Title: "1776"
Director: Peter H. Hunt
Producer: Jack L. Warner
Editing: Florence Williamson and William H. Ziegler
Composer: Sherman Edwards
Starring:
- Williams Daniels as John Adams
- Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin
- Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson
- Virginia Vestoff as Abigail Adams
Plot and Critical Review: "1776" originally opened on Broadway on 1969. It ran for over 1,200 performances and was made into a feature film in 1972. The film was shot and produced in the classic big-stage cinema/musical format and as such it is suitable to present the plot review with a scene-by-scene synopsis. Due to length i've removed substantial portions of the review, but will leave the "gist" intact.
Scene One
On May 8, 1776, in Philadelphia, as the Second Continental Congress proceeds with its business. John Adams, the widely disliked delegate from Massachusetts, is frustrated, because none of his proposals on independence has been given even "the courtesy of open debate." The other delegates, sick of Adams's constant agitation, implore him to "Sit Down, John."
Adams flees the chamber, complaining that Congress has done nothing for the last year but "Piddle, Twiddle and Resolve." He reads the latest missive from his loving wife Abigail, who appears in his imagination. In "Till Then," they pledge their love to each other, and Abigail disappears.
Scene Two
Adams and Benjamin Franklin send Richard Henry Lee (of Virgina) off to Williamsburg to receive the approval of the Virginia House to support the resolution for Independence.
Scene Three
June 7, 1776. A new delegate from Georgia, Dr. Lyman Hall, enters the congressional chamber and meets the others. Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island roars into the room shouting for rum, while Colonel Thomas McKean and George Read of Delaware bicker, with the sickly Caesar Rodney stuck in the middle. The charismatic Edward Rutledge of South Carolina informs Hall that the colonies of the Deep South traditionally vote as one. John Dickinson of Pennsylvania, followed by the meek James Wilson, states that he is firmly against what he calls treason. Hancock gavels the 380th meeting of the Congress to order.
Soon after Hancock opens the floor to new resolutions, Richard Henry Lee canters into the chamber, having finally returned from Virginia. Lee reads his resolution, but Dickinson moves to indefinitely postpone the question of independence. A vote is taken. Five colonies vote in favor of debate. Five vote to postpone and thus kill the proposal. The 5-to-5 split, with Lewis Morris of New York abstaining "courteously," leaves the deciding vote to Hopkins. He votes in favor of debate.
Rutledge, seeing the majority swinging in his favor, calls for an immediate vote on the question of independence. The new New Jersey delegation arrives, led by Rev. John Witherspoon. They have been instructed to vote in favor of independence. The vote now stands at six for independence and six against (with New York abstaining), and Adams reminds Hancock of his duty as president to break all ties. Dickinson then moves that any vote for independence must pass unanimously on the grounds that "no colony [may] be torn from its mother country without its own consent."
Adams, thinking fast, calls for a postponement of the vote on independence, expressing the need for a declaration defining the reasons for independence. The vote on postponement is called, producing yet another tie, with New York abstaining yet again. Hancock breaks the tie by voting in favor of postponement. He appoints a committee of Adams, Franklin, Sherman, Robert Livingston of New York, and Jefferson to draft the declaration.
Scene Four
To suffice; Adams and Franklin pester Jefferson about the progress of the Declaration.
Scene Five
On June 22, 1776, Congress has reconvened. A letter is received from General Washington. He reports that the troops are suffering from venereal disease and drunkenness. He implores the Congress to send the War Committee to New Brunswick, New Jersey to boost morale. Chase challenges Adams: how could an army composed of "drunken militiamen" hope to defeat the British Army? Adams rejoins by asking whether, if Chase were convinced that the Continental Army could defeat the British, Maryland would then vote in favor of independence. Chase eventually agrees, and Adams, Franklin, and Chase leave for New Jersey. The remaining delegates in favor of independence also leave the chamber.
Scene Six
The Declaration is presented and accepted for debate. Nothing else of note.
Scene Seven
On June 28, 1776, Hancock asks if there are any alterations to be offered to the Declaration of Independence, leading many delegates to voice suggestions. Jefferson acquiesces to each recommendation, much to Adams's consternation, until Dickinson suggests the removal of a phrase calling the King a tyrant. Jefferson refuses, stating that "the King is a tyrant whether we say so or not. We might as well say so." When Thomson comments that he has already scratched the word out, Jefferson orders him to "scratch it back in."
