Classic Films

2:30 PM -- 1776 (1972)
The founding fathers struggle to draft the Declaration of Independence.
Dir: Peter H. Hunt
Cast: William Daniels, Howard Da Silva, Ken Howard
C-165 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Cinematography -- Harry Stradling Jr.

Two later dramatic interpretations of the American Revolutionary era also pay homage to this musical's song "Sit Down, John." In the 2008 HBO miniseries John Adams (2008), Adams (played by Paul Giamatti) is pacing anxiously during his daughter's breast cancer surgery for when his wife, Abigail (Laura Linney), admonishes him, "For God's sake, John, sit down"--a direct quote of one line of the song. And in his 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning "Hamilton: An American Musical," Lin-Manuel Miranda also paraphrases this line in his song "The Adams Administration" by having Alexander Hamilton sing, "Sit down, John, you fat motherfucker!"

And for a great interview of William Daniels and Lin-Manuel Miranda, check this out from 2016: https://www.playbill.com/article/lin-manuel-miranda-and-william-daniels-talk-hamilton-1776-mr-feeny-and-more