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Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
We've no choice, John. The slavery clause has got to go. John Adams:
[stunned]
Franklin, what are you saying? Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
It's a luxury we can't afford. John Adams:
[pause, then]
'Luxury?' A half million souls in chains... and Dr. Franklin calls it a 'luxury!' Maybe you should have walked out with the South! Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
[dangerous]
You forget yourself sir. I founded the FIRST anti-slavery society on this continent. John Adams:
Oh, don't wave your credentials at me! Maybe it's time you had them renewed! Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
[angrily]
The issue here is independence! Maybe you have forgotten that fact, but I have not! How DARE you jeopardize our cause, when we've come so far? These men, no matter how much we may disagree with them, are not ribbon clerks to be ordered about - they are proud, accomplished men, the cream of their colonies. And whether you like them or not, they and the people they represent will be part of this new nation that YOU hope to create. Now, either learn how to live with them, or pack up and go home! [pause, then] Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
In any case, stop acting like a Boston fishwife
We've no choice, John. The slavery clause has got to go. John Adams:
[stunned]
Franklin, what are you saying? Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
It's a luxury we can't afford. John Adams:
[pause, then]
'Luxury?' A half million souls in chains... and Dr. Franklin calls it a 'luxury!' Maybe you should have walked out with the South! Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
[dangerous]
You forget yourself sir. I founded the FIRST anti-slavery society on this continent. John Adams:
Oh, don't wave your credentials at me! Maybe it's time you had them renewed! Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
[angrily]
The issue here is independence! Maybe you have forgotten that fact, but I have not! How DARE you jeopardize our cause, when we've come so far? These men, no matter how much we may disagree with them, are not ribbon clerks to be ordered about - they are proud, accomplished men, the cream of their colonies. And whether you like them or not, they and the people they represent will be part of this new nation that YOU hope to create. Now, either learn how to live with them, or pack up and go home! [pause, then] Dr. Benjamin Franklin:
In any case, stop acting like a Boston fishwife
Full Transcript
00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:06.068
WE HAVE NO CHOICE, JOHN.
00:00:06.136 --> 00:00:08.007
THE SLAVERY CLAUSE
HAS GOT TO GO.
00:00:10.675 --> 00:00:12.608
FRANKLIN, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
00:00:12.677 --> 00:00:14.944
IT'S A LUXURY WE CAN'T AFFORD.
00:00:16.002 --> 00:00:18.998
A LUXURY?
00:00:19.784 --> 00:00:23.652
A HALF MILLION SOULS IN CHAINS,
00:00:23.721 --> 00:00:27.059
AND DR. FRANKLIN
CALLS IT A LUXURY.
00:00:27.658 --> 00:00:29.636
MAYBE YOU SHOULD'VE
WALKED OUT WITH THE SOUTH.
00:00:29.066 --> 00:00:32.026
YOU FORGET YOURSELF, SIR.
00:00:32.329 --> 00:00:35.363
I FOUNDED THE FIRST ANTISLAVERY
SOCIETY ON THIS CONTINENT.
00:00:35.432 --> 00:00:39.134
DON'T WAVE YOUR CREDENTIALS AT ME.
PERHAPS IT'S TIME YOU HAD THEM RENEWED.
00:00:39.203 --> 00:00:42.838
THE ISSUE HERE IS INDEPENDENCE.
00:00:42.907 --> 00:00:46.141
PERHAPS YOU'VE FORGOTTEN
THAT FACT, BUT I HAVE NOT.
00:00:46.021 --> 00:00:51.647
HOW DARE YOU JEOPARDIZE OUR
CAUSE WHEN WE'VE COME SO FAR!
00:00:53.997 --> 00:00:55.618
THESE MEN,
00:00:55.686 --> 00:00:57.953
NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE
MAY DISAGREE WITH THEM,
00:00:58.998 --> 00:01:01.289
ARE NOT RIBBON CLERKS
TO BE ORDERED ABOUT.
00:01:01.358 --> 00:01:04.066
THEY'RE PROUD, ACCOMPLISHED
MEN. THE CREAM OF THEIR COLONIES.
00:01:04.729 --> 00:01:07.073
AND WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT,
THEY AND THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT...
00:01:07.798 --> 00:01:11.007
WILL BE PART OF THIS NEW
NATION YOU'D HOPE TO CREATE.
00:01:11.001 --> 00:01:15.049
NOW EITHER LEARN HOW TO LIVE
WITH THEM OR PACK UP AND GO HOME.
00:01:20.377 --> 00:01:23.378
IN ANY CASE, STOP ACTING
LIKE A BOSTON FISHWIFE.
00:01:37.999 --> 00:01:40.696
GOOD GOD. WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ME?
00:01:40.764 --> 00:01:44.133
JOHN ADAMS. THE
GREAT JOHN ADAMS.
00:01:44.202 --> 00:01:46.001
WHAT HAVE I COME TO?
00:01:46.999 --> 00:01:50.206
LAW PRACTICE DOWN THE PIPE.
FARM MORTGAGED TO THE HILT.
00:01:50.274 --> 00:01:53.999
AT A STAGE IN LIFE WHEN
OTHER MEN PROSPER,
00:01:53.001 --> 00:01:55.845
I'M REDUCED TO
LIVING IN PHILADELPHIA.
00:01:58.249 --> 00:02:00.182
PHILADELPHIA.
00:02:09.989 --> 00:02:11.626
ABIGAIL, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
00:02:11.999 --> 00:02:14.999
DO, JOHN?
00:02:14.001 --> 00:02:16.001
I NEED YOUR HELP.
00:02:16.667 --> 00:02:19.001
YOU DON'T USUALLY ASK MY ADVICE.
00:02:19.303 --> 00:02:22.999
YES, WELL, THERE DOESN'T APPEAR
TO BE ANYONE ELSE RIGHT NOW.
00:02:22.084 --> 00:02:25.999
VERY WELL, JOHN. WHAT IS IT?
00:02:25.709 --> 00:02:29.845
THE ENTIRE SOUTH HAS JUST
WALKED OUT OF THIS CONGRESS,
00:02:29.999 --> 00:02:33.749
GEORGE WASHINGTON IS ON THE
VERGE OF TOTAL ANNIHILATION,
00:02:33.001 --> 00:02:36.864
AND THE PRECIOUS CAUSE FOR WHICH I
HAVE LABORED THESE SEVERAL YEARS...
00:02:36.001 --> 00:02:38.999
HAS COME TO NOTHING.
00:02:40.001 --> 00:02:44.997
AND IT SEEMS THAT I'M
OBNOXIOUS AND DISLIKED.
00:02:44.999 --> 00:02:46.001
NONSENSE, JOHN.
00:02:46.053 --> 00:02:48.999
THAT I AM UNWILLING
TO FACE REALITY.
00:02:49.003 --> 00:02:51.999
FOOLISHNESS, JOHN.
00:02:51.001 --> 00:02:53.435
THAT I'M PIGHEADED.
00:02:53.999 --> 00:02:55.482
AH, WELL, THERE
YOU HAVE ME, JOHN.
00:02:55.506 --> 00:02:57.001
I'M AFRAID YOU ARE PIG-HEADED.
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Movie Summary
A musical retelling of the American Revolution's political struggle in the Continental Congress to declare independence.
Actors
Dr. Benjamin Franklin
John Adams