Adams, growing desperate, sends McKean to Delaware to bring back Caesar Rodney. Alone with his thoughts, Adams conjures Abigail in his mind and pours out his fears and feelings of hopelessness to her. She reassures him, quoting from his own letters: "Commitment, Abby, commitment! There are only two creatures of value on the face of this earth: those with a commitment, and those who require the commitment of others."
With Adams's faith in the cause renewed, he tells Franklin and Jefferson to talk to Wilson and Rutledge: they need each and every vote. Thomson reads the latest dispatch from General Washington, who wonders if he is ever to receive a response to his last fifteen missives. Re-reading the dispatch, Adams echoes Washington's words, "Is Anybody There?"
Georgia votes "yea".
July 2, 1776. The delegates return to the chamber. Thomson calls on each delegation for its vote. Pennsylvania passes on the first call, but the rest of the northern and middle colonies (save New York, which with some self-disgust again abstains) vote "yea". When the vote reaches South Carolina, Rutledge demands the removal of the slavery clause as the condition of the "yea" votes from the Carolinas. Franklin pleads with Adams to remove the clause and Adams turns to Jefferson who reluctantly crosses the chamber and scratches out the clause. Rutledge and the Carolinas vote "yea", as does Georgia.
Pennsylvania's vote, which is the last vote needed to obtain the required unanimous approval, is called again, Dickinson declares that "Pennsylvania votes...", only to be stopped by Franklin who asks Hancock to poll the members of the delegation individually. Franklin votes "yea" and Dickinson "nay", leaving the swing vote to Wilson, who normally adheres to Dickinson. Wilson doesn't want to be remembered as "the man who prevented American independence" and votes "yea". The motion is passed. New York affixes it's vote of "yea". Adams leads the Congress in a salute to Dickinson as he leaves the chamber.
On the evening of July 4, 1776, McNair rings the Liberty Bell in the background as Thomson calls each of the delegates to sign his name to the Declaration of Independence. The delegates freeze in position as the Liberty Bell rings to a fevered pitch.
Director: Peter H. Hunt
Producer: Jack L. Warner
Editing: Florence Williamson and William H. Ziegler
Composer: Sherman Edwards
Starring:
- Williams Daniels as John Adams
- Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin
- Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson
- Virginia Vestoff as Abigail Adams
Plot and Critical Review: "1776" originally opened on Broadway on 1969. It ran for over 1,200 performances and was made into a feature film in 1972. The film was shot and produced in the classic big-stage cinema/musical format and as such it is suitable to present the plot review with a scene-by-scene synopsis. Due to length i've removed substantial portions of the review, but will leave the "gist" intact.
Scene One
On May 8, 1776, in Philadelphia, as the Second Continental Congress proceeds with its business. John Adams, the widely disliked delegate from Massachusetts, is frustrated, because none of his proposals on independence has been given even "the courtesy of open debate." The other delegates, sick of Adams's constant agitation, implore him to "Sit Down, John."
Adams flees the chamber, complaining that Congress has done nothing for the last year but "Piddle, Twiddle and Resolve." He reads the latest missive from his loving wife Abigail, who appears in his imagination. In "Till Then," they pledge their love to each other, and Abigail disappears.
Scene Two
Adams and Benjamin Franklin send Richard Henry Lee (of Virgina) off to Williamsburg to receive the approval of the Virginia House to support the resolution for Independence.
Scene Three
June 7, 1776. A new delegate from Georgia, Dr. Lyman Hall, enters the congressional chamber and meets the others. Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island roars into the room shouting for rum, while Colonel Thomas McKean and George Read of Delaware bicker, with the sickly Caesar Rodney stuck in the middle. The charismatic Edward Rutledge of South Carolina informs Hall that the colonies of the Deep South traditionally vote as one. John Dickinson of Pennsylvania, followed by the meek James Wilson, states that he is firmly against what he calls treason. Hancock gavels the 380th meeting of the Congress to order.
Soon after Hancock opens the floor to new resolutions, Richard Henry Lee canters into the chamber, having finally returned from Virginia. Lee reads his resolution, but Dickinson moves to indefinitely postpone the question of independence. A vote is taken. Five colonies vote in favor of debate. Five vote to postpone and thus kill the proposal. The 5-to-5 split, with Lewis Morris of New York abstaining "courteously," leaves the deciding vote to Hopkins. He votes in favor of debate.
