FredCDobbs Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 This is a great film. Does anyone here know how historically accurate this film is or isn't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr6666 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1776_%28film%29#Historical_accuracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredCDobbs Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Very interesting. Thanks for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzcutter Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Filmlover might be able to help you, FredC. He's a big fan of the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaW. Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Every time I see this film, I want to believe it went down exactly like this. Singing, dancing, sex in the afternoon, all of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxreyman Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 You may want to check out the following. http://johnadams1776.tripod.com/1776accuracy.html http://mediapede.org/filmhistory/guides/1776.pdf http://www.uta.edu/faculty/gtucker/US/Historical%20References%20in%201776.html http://theshoutheardroundtheworld.wordpress.com/2012/07/17/the-musical-1776-and-historys-most-obnoxious-revolution/ And if you have a copy of the mini series John Adams from HBO, it does a pretty good job of what happened as well. One of the very best series of all time IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 The songs are mostly mediocre: "Mama Look Sharp" is cringeworthy, while "Does Anybody Care" and "He Plays the Violin" are almost as embarrassing. "Dear Mr Adams" has the best lyrics of the score, with some amusing if elementary rhymes (and one embarrassing moment of choreography). The intended showstopper "Molasses To Rum To Slaves" isn't too bad either. The extended version includes the number "Cool, Considerate Men" which had been cut from the 1972 release (allegedly b/c Nixon wanted it (?)... Did he really think a movie song might cost him votes? He must've thought the movie would be a big hit rather than the box office flop it was). Like "Molasses". "Cool" is better musically than lyrically, but it is interestingly choreographed and the closest thing in the film to actual CINEMATIC film-making (most of the direction is awful, though I'll admit there is a perverse pleasure in counting examples of inept direction: "Look! There's William Daniels sitting stiffly on the table, just as he must have done on Broadway in order to break up the staging! Look, there's the messenger delivering the messages with the exact expression on his face each time!"). The saving graces of 1776 remains screenwriter Peter Stone's witty repartee and the superb cinematography of Harry Stradling Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMeingast Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Historian and film reviewer Alex von Tunzelmann rates the film a "C" for history and a "D" for entertainment: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/12/1776-congress-musical-jefferson-reel-history (She gives thanks to Dr. Nicholas Cole at the end of her article. Dr. Cole is a University of Oxford historian: http://www.spc.ox.ac.uk/Staff/69/Staff.html?StaffId=188 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavenderblue19 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 The play was not a Broadway flop. It was nominated for 5 Tony Awards and WON 3. One for Best Musical. Clive Barnes of the NY Times gave it a glowing review, so did the NY Post and the NY Daily News. Clive Barnes in his review for the NY Times wrote he recommended seeing the play without reservation. My childhood best friends brother produced 1776 on Broadway. It was a hit and ran on Broadway for 3 years and had revivals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Yes, you are right lav. I remember it beating out another musical (was it Promises, Promises?) that was considered a shoo-in until 1776 opened. The film, though was not a success. I've never seent the film version. Just didnt appeal to me...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I like the story, accurate or not, but have to agree the music is a distraction. It was the earliest work I've seen JOHN CULLUM in, spectacular as Edward Rutledge. Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 > It was the earliest work I've seen JOHN CULLUM in, spectacular as Edward Rutledge Cullum plays a significant supporting role in All The Way Home (1963) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Why is All the Way Home never shown on TCM? It may have been but very rare if so...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredCDobbs Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 >Every time I see this film, I want to believe it went down exactly like this. Singing, dancing, sex in the afternoon, all of it! I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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