I absolutely love the film. My wife hates it. First, I showed it to her from the beginning, but she didn't like it and went to bed. Then I showed her some of my favorite scenes another night, and she couldn't stand it and asked me to turn it off. I couldn't believe it. I think people either love it or hate it. I think the reviewers were like that, too.
Does anyone else have a similar experience?
I can't say I ever had that experience. I love the film for what it is, and I haven't heard anybody say anything negative about it.
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I love this firm and watch it several times a year.
by physical force, if necessary...
Old post, but I had to answer---
Yes, I adore this film, having first discovered it during the Bi-Centennial... (that's a whole different story) but over the years, I have only known a few people that know of the film -- two internet buddies on the same writing group I am on, (who love it) and my cousin, who not only loves the score, but has played in the orchestra for it at least twice, and my late mother, who discovered it the same time I did.
We all love it, but oddly, I have tried to get two other good friends of mine to watch it, and both found it most definitely not to their liking... one said the history was ok, but wasn't into the music at all, (and the only character she liked was Franklin) the other just thought it was boring and walked out of the room at the end of "Sit Down, John."
Both of them are a bit younger than I, and remember William Daniels as Mr. Feeney, more than for his movie roles, so maybe that has something to do with it.
I still think they are missing out... at this point, I own a copy of the libretto, a copy of the sheet music, the LP (framed) and three different versions of the soundtrack... Broadway, Movie and the London production, the last thanks to DryToast.
I watch this several times a year as well. I've loved this film it came out, and the play before it. I still remember reading it as a Junior in High School, for US History. The following year, I saw the play for my Birthday. It was pure MAGIC! Just hearing History "spoken", opened it up in an entirely new way. It was no longer printed words on a page, and would never be again.
I still have my copy of the Broadway PLAYBILL, along with a "vellum" copy of the Declaration of Independence.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
"I do hope he won't upset Henry.."
I love this movie! my friends husband can't stand it...but he hates all musicals anyway!
shareI have a paperback version of the libretto that also has a brief history of the writing of the musical. . . great "behind the scenes" stuff.
Is that the libretto you have?
Mine is a hardback --
Viking Press - A book Club edition -- with a copy of the Declaration of Independence with the deletions and changes in italics, Historical Notes by the Authors, a Bibliography (of course) and some stills from the Broadway show.
How sad, that you were not born in my time, nor I, in yours.
I remember taking my husband and his sister and her husband to see the play when 1776 was on Broadway. I am ashamed to say they fell asleep so I never took them to any play after that! They were not history buffs nor were their American roots as deep as mine. (I am descended from John Adams and, on my father's side, am a Mayflower descendant.) This is one of my all time favorite movies and I watch it every chance I get. I especially like the fact that John and Abigail Adams promised each other saltpeter and pins! Once she saw the play, my grandmother had a huge crush on Ken Howard and to the end of her life Jefferson was her favorite president.
shareHope you divorced her sorry ass. It's evident that you deserve better.
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