1776: The American Revolution Musical

Happy 4th of July everybody! And American Independence Day means I revisit my favorite musical about the revolution – 1776. Yes, I love Hamilton, like every other millennial hipster, but long before Hamilton – seriously almost a decade before Lin Manuel-Miranda was born - there was 1776.  AKA, the Tony award-winning musical about the decision by the Continental Congress to become the United States.

This is one of my top three favorite movies of all times and my absolute favorite when I was six or seven. It gave me a life-long love of history, John Adams, and has shaped the person I am today. I’ve seen stage productions of it, but at the end of the day, I know the movie version better and that was my first introduction.

So this July 4 – my inner historian is compelled to comment that July 2nd is when they actually voted for independence – I thought I’d revisit why this musical is so wonderful and why everyone should watch it.

Caveat – I highly recommend watching the 1972 theatrical release, not the extended director’s cut. It’s shorter and, well, lets just say I understand why they cut what they did.

I’ve had this scene memorized since I was six

It’s really funny

There are so many little bits of word play and witty comments, many of a more ribald nature. Of course, when I was little I definitely did not pick up on any of that, but watching it as an adult, it’s extremely clever and funny.

There is also a lot of excellent choreography moments, particularly with in the song “But, Mr. Adams” where the actors pass around a quill pen as they all try to avoid being the person to write the Declaration of Independence. This is made even better when Thomas Jefferson literally towers of John Adams. 

Congress hasn’t changed much…

Just listen to this song and tell me this isn’t an apt description of the Congress for the past 6 years or so.

Historical Bits

Of course it’s not perfectly historically accurate. But there are some really fun period bits and little details that are nice touches. The animals wandering in the streets. Thomas Jefferson sitting in a swivel chair, which he invented. There is also an excellent description of the Triangle Trade, in song form, “Molasses to Rum to Slaves.”

I’m sure plenty of people have written and picked through all the minor historical accuracies, but it gets a lot of it right. And if you’re wondering why it glosses over women and the Native Americans and why the issue of slavery is discussed and set aside in the “deal with later” pile, well, that’s what happened. The issue of slavery was set aside in the early formation of the US – although I can’t speak to whether they specifically debated it in 1776 - in order to maintain unity. Never forget that the American Revolution was by and for white men, often to the exclusion of everyone else. The movie reflects that reality.

John Adams is Awesome

This movie led to my life long love of John Adams. He, the forgotten Founding Father in many ways, not Franklin and certainly not Jefferson (despite what the DVD cover would have you believe) is the protagonist, the center of the show. But while they happily gloss over Jefferson’s relationship with slavery and make him more laudable – John Adams is a short, difficult, driven man. The common phrase used to describe Adams in the movie, by others and by himself, is “obnoxious and disliked.” Yet he is still the hero of the story. In addition to his more difficult qualities, he’s also principled and extremely tenacious. I’ve always related to the character of John Adams – both the good and the bad.

Final bits I love

I mean, honestly everything from the music (which yes, I always sing along to every song while watching) to the acting, but here are some minor details that make me extra happy.

They use giant calendar pages in Congress, which are ripped off as necessary, to show the passage of time. It’s a nice in-universe way to do it.

Every time they get a dispatch from George Washington – who is being beaten by the British in New York – they play a little drumroll before saying his name.

Finally, there is a quote from the show, that I like to keep in mind when dealing with politics. “Most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor.” It’s an interesting and useful comment, and has definitely influenced how I think about a number of things.

All in all, the musical is kinda hokey and weird, but also incredibly clever and wonderful. If you haven’t, watch it. And if you have, it’s worth revisiting.