Yesterday I watched one of my favorite musicals in the historic landmark Byrd Theater in the Richmond's Carey Town (http://byrdtheatre.com/), a movie house that hearkens back to the days of the eloquent theaters of yester-year. If you want a truly unique movie going experience I highly recommend a visit to this step back in time which is a fun and inexpensive destination that plays all sorts of movies from every era of film. But this post is not about that gorgeous theater, but about what played at 2pm on July 2nd, the musical 1776.
It has become a tradition of mine that at some point around this time of year, as we celebrate our nations birthday, to watch this wonderfully fun and surprisingly historically accurate musical. Which BTW, yesterday was the first time I ever got to see it on a big movie theater screen, instead of my TV at home, so that was kind of awesome. Long before Hamilton raped his way into millennials' hearts (which I have something to say about how the current trend of appropriating the figure of Hamilton for use in modern political views is kinda foolish, but more on that another time) came this gem. The film, adapted from the award winning Broadway play, centers around John Adams's struggle to convince the 2nd Continental Congress that the only logical goal of their current conflict with Britain was to win full independence for the colonies, and the only way to do that was to enlist the help of the scheming Dr. Franklin and the remarkable writting skills of Thomas Jefferson. Believe it or not to the majority at the time it was felt the fight being lead by Washington was merely to win some concessions from King George and Parliament, that the very idea of independence for the colonies was radical or inconceivable. But a Declaration of Independence, Adams, Franklin, and Jefferson insisted would "...to place before mankind the common sense of the subject,
in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent..." (Thomas Jefferson)
The movie is just, in one word, fun. The music, the quips, and its humanizing of the founders, epitomizes how I feel history should be taught. Although it is a musical, what makes this more legitimate historically then most period pieces set in revolutionary America, is the fact that the vast majority of the dialogue, including the lyrics to the music, are all taken from primary sources. Minutes from sessions of Congress, diaries and correspondences from all that were there, speeches and editorials of the time, all used to create accurate depictions of the founders, their thought and views, their ideals, fears, and arguments, all brought to life beyond just reading their names in a text book. And with just a touch of creative license this men so important to the creation of our home are brought to life in a fun and sometimes all to human way; as Dr. Benjamin Franklin will put it, commenting on how posterity will view them all "what do you want them to think, that we were demi-gods; we are men, nothing more, just trying to do the best we can."
The stand out star of the piece is William Daniels as John Adams; yes the same Daniels that would voice KIT from the 80's action show Knight Rider, but you may also know him as Mr. Feny from Boy Meets World (and a handful of episodes of Girl Meets World). In fact his portrayal of the famed history teacher is directly influenced on how he play passionate, straight and narrow John Adams. Another outstanding performance is by Howard Da Silva, who brought to life Dr. Franklin. What makes his portrayal so significant? The production did not shy away from showing Franklin's less extolled qualities. Sure he was a man of respected wisdom and inventiveness, and the movie does pay appropriate homage to those traits, but it also shows Franklin as the carousing individual our texted books would like to wash away. His love of wine, woman, and song; a elderly man that sometimes had the mind of college frat boy. I would also like to give a quick honorable mention to the appearance of Gwyneth Paltrow's mom Blyth Danner, of Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers, who plays the lovely Martha Jefferson.
The movie is just, in one word, fun. The music, the quips, and its humanizing of the founders, epitomizes how I feel history should be taught. Although it is a musical, what makes this more legitimate historically then most period pieces set in revolutionary America, is the fact that the vast majority of the dialogue, including the lyrics to the music, are all taken from primary sources. Minutes from sessions of Congress, diaries and correspondences from all that were there, speeches and editorials of the time, all used to create accurate depictions of the founders, their thought and views, their ideals, fears, and arguments, all brought to life beyond just reading their names in a text book. And with just a touch of creative license this men so important to the creation of our home are brought to life in a fun and sometimes all to human way; as Dr. Benjamin Franklin will put it, commenting on how posterity will view them all "what do you want them to think, that we were demi-gods; we are men, nothing more, just trying to do the best we can."
The stand out star of the piece is William Daniels as John Adams; yes the same Daniels that would voice KIT from the 80's action show Knight Rider, but you may also know him as Mr. Feny from Boy Meets World (and a handful of episodes of Girl Meets World). In fact his portrayal of the famed history teacher is directly influenced on how he play passionate, straight and narrow John Adams. Another outstanding performance is by Howard Da Silva, who brought to life Dr. Franklin. What makes his portrayal so significant? The production did not shy away from showing Franklin's less extolled qualities. Sure he was a man of respected wisdom and inventiveness, and the movie does pay appropriate homage to those traits, but it also shows Franklin as the carousing individual our texted books would like to wash away. His love of wine, woman, and song; a elderly man that sometimes had the mind of college frat boy. I would also like to give a quick honorable mention to the appearance of Gwyneth Paltrow's mom Blyth Danner, of Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers, who plays the lovely Martha Jefferson.
Also, you may have noticed I distinguish the "director's Cut" version. Besides having a little more of that aforementioned cherished and true dialogue, it has one additional song I find to be highly important, "Cool, Considerate, Men." It is the song of the opposition, the loyalist, I think it is important that their voices be heard too. As Franklin would say late in the story, while chastising Adams for his sometime overbearing self righteousness, that (paraphrasing) these men have every right to be here and make their opinions heard as Adams, that like Adams they too are accomplished men who were duly elected. And that just because you don't agree with them doesn't mean, or give you the right, to ignore them, or blow of their concerns or ideals. It's one of the myriad of great points the show makes that transcends the period and resonates even in today's political climate.
So do yourself and your family a favor, rent this adorable movie from the the classic musical era, give it 2 hours of your time and I guarantee you will learn something about the founders you probably did not know before and have fun doing it. I leave you with some examples of the thought provoking melodies the movie has to offer
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