31, 2011
    TheCreeper11
    I had to watch this in history class.

    PLOT:John Adams (William Daniels) is an arrogant and obnoxious Patriot who is fighting Congress for American Independence with his partners in the Declaration Committee, Benjamin Franklin (Howard Da Silva) and Thomas Jefferson (Ken Howard)... read more as the Revolution is occurring, but Jefferson's personal problems, tolerance of the Declaration's rules, and trying to get the whole thing accepted is a trouble. It's a good subject to make a movie on-but a musical? It's executed decently considering the fact that it's based off a '69 musical.

    ACTING:Very good acting. The shiners are Daniels and Da Silva. They have friend chemistry and spark interest in the characters.

    SCORE:The score is composed very well and is very patriotic. The soundtrack has its ups and downs. Some songs where the singers can't sing worth a crap are "Yours Yours Yours" and "The Lees of Virginia". Some beautiful songs are "Momma Look Sharp" and "Molasses to Rum". Some just plain silly songs are "The Egg" and "He Plays the Violin". The soundtrack overall is not too bad considering it's a historical musical.

    OTHER CONTENT:Some may argue that the historical accuracy isn't too good, but I say that it's pretty well researched, for we have learned this stuff in history class this past week. I will admit, it left out a few things. It's pretty accurate in basics though. Though this movie is so stupid it's funny and cheesy to the extreme, it's supposed to be. It's a BROADWAY COMEDY MUSICAL! It's cheesy in a way that it's campy, but not well enough executed to be considered good. Even in some scenes, it helps you feel the dread of this time's war and loss.

    OVERALL, an ok musical with a decently executed plot, great acting, patriotic score and not too bad of a soundtrack, pretty good historic accuracy, a thin layer of campiness, and actual feeling.
  • EreborTabor
    December 24, 2010
    EreborTabor
    This musical blends a lot of the things I love. The editing leaves a bit to be desired, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyability!
  • gamer46ful
    October 18, 2010
    gamer46ful
    terrible. the music is shit and this movie is completly ridiculous and there is not one scene where you can't make fun of the situation. i hate this movie
  • magisterbrodd
    March 26, 2010
    magisterbrodd
    Really amazing musical about the Declaration of Independence - excellent treatment of one of my favorite subjects! Seen on DVD.
  • Sunshineyness
    November 10, 2009
    Sunshineyness
    You'll either love this movie or hate. I am of the love it variety. It's such a nerdy fun good time. Yeah, it's your middle school textbook version of what happeend and it doesn't delve into too much complexity of the historical times but it's pretty good at getting the facts dow... read moren and I think William Daniels is GREAT at pulling off the passionate but unlikeable John Adams and the songs are flat out amazing. Mama, Look Sharp is one of the most haunting songs about the horror of war that I've ever heard and the duets between John and Abigail are really sweet and highlight what an absolutely interesting and fascinating relationship of intellectual equals the two really had.
  • MetalMario2
    July 3, 2009
    MetalMario2
    Not strictly historically accurate, but fun, with good music, good acting, and plenty of humor. One of my very favorite musicals.
  • Erdren
    June 27, 2009
    Erdren
    Watch it... if seeing a set of walking, talking, singing caricatures lead our nation to independence sounds just like your cup of tea.

    Avoid it... If you would be appalled to see some of the greatest men in American history be pigeonholed into the domain of eccentric curiosities.
  • eddystreck
    October 22, 2008
    eddystreck
    This film really changed my life by getting me interested in learning. Also, one of the funniest films ever, if you have a nerdy sense of humor...
  • lucasaq
    May 9, 2008
    lucasaq
    ery few names are well known from this seventies musical, but I have found it to be one of my favorites. William Daniels portrayal of zealous John Adams is quite fun to see especially when everyone else is exclaiming for him to sit down when he gets too uppity. Each song furthers... read more the story so well and each performer does it so well it is a joy to watch. The song with Blythe Danner who is portraying Martha Jefferson is quite touching and fun, ?She Plays the Violin.? This playful film about our founding fathers is one those underrated films that I like to give some credit to.

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Critic Reviews

Nell Minow
August 26, 2010
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media

Every American should watch this once a year. Full Review

Carol Cling
February 18, 2005
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

A star-spangled, all-singing delight.

Bob Bloom
July 23, 2004
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

A wonderful, witty underrated musical. A 4th of July tradition in my house.

Dennis Schwartz
February 9, 2004
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Long and boring musical about the American Revolution. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

A whole lotta toe-tappin' musical patriotism.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
July 4, 2002
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Americans have a propensity for getting chummy with heroic figures of the past -- a tendency on display in this lightly amusing history lesson. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 9, 2005
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

John A. Nesbit
February 9, 2007
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
August 10, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

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Facts

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    • John Adams: Thomas Jefferson: the Dove....
    • John Adams: ...the eagle!
    • Benjamin Franklin: The turkey.
    • John Adams: the eagle is a majestic bird!
    • Benjamin Franklin: The eagle is a scavenger, a thief and coward. A symbol of over ten centuries of European mischief.
    • John Adams: The turkey?
    • Benjamin Franklin: A truly noble bird. Native American, a source of sustenance to our original settlers, and an incredibly brave fellow who wouldn't flinch from attacking a whole regiment of Englishmen single-handedly! Therefore, the national bird of America is going to be...
    • John Adams: [insistently] The Eagle!
    • Stephen Hopkins: That's quite a large signature, Johnny.
    • John Hancock: So fat George can read it in London without his reading glasses!
    • Stephen Hopkins: Ah, Ben! I want you to see some cards I'd gone and had printed up. Oughta save everybody here a lot of time and effort, considering the epidemic of bad disposition that's been going on around here lately. 'Dear Sir, you are without any doubt, a rogue, a rascal, a villain, a thief, a scoundrel, and a mean, dirty, stinking, sniveling, sneaking, pimping, pocket-picking, thrice double-damned no-good son of a bitch.' and you sign your name - what do you think?
    • Benjamin Franklin: I'll take a dozen, right now.
    • Martha Jefferson: Dickinson wants 'tyrant' removed from the Declaration
    • Thomas Jefferson: Just a moment, Mr. Thomson. I do not consent. The king is a tyrant whether we say so or not. We might as well say so.
    • Secretary Charles Thomson: But I already scratched it out.
    • Thomas Jefferson: Then scratch it back in!
    • John Hancock: Put it back, Mr. Thomson. The King will remain a tyrant.
    • John Adams: They won't be happy until they remove one of the F's from Jefferson's name!
    • Richard Henry Lee: You've come to the one colony that can get job done: Virginia. The land that gave us our glorious commander in chief, George Washington, will now give the congress its proposal on independence. Where Virginia goes the south is bound to follow. And where the south goes, the middle colonies go! Gentlemen, a salute to Virginia, the mother of American independence!
    • John Adams: Incredible, we're free and he hasn't even left yet!
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1776 Trivia

  • What musical released in 1972 recounts the true story of John Adam's struggle to sway the Continental Congress into voting for American Independence?  Answer »
  • In "Trading Places," according to the sign at the front door, when was the Heritage Club founded?  Answer »
  • From what movie does this quote come: "Good God consider yourselves fortunate that you have John Adams to abuse, for no sane man would tolerate it."  Answer »
  • In which movie does one of the main characters complain about a lack of saltpeter?  Answer »
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