Once again, having read so many glowing reviews on this website, I find myself in the minority. As much as I respect and value the subject matter here, I can't appreciate this as a musical, especially since so much of the music is not only mediocre but unpleasant to my ears. The very serious subject of the birth of our nation does not deserve all of the silly distractions that occur here. At 2 hours and 20 minutes, the length could have been shortened significantly without sacrificing important events and character development. If this film were produced as a straight drama, it would have made the impact that the occasion deserves. Perhaps I would feel differently about the live Broadway show, but, for me, I was disappointed with the film adaptation. While the performances of Howard da Silva and William Daniels were excellent, they could not compensate for all of the weaknesses.
Review of 1776
