Director Peter H. Hunt Talks Drama Behind Original Cuts to '1776' Film

The restored director's cut edition of the musical 1776 was just released on Blu-ray, and Tony-winning director Peter H. Hunt revealed to the Los Angeles Times the drama behind the original 1972 release of the film -- and just how much producer Jack L. Warner left out.

Back then, Hunt thought he left a "locked" picture when he finished postproduction and headed to Europe. Little did he know, head of Warner Bros. Jack L. Warner reedited the movie and took the completed project to President Richard Nixon, who wanted to make sure 1776 would bolster his political aims.

"When Warner brought him the print, he said it's wonderful and it will fit in with the reelection," Hunt said. But Nixon went on to ask Warner to cut "Cool, Cool, Considerate Men" -- a song from the perspective of the Continental Congress conservatives on why they wanted to stay under British rule.

Hunt told the Times the tune "was the centerpiece of all the trailers that were already in the theater. When I got home, I discovered that this had happened, to my horror. I rushed into Jack's office and said, 'What have you done?' The rest is history. He did go on to say, 'I've shredded the negative so history cannot second-guess me.'"

Fortunately for Hunt (and us!), Warner didn't manage to destroy all the negatives, resulting in this re-release of the film. "Luckily over the years, [1776] has continued to grow and grow and grow and has become a wonderful little minor classic," Hunt said.

Based on the international stage triumph that won the Tony Award and The New York Drama Critics Circle Award as "Best Musical of the Year," the musical classic is presented with a Director's Cut meticulously restored in 4K from the original camera negative, under the guidance of Hunt and Sony Pictures Entertainment Executive Vice President of Asset Management, Film Restoration and Digital Mastering Grover Crisp.

The restored Director's Cut is based, in part, on an earlier restoration carried out for a 2002 DVD release. That version, also prepared with Hunt's oversight, added a number of scenes and lost elements that were missing from the original theatrical release. Among them was a musical number that had been dropped from the film by Warner at the request of President Nixon (who felt the scene cast conservatives in an unfavorable light). Further detective work for the new version uncovered additional "lost" material, including dialogue that had been changed over ratings concerns.

1776 is a musical celebration of the founding of the United States of America based on the award-winning Broadway production. The story centers around the familiar historical characters as they organize a movement for independence from Mother England: the tough unyielding John Adams (William Daniels); the charming and pragmatic Benjamin Franklin (Howard Da Silva); the brilliant young Thomas Jefferson(Ken Howard), who is chosen to write the Declaration of Independence even as he longs for the company of his new bride Martha (Blythe Danner); and the rest of the Continental Congress. All events lead up to that most significant date July 4, 1776 when the Declaration was signed.

The film was nominated for both an Academy Award (Best Cinematography, Harry Stradling Jr., 1972) and a Golden Globe (Best Motion Picture-Musical/Comedy, 1972). Brought to the screen by legendary producer Jack L. Warner, 1776 was shot with most of the original Broadway cast, and features William Daniels as John Adams, Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson and Blythe Danner as Martha Jefferson.