Monday Night Movie: "1776"

This program is part of our year-long celebration of 'America 250,' the Semiquincentennial of our country's founding.  

Darien Library presents: Monday Night at the Movies!

This week we are showing “1776.”

“The nation's fathers harmonize their way through the founding of America in this musical adapted from a popular Broadway show. Colonial representatives gather in Philadelphia with the aim of establishing a set of governmental rules for the burgeoning United States. Benjamin Franklin (Howard da Silva) and John Adams (William Daniels) charge Thomas Jefferson (Ken Howard) with the work of writing a statement announcing the new country's emancipation from British rule.”– Rotten Tomatoes  

Director: Peter H. Hunt

Year: 1972

Starring: Blythe Danner as Martha Jefferson, Virginia Vestoff as Abigail Adams, William Daniels as John Adams, David Ford as John Hancock, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, Ron Holgate as Richard Henry Lee, Howard da Silva as Benjamin Franklin, Donald Madden as John Dickinson, and Emory Bass as James Wilson. 

This movie is 2 hours and 21 minutes and is rated PG. 

Watch the official trailer.

The President's Series

Welcome to the President's Series —an engaging collection of special events hosted by Darien Library in collaboration with the President of the Board and members of the Library Board of Trustees.

On July 4, 2026, the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This act, which formally separated the 13 colonies from British rule, shook and reshaped the world. The “American experiment” rested on the revolutionary idea that legitimate government rests on the consent of the governed. Independence did not come easily or without grave cost. The American Revolution last seven long years, with tens of thousands of lives lost. 

Today, historians, philosophers, and people worldwide continue to study the Founding, the principles of democratic republicanism, and its evolution over the past 250 years. Darien Library joins museums, libraries, educational and cultural institutions nationwide in commemorating the semiquincentennial, known as “America 250,” through a series of public programs that celebrate American history and reflect on our nation’s continuing pursuit of a more perfect union.

We invite you to join us for this 7-part special series featuring films, history talks, folk music, and more.