Rutledge, seeing the majority swinging in his favor, calls for an immediate vote on the question of independence. The new New Jersey delegation arrives, led by Rev. John Witherspoon. They have been instructed to vote in favor of independence. The vote now stands at six for independence and six against (with New York abstaining), and Adams reminds Hancock of his duty as president to break all ties. Dickinson then moves that any vote for independence must pass unanimously on the grounds that "no colony [may] be torn from its mother country without its own consent."
Adams, thinking fast, calls for a postponement of the vote on independence, expressing the need for a declaration defining the reasons for independence. The vote on postponement is called, producing yet another tie, with New York abstaining yet again. Hancock breaks the tie by voting in favor of postponement. He appoints a committee of Adams, Franklin, Sherman, Robert Livingston of New York, and Jefferson to draft the declaration.
Scene Four
To suffice; Adams and Franklin pester Jefferson about the progress of the Declaration.
Scene Five
On June 22, 1776, Congress has reconvened. A letter is received from General Washington. He reports that the troops are suffering from venereal disease and drunkenness. He implores the Congress to send the War Committee to New Brunswick, New Jersey to boost morale. Chase challenges Adams: how could an army composed of "drunken militiamen" hope to defeat the British Army? Adams rejoins by asking whether, if Chase were convinced that the Continental Army could defeat the British, Maryland would then vote in favor of independence. Chase eventually agrees, and Adams, Franklin, and Chase leave for New Jersey. The remaining delegates in favor of independence also leave the chamber.
Scene Six
The Declaration is presented and accepted for debate. Nothing else of note.
Scene Seven
On June 28, 1776, Hancock asks if there are any alterations to be offered to the Declaration of Independence, leading many delegates to voice suggestions. Jefferson acquiesces to each recommendation, much to Adams's consternation, until Dickinson suggests the removal of a phrase calling the King a tyrant. Jefferson refuses, stating that "the King is a tyrant whether we say so or not. We might as well say so." When Thomson comments that he has already scratched the word out, Jefferson orders him to "scratch it back in."
Adams, growing desperate, sends McKean to Delaware to bring back Caesar Rodney. Alone with his thoughts, Adams conjures Abigail in his mind and pours out his fears and feelings of hopelessness to her. She reassures him, quoting from his own letters: "Commitment, Abby, commitment! There are only two creatures of value on the face of this earth: those with a commitment, and those who require the commitment of others."
With Adams's faith in the cause renewed, he tells Franklin and Jefferson to talk to Wilson and Rutledge: they need each and every vote. Thomson reads the latest dispatch from General Washington, who wonders if he is ever to receive a response to his last fifteen missives. Re-reading the dispatch, Adams echoes Washington's words, "Is Anybody There?"
Georgia votes "yea".
July 2, 1776. The delegates return to the chamber. Thomson calls on each delegation for its vote. Pennsylvania passes on the first call, but the rest of the northern and middle colonies (save New York, which with some self-disgust again abstains) vote "yea". When the vote reaches South Carolina, Rutledge demands the removal of the slavery clause as the condition of the "yea" votes from the Carolinas. Franklin pleads with Adams to remove the clause and Adams turns to Jefferson who reluctantly crosses the chamber and scratches out the clause. Rutledge and the Carolinas vote "yea", as does Georgia.
Pennsylvania's vote, which is the last vote needed to obtain the required unanimous approval, is called again, Dickinson declares that "Pennsylvania votes...", only to be stopped by Franklin who asks Hancock to poll the members of the delegation individually. Franklin votes "yea" and Dickinson "nay", leaving the swing vote to Wilson, who normally adheres to Dickinson. Wilson doesn't want to be remembered as "the man who prevented American independence" and votes "yea". The motion is passed. New York affixes it's vote of "yea". Adams leads the Congress in a salute to Dickinson as he leaves the chamber.
On the evening of July 4, 1776, McNair rings the Liberty Bell in the background as Thomson calls each of the delegates to sign his name to the Declaration of Independence. The delegates freeze in position as the Liberty Bell rings to a fevered pitch.
