American Tunes
The American Tunes series features films that investigate the meaning of America through song, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The series is co-presented by the Yale Film Archive and the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library in conjunction with the Beineke exhibition Unfurling the Flag: Reflections on American Patriotism, on view March 16 through September 27, 2026. All American Tunes screenings are free and open to the public.
Location:
Humanities Quadrangle, Lower Level
320 York Street
New Haven, CT
1776 (Peter H. Hunt, 1972, DCP, 141 mins)
2 p.m. Sunday, March 29, 2026
Before there was Hamilton, there was 1776, set in Philadelphia in the days leading up to the Declaration of Independence. Featuring more than a dozen members of the original Broadway cast, this musical revives the personal rivalries and political compromises of the Founders, using some of their own words in the lyrics. “A wonderful, witty, underrated musical” (Bob Bloom) and “a star-spangled, all-singing delight” (Carol Cling).
YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (Michