1776 Late Showing

Posted: 7/5/13 at 1:39am

Is anyone else upset that TCM is showing it at 1:30 in the morning? I never bought it counting on it playing every Independance Day, since that is the only time I'd ever watch it.

Technically it isn't even July 4th anymore.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 3:37am

It's one of my 5 or 6 favorite films of all time and it's funny, growing up in New York, WOR (Channel 9) always used to play it every July 4th around 1 p.m.. This is the 70's and early 80's and I always used to look forward to my annual viewing like clockwork. I don't live in NYC anymore and couldn't tell you when it's shown on TV. It's not out on Blu-ray but the director's cut DVD is $10.29 on Amazon. Go ahead...live a little!

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 8:21am

Yeah i was surprised that it was not on July 4th either. It's also on some other random channel here on Saturday as well as TCM. Weird.

I did DVR it. I seem to do that every year and then keep it for a month of so...and then delete it to do the same thing next year.

I don't know if it's a great movie but it's a great representation of the stage play....and amazing that they used so many from the original cast.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 9:20am

Ever since I saw 1776 at Radio City Music Hall, I've felt that William Daniels should have been nominated for an Oscar. He was robbed. Same as he was robbed of a Leading Actor Tony nom a few years before. I saw him in the original production four times and he was consistently outstanding.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 9:54am

I remember there was the acclaimed John Adams miniseries of PBS a number of years ago with the excellent actor Paul Giamatti. While I am sure it was excellent, I couldn't even watch it because William Daniels will always be John Adams to me.

If I am not mistaken, Daniels was nominated for a best supporting actor Tony but turned it down. In those days, if your name was not above the title of the show, you could not be nominated for best actor and he was clearly in a lead role, not supporting. The Tony committee has since amended it's rule and if it was today, he would have had a best actor nomination...and might have won (though I don't remember who the competition was that year).

[SamIAm2]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 10:19am

1776 was my very first Broadway show. William Daniels' performance was nothing less than electrifying. His performance of "Is Anybody There" may very well be the most riveting I have ever experienced. When he was onstage (almost the entire show) I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 10:23am

I love the movie. I forgot how incredibly amazing John Cullum was as Rutledge. Chills watching Molasses to Rum.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 10:50am

I'm not upset it's airing at 1:30 in the morning. I own it. I can watch it whenever I feel like it. I don't have to depend on TCM.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 11:49am

Confession time! I've never seen the film OR a production. I DVRed it, and look forward to snuggling up and watching it tonight. Worked a graveyard shift until 4am last night, so my Friday will be spent catching up on my DVR! :)

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 12:03pm

"I remember there was the acclaimed John Adams miniseries of PBS a number of years ago with the excellent actor Paul Giamatti. While I am sure it was excellent, I couldn't even watch it because William Daniels will always be John Adams to me. "

Giamatti actually won the Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a miniseries, but you're right, I feel the same way. William Daniels will always be John Adams and Howard Da Silva will always be Benjamin Franklin.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 12:20pm

I do enjoy the movie but I am not sure if it's for it's own sake... or because it reminds me of the Broadway show.

I have seen a lot of shows over the years but when I think of the huge bells chiming loudly as the "congress" signs the Declaration of Independence -and then the screen with an actual representation of the Declaration is superimposed over the actors = it still gives me chills and I still get a little chocked up remembering it.

Regardless, you don't get too many movies that use so many of an original Broadway cast - disregarding that most were not household names. I have to give someone a lot of credit for the guts to do that. That's worth the watch in itself.

Updated On: 7/5/13 at 12:20 PM

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 12:22pm

When I checked the TCM listings earlier this week I had voiced my disappointment in their lineup. Howards of Virgina was on at 6:15 and 1776 was on at 1:30am this morning. As much as I love Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Anchors Aweigh and Music Man I think they could have been skipped or aired later. Same with Ah, Wilderness. I feel they should have aired the "July 4th" movies at the main times (Yankee Doodle Dandy or 1776 should have been at 8pm) and used the other films as "filler". One year they aired Rocky and I thought that was great since the big fight takes place on July 4 (1976).

That being said I was up until 6am the night before watching TCM - Three Daring Daughters, Twiced Blessed, and the Courtship of Eddie's father.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 12:56pm

Will I be able to appreciate the show from seeing the film if I've never seen a production? Are they similar?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 1:05pm

Yes, of course. It's very true to the stage version.

It's lovely.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/5/13 at 2:22pm

Great! Thanks!

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 3:16am

I like to follow the movie along with my copy of the play. The screenplay has maybe 4 minutes, cumulative, of dialogue that's not the play.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 7:32am

^ And if you watch the pioneer laser disc version of 1776, it's even less.

It's more like 4 lines that are missing, total.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 10:42am

The late showing this year did seem silly to me. To have a great Fourth of July movie like that and shove it back to the small hours of the morning . . . just doesn't make much sense.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 12:47pm

....especially since it was then July 5th already.