1776 on now!

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/4/10 at 2:37pm

On TCM -- one of my top five movies ever and a July 4th must!

[mshetina]

Posted: 7/4/10 at 3:58pm

My only July 4 ritual. Hardly great cinema, but a joy to watch.

[violet72]

Posted: 7/4/10 at 8:55pm

love it and last night I watched the John Adams miniseries marathon on HBO...my 4th of July is complete

[Andante]

Posted: 7/4/10 at 9:20pm

One of my 4th of July rituals; love this movie-musical!

[wonkit]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 3:03am

William Daniels = perfection.

[winston89]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 11:02am

As of right now I am working at a summer camp for kids with special needs. But, I had yesterday afternoon off and I went to one of the lounges with a TV and watched 1776 from start to finish with no interruptions from any co-workers. It was great that even though I wasn't at home for the 4th I was able to still watch one of my two July 4th traditions. The other one being Pops Goes The Fourth.

I do have a question. I used to have 1776 on VHS ages ago and I don't ever remember seeing Cool Cool Considerate Men in the movie. Yet, it was part of the movie when I saw it yesterday afternoon on TCM. Was it a scene that was taken out then put back in?

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 11:34am

"Cool Considerate Men" was initially cut during previews after a lot of controversy. Jack Warner and Columbia Pictures were "persuaded" by White House reps for Nixon (no, I'm not kidding) that the number was "anti-conservative" therefore "anti-Republican."

You have to remember that 1972, when the film came out, and 1969, when the smash-hit stage show debuted, were very troubling times. In addition to the Vietnam War, there were riots in the streets, curfews across the country, etc. Some to do with war, some with race, and many other issues. A very volatile time in our country's history.

I know that Jack Warner went along with the decision to cut the number. Apparently, Nixon, Agnew, and company were not only upset by the content, but by Onna White's choreography, where she has the conservatives from congress goose-stepping (ala Nazi soldiers) down the street toward the end of the number.

I don't doubt that Onna chose that step very carefully, and it was meant to upset people. It worked, but unfortunately, the number was cut for the film's release.

By the way, they also wanted "Mama, Look Sharp" cut, but Jack Warner refused, telling Columbia that he would pull the film from release if they went along with that decision. He was also mad at the studio for allowing an advance screening for White House staff. Perhaps his compromise was to cut Cool, Considerate Men instead. I still feel that Mama, Look Sharp remains one of the most powerful antiwar songs ever written.

In the 1990s, Pioneer Laser Discs released a "complete" version of the film (which still remains the ONLY complete release of the movie). It added Cool, Considerate Men, plus the intro to He Plays the Violin, the second verse of Piddle Twiddle, and many dialogue scenes or lines that had been snipped out to tighten the pacing. They also found a longer title sequence, featuring the complete overture with illustrated drawings on screen (very reminiscent of Oliver!). A few of the missing shots actually came from B&W workprints, and the quality of the mastering varied quite a bit. Some of it was great, some scratchy with faded colors. Still, it included every bit of dialogue from the stage show with no cuts in either songs or spoken word. Very impressive!

When Sony (Columbia Tri-Star) released the DVD in 2002, they worked hard to find the original negatives for all the missing footage, and they succeeded with only one or two minor exceptions. Then they called in the director, Peter Hunt, and asked him if he would create a "director's cut" of the film.

Sadly, for us purists and "completists," he did not include everything. He removed some of the dialogue bits, and he cut the second verse of Piddle Twiddle again. But he kept the intro to He Plays the Violin, the longer title sequence with the overture, as well as Cool, Considerate Men. So what we have now on DVD is "nearly" complete, but not entirely. Still, this is the version that is shown on TV now, and the version that you can buy on DVD.

The Pioneer Laser Disc, with everything, is out of print now, and highly sought-after for fans of the movie and the show. It's not cheap, either, if you can find it on eBay or elsewhere. People know how much it's worth.

Updated On: 7/5/10 at 11:34 AM

[winston89]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 11:46am

Thanks Besty,

I will admit that I had work to do while I was watching it and considering that I had seen the movie dozens of times before, I had it on in the background. However, I did a bit of a double take when Cool Cool Considerate Men started because I never saw that before and gave that scene my full attention. I also think that the closing of that scene does a better transition into the dialogue leading into Mama Look Sharp.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 12:02pm

Not only did the White House want "Cool, Considerate Men" cut- they wanted Jack Warner to have the original negative of it destroyed. The film's editor disobeyed and secretly kept it.

[[tos]fan999]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 3:06pm

I first saw this movie when I was a freshman in high school and we watched it in my American History class. While most of the class hated it, I was completely enthralled. Still get chills during the finale.

[history775]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 4:02pm

unless I'm missing it, anyone know why none if the music is on itunes?

[mshetina]

Posted: 7/5/10 at 4:16pm

To my knowledge, the soundtrack never was updated from the original LP release.