Which 1972 film musical dramatizes the debate over American independence? The film is 1776.
Directed by Peter H. Hunt, 1776 adapts the 1969 Broadway musical by Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone. Set in Philadelphia during the summer of 1776, it presents a dramatized version of the political struggle leading to the Declaration of Independence, especially John Adams's efforts to persuade the Continental Congress.
William Daniels plays Adams, Ken Howard plays Thomas Jefferson, and Howard da Silva plays Benjamin Franklin. Several performers reprised their roles from the original Broadway production, giving the movie a strong connection to the stage version.
The film is historical fiction rather than a documentary. Its dialogue and musical numbers compress events and invent scenes for dramatic effect, although portions draw on letters and memoirs of the real delegates. That distinguishes it from The Patriot, a Revolutionary War drama, and Hamilton, a later stage musical and film recording.