I would have preferred to begin this year's review with a much shorter synopsis, but this particular film (remember, based on a musical based on a book) is of a topic that can hardly be summed up. Some have suggested that it would have been better for Peter Stone (who wrote the book) to design it as a traditional play and not a musical. In any case "1776" is an enjoyable musical and helps us approach the weighty issue of the American Revolution in a new way.
My Rating: 7/10
Content to Caution:
V-1 – No comment.
L-2 – Some mild cursing between delegates.
DU-2 – Several of the delegates drink and smoke through the course of the film.
RT-1 – There is some tension when the issue of slavery is debated, but it is brief.
H/S-0 – No comment.
CH-0 – No comment and nothing of note aside from 18th century men being so.
S/N-1 – No comment.
The "Reel Revelation": "The Way Things Were"
I believe one of the reasons why historical films (even musicals) are so widely embraced is our love of history and our even greater love of reliving important historical events. How many of your favorite movies or books are about or involve important moments in history? How much of your own time do you spend pondering and dreaming about the events that have shaped the progress of our world? Or perhaps you dream and ponder on a more personal level, thinking about events that have shaped your life in an important way. In any case we see that remembrance is an important element of human life.
My Rating: 7/10
Content to Caution:
V-1 – No comment.
L-2 – Some mild cursing between delegates.
DU-2 – Several of the delegates drink and smoke through the course of the film.
RT-1 – There is some tension when the issue of slavery is debated, but it is brief.
H/S-0 – No comment.
CH-0 – No comment and nothing of note aside from 18th century men being so.
S/N-1 – No comment.
The "Reel Revelation": "The Way Things Were"
I believe one of the reasons why historical films (even musicals) are so widely embraced is our love of history and our even greater love of reliving important historical events. How many of your favorite movies or books are about or involve important moments in history? How much of your own time do you spend pondering and dreaming about the events that have shaped the progress of our world? Or perhaps you dream and ponder on a more personal level, thinking about events that have shaped your life in an important way. In any case we see that remembrance is an important element of human life.
And what do we see when we look into the past? People, places, events, consequences, change, victory, and defeat, of course, but do we see things as they truly were or as we perceive them to have been? Can we rely on"1776", for example, to be a trustworthy representation of the story of the first Continental Congress and its struggle to resolve the issue of Independence? Think about that "personal level" of remembrance again. Do you see the events of your life as they truly were, or has time (and a multitude of other elements) changed the way you view your own personal history? Has your pride turned your victories into something of legend? Has your bitterness transformed even minor defeats into moments of destruction and personal genocide? Have your enemies turned into tyrants and your lovers into idols? If you can see through the poetic phrasing I believe you'll know exactly what I mean; our consequences shape the way we see the experiences we've been through. Someone once said "History is written by those who are victorious." Who is the victor in the way you remember your past?
In the 25th Psalm, King David prayed to God with these words:
"Remember, O Lord, your compassion and Your lovingkindness,
For they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to Your lovingkindness remember me,
For Your goodness' sake, O Lord." (Ps. 25: 6-7 - NASB)
In this prayer David confesses 1) that he is a sinner and 2) that he doesn't want to be remembered as a sinful man. He is not at all concerned with how people will remember him, only how God will look upon his life. David's prayer should be our own. We are all in need of God's mercy, that the sins of our past would be forgotten and that God might see us through his unceasing love; his love made manifest in Jesus.
And yet I believe God is interested in how we look upon our own lives. Do we look at the past with mercy and honesty? Do we treat ourselves with love and grace even when we recall events and instances in which we sinned against God and our neighbors? Do we strive to see events as they were (honesty) and how God was present (faith) and active? That is how we should remember our past; before God, confessing our sin, rejoicing in our victories, and believing that God's compassion and lovingkindness are truly "from of old" (verse 6) and present in the very fabric of our personal and global history.
And yet I believe God is interested in how we look upon our own lives. Do we look at the past with mercy and honesty? Do we treat ourselves with love and grace even when we recall events and instances in which we sinned against God and our neighbors? Do we strive to see events as they were (honesty) and how God was present (faith) and active? That is how we should remember our past; before God, confessing our sin, rejoicing in our victories, and believing that God's compassion and lovingkindness are truly "from of old" (verse 6) and present in the very fabric of our personal and global history.
See you tomorrow - E.T.
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