1776 (1972)

Director:

Peter H. Hunt

Writers:

Sherman Edwards (play)
Peter Stone (play)
(more)

Release Date:

17 November 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | History | Musical

Plot:

The film version of the Broadway musical comedy of the same name. In the days leading up to July 4, 1776...

Plot Keywords:

Pennsylvania | Declaration Of Independence | Debate | Richard Henry Lee | Continental Congress

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

William Daniels	...	John Adams (MA)
Howard Da Silva	...	Dr. Benjamin Franklin (PA)
Ken Howard	...	Thomas Jefferson (VA)
Donald Madden	...	John Dickinson (PA)
John Cullum	...	Edward Rutledge (SC)
Roy Poole	...	Stephen Hopkins (RI)
David Ford	...	Congressional President John Hancock (MA)
Ron Holgate	...	Richard Henry Lee (VA)
Ray Middleton	...	Col. Thomas McKean (DE)
William Hansen	...	Caesar Rodney (DE)
Blythe Danner	...	Martha Jefferson
Virginia Vestoff	...	Abigail Adams
Emory Bass	...	Judge James Wilson (PA)
Ralston Hill	...	Congressional Secretary Charles Thomson
Howard Caine	...	Lewis Morris (NY)
Patrick Hines	...	Samuel Chase (MD)
William Duell	...	Andrew McNair, Congressional Custodian
Daniel Keyes	...	Dr. Josiah Bartlett (NH)
Leo Leyden	...	George Read (DE)
Stephen Nathan	...	Courier
Jonathan Moore	...	Dr. Lyman Hall (GA)
James Noble	...	Rev. John Witherspoon (NJ)
John Myhers	...	Robert Livingston (NY)
Rex Robbins	...	Roger Sherman (CT)
Charles Rule	...	Joseph Hewes (NC)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andy Albin	...	William Paca (MD) (uncredited)
William Bassett	...	Thomas Heyward, Jr. (SC) (uncredited)
Jack De Mave	...	John Penn (NC) (uncredited)
Gordon Devol	...	Thomas Lynch, Jr. (SC) (uncredited)
Frederic Downs	...	Samuel Huntington (CT) (uncredited)
Peter Forster	...	Oliver Wolcott (CT) (uncredited)
John Holland	...	William Whipple (NH) (uncredited)
Heber Jentzsch	...	Charles Carroll (MD) (uncredited)
Richard McMurray	...	Francis Lewis (NY) (uncredited)
Mark Montgomery	...	Leather Apron (uncredited)
Barry O'Hara	...	George Walton (GA) (uncredited)
Dick O'Shea	...	Francis Hopkinson (NJ) (uncredited)
Jordan Rhodes	...	William Hooper (NC) (uncredited)
Fred Slyter	...	Richard Stockton (NJ) (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter H. Hunt

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sherman Edwards		play
Peter Stone		play
Peter Stone		screenplay

Produced by
Jack L. Warner	....	producer

Original Music by
Sherman Edwards

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Jr.

Film Editing by
Florence Williamson
William H. Ziegler

Casting by
Michael Shurtleff

Production Design by
George Jenkins

Art Direction by
George Jenkins
John Jay Moore

Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins

Costume Design by
Patricia Zipprodt

Makeup Department
Ernest Adler	....	hair designer
Carmen Dirigo	....	hair stylist
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Emmett Emerson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sheldon Schrager	....	assistant director

Art Department
John Roche	....	construction

Sound Department
Al Overton Jr.	....	sound
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Craig Meinardus	....	first assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mickey Sherrard	....	costumer: men

Music Department
Ray Heindorf	....	music supervisor
Ray Heindorf	....	musical director
Peter Howard	....	music arranger: dance music
Eddie Sauter	....	orchestrator
Ted Sebern	....	music editor

Other crew
Mentor Huebner	....	titles
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Onna White	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Pioneer Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (LaserDisc)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for language (longer video version)

Runtime:

142 min | 168 min (director's cut) | 180 min (Laserdisc version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:G | USA:PG (longer video version) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

President Richard Nixon was given a private screening of the movie before its release by his friend, producer Jack L. Warner. The song Cool, Considerate Men offended Nixon (he thought that audiences would take it as a criticism of his presidency, even though the film was set two centuries earlier), so Warner removed it at Nixon's request. The song was restored on the deluxe wide screen presentation laserdisc and later was included on the restored director's cut DVD.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The beginning of the film takes place in early June, 1776 in Philadelphia. There are several references to the heat, and several delegates are clearly sweating. After a squabble breaks out during the debate, John Hancock orders McNair to remove a dog from the room because it smells bad. As McNair complies, Hancock shouts, "Christ! It's hot!" and Thomas Jefferson sits on a sill by an open window to read a book. In the next scene, the dog is out on the sidewalk. It barks twice, and you can see its breath.

Quotes:

Thomson:If any be opposed to the resolution on independence as proposed by the Colony of Virginia signify by saying...
John Adams:Mr. President?
Thomson:Oh, for heaven's sake, let me get through it once.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tru Calling: Brother's Keeper (#1.3)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Cool, Cool, Considerate Men

A great musical...if you understand it

Musicals are often looked at as foreign movies. Since most younger generations are not familiar with the musical genres of the 1930's and the 1970's, they don't understand the art form and style of communication / entertainment that the musical is. To screen this movie to a group of 7th graders, it will be a challenge to get them to enjoy let alone get "it". The entire cast is perfect. Each actor is their character. Although actors William Daniels and Howard Da Silva are known for other roles, here they are Adams and Franklin. 30 years since its premiere in cinemas, many of the actors are long gone. Many have been dead for a good ten years. Still, their performances live on for modern audiences to enjoy. More then that, it remains one of the better musicals made in a movie. Especially for a post 2001 audience, there are moments interesting to watch. The issues of protection, fear and terrorism are made clear, even for 1776. This remains a great film even though its audience is small.