{"id":76648,"date":"2021-10-01T11:56:01","date_gmt":"2021-10-01T18:56:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=76648"},"modified":"2021-10-01T11:56:01","modified_gmt":"2021-10-01T18:56:01","slug":"1776-1972","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=76648","title":{"rendered":"1776 (1972)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace; that two are called a law firm; and that three or more become a Congress!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Poster-194x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"194\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-76649\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Poster-194x300.png 194w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Poster-661x1024.png 661w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Poster-83x128.png 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Poster-174x270.png 174w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Poster.png 703w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 194px) 100vw, 194px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAt the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Second_Continental_Congress\">Second Continental Congress<\/a> in Philadelphia, John Adams (William Daniels) pushes for independence from Britain, and is given leave &#8212; along with Benjamin Franklin (Howard Da Silva), Thomas Jefferson (Ken Howard), and others &#8212; to draft the Declaration of Independence.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>American Revolutionary War<\/li>\n<li>Blythe Danner Films<\/li>\n<li>Historical Drama<\/li>\n<li>Musicals<\/li>\n<li>Play Adaptation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis adaptation of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1776_(musical)\">Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone&#8217;s 1969 Tony-winning Broadway musical<\/a> offers an intriguing counterpoint to <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hamilton_(musical)\">Lin Manuel Miranda&#8217;s <em>Hamilton<\/em><\/a>, with both historicizing (and musicalizing) key moments from the earliest years of the United States. As with most historical dramatizations, <em>1776<\/em> is filled with inaccuracies (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1776_(film)\">see Wikipedia&#8217;s entry for specifics<\/a>), but it seems to get the overall gist of the moment &#8220;right&#8221; &#8212; meaning, we strongly sense how confoundingly hot it was in the closed-window rooms:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window-1024x434.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"271\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window-1024x434.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window-1536x651.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window-604x256.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Open-Up-a-Window.png 1819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>&#8230; how dull and trite most of the Congress&#8217;s work generally felt:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock-1024x440.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"275\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76685\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock-1024x440.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock-300x129.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock-128x55.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock-768x330.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock-1536x659.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock-604x259.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Hancock.png 1819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and how contentious key issues (i.e., slavery) were to moving forward as a collective: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina-1024x443.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"277\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina-1024x443.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina-300x130.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina-128x55.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina-768x332.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina-1536x664.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina-604x261.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-South-Carolina.png 1811w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>  <\/p>\n<p>Because we already know the eventual outcome of this momentous event, the storyline necessarily focuses on the personalities behind the scenes, highlighting (indeed, over-emphasizing) their key qualities for dramatic impact &#8212; so, we see Adams berating himself time and again for being so &#8220;obnoxious and disliked&#8221; (not actually true in real life): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams-1024x444.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"278\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76688\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams-1024x444.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams-300x130.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams-128x55.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams-768x333.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams-1536x665.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams-604x262.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Adams.png 1810w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; Jefferson&#8217;s driving lust for his wife (Blythe Danner): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76689\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing-1536x652.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Jefferson-Kissing.png 1815w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and Ben Franklin&#8217;s irrepressibly scampish nature (Da Silva is a highlight of the movie): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva-1024x447.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"279\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76650\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva-1024x447.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva-300x131.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva-128x56.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva-768x335.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva-1536x670.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva-604x263.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Da-Silva.png 1823w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the songs aren&#8217;t all that thrilling, though a few will stick in your head (for better or for worse) long after they&#8217;re done.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Howard Da Silva as Ben Franklin<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2-1024x447.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"279\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76690\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2-1024x447.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2-300x131.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2-128x56.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2-768x336.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2-1536x671.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2-604x264.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1776-Da-Silva2.png 1815w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine historical sets and cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography-1024x440.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"275\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76651\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography-1024x440.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography-300x129.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography-128x55.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography-768x330.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography-1536x659.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography-604x259.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Cinematography.png 1833w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets-1024x440.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"275\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76652\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets-1024x440.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets-300x129.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets-128x55.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets-768x330.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets-1536x659.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets-604x259.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1776-Sets.png 1819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but it&#8217;s definitely must-see for American history buffs. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0068156\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.salon.com\/2017\/07\/04\/1776-musical-movie\/\">Salon Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/xY4Te8Qm07A\">Cynical Historian Video Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace; that two are called a law firm; and that three or more become a Congress!&#8221; Synopsis: At the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, John Adams (William Daniels) pushes for independence from Britain, and is given leave &#8212; along with Benjamin Franklin (Howard Da Silva), Thomas Jefferson (Ken Howard), and others &#8212; to draft the Declaration of Independence. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: American Revolutionary War Blythe&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=76648\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=76648"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76648\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76691,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76648\/revisions\/76691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=76648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=76648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=76648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}