1776 (1972)
Director:
Peter H. HuntWriters:
Sherman Edwards (play), Peter Stone (play)Stars:
William Daniels, Howard Da Silva, Ken Howard
The first independent production of former studio mogul Jack Warner, 1776was adapted from the hit 1969 Broadway musical by Peter Stone andSherman Edwards. William Daniels, Ken Howard, and Howard Da Silva are among the many actors who recreate their Broadway roles. The story is set during the first Continental Congress, when the Declaration of Independence was drafted by such founding fathers as John Adams (Daniels) and Benjamin Franklin (DA SILVA). The script attempts to "humanize" these remote historical figures by contemporizing them -- particularly the character of Ben Franklin.Blythe Danner's character of Martha Jefferson is expanded for the film version to allow for an elaborate outdoor production number. After 1776, Warner made only one more film, the 1972 "grunge Western" Dirty Little Billy.
