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Monday, May 12, 2008

1776 (1972)

While the proven stage-worthiness of this musical about the Continental Congress haggling over the Declaration of Independence remains a mystery, the dead-as-a-doornail pic Jack Warner produced in his post-mogul dotage (at Columbia) is no surprise. Alternating yuks on the foibles of the Founding Fathers w/ patriotic screed & even a dash of anti-War pandering for those Vietnam-era times is bad enough, but Peter Hunt ’s staging is hopelessly stagebound while the actors’ line readings and reactions feel set in cement. A dab of impressive exteriors of Philadelphia (circa 1776) helps a bit and the whole concept is so damned odd you’ll probably hang on till the end. (Hint: they all sign the thing in the end.)

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