1776

If one looks at movies as a magical multi-hour escape from reality, then the musical ranks near the top of the list. I mean, what could be more escapist and fantastic as ordinary people bursting into song and dance as they interact. The musical has been a big part of film history, with Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and even street gangs singing and dancing their way through the rain, on ceilings, and in almost any other imaginable scenario. It seems nothing was too ludicrous to put to music. But even knowing how full-blown and over-the-top musicals were, I still find the concept of a musical starring the founding fathers a bit silly. If I didn’t like the movie so much, I’d probably laugh at it.

The movie I refer to is 1776, and it is indeed a musical about the Second Continental Congress, which for those of you who failed history, convened in 1775-1776 and formally created America. The movie was adapted from the play of the same name, and indeed features many of the same actors who starred in the Broadway production. For those of you who are thinking a movie with a singing and dancing Ben Franklin sounds like a terrible idea, let me dispel that notion right away – as silly as it may sound, 1776 is a first-rate musical, and one of my favorite movies of all time. I watch it yearly (right around July 4th, of course), and always find it fresh and fun. I have recommended it to many people – and not one person has come away disappointed.

1776 tells a story most Americans don’t really know – how the Declaration of Independence came about.  Oh sure, we all know the founding fathers got together in Philadelphia and declared independence, but most people don’t know much more than that. There are many familiar names in this movie – Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, etc etc, but how many people know Dickenson? Or Hopkins? Or how important they were? 1776 shows us the whole story, in an over-the-top manner that is both