On July 4th, many families are heading out to enjoy a day in the sun and lighting up the grill for a barbecue. For me, I sit and watch 1776, the 1972 film adaptation of the 1969 popular Broadway musical. It isn't a perfect film and it's sometimes far from historical fact, but every time you watch it, it's hard not to get swept up in the fine music.
1776 tells the story of how John Adams (William Daniels...yes, Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World) pushed the Continental Congress to finally vote for independence from Great Britain and sign Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence. He and his good friend Benjamin Franklin (Howard Da Silva) work with Jefferson (Ken Howard – the current president of the Screen Actor's Guild) to write the Declaration. Meanwhile, John has to work hard to convince the more conservative members of Congress that they need to declare independence unanimously, or they could look weak before King George. He also responds to letters from his wife, Abigail (Virginia Westoff), who complains of lack of supplies in Massachusetts.
There is an interesting history behind the film itself, with this being Jack L. Warner's first production outside of the studio that carried his family name. Warner, who was still under the belief that he could make a musical hit like 1964's My Fair Lady again, teamed up with Columbia Pictures to produce and release the film. It ended up being directed by Peter H. Hunt, who won a Tony for directing the original Broadway production. Hunt and Warner were also able to get most of the Broadway cast to work in the film, including William Daniels, Howard Da Silva and Ken Howard. That familiarity with the material definitely shows in the film, showing off the chemistry between each actor and their director that built up over the years of performing these songs on stage.
The trouble with these performances, though, is that they often feel cartoonish, not that we should seriously expect well-rounded characters from a musical such as this. I often get the feeling that 1776 is set up to feel like a flat 18th century painting. Of course, that's actually the intention...after all, when everyone finally signs the Declaration, the image fades into a flat image designed to look like a contemporary painting.
1776's music was written by Sherman Edwards, who crafted a collection of striking songs that will stick in your head. Sure, “Sit Down, John,” “The Lees of Old Virginia” and “He Plays The Violin” are silly beyond reason, but they are pretty good. “Molasses to Rum,” remains a disturbing moment in the film as Edwards and writer Peter Stone try to tell us why the slave trade was important in song. There's also “Yours, Yours, Yours,” the song John Adams sings to Abigail, via split screen and “Mama, Look Sharp” can bring anyone to tears.
1776 isn't a film that belongs in the upper echelon of classic musicals, but it is hard to say no to indulging in its music and witty dialogue (of course, Ben Franklin gets all the best lines) every year. While the John Adams and the Benjamin Franklin here feel little more than live-action cartoon characters, that isn't what the filmmakers were aiming for here. Anyone expecting more should just watch HBO's John Adams. Hunt, Stone, Edwards and Warner crafted a fine musical with 1776 that is a nice way to enjoy July 4.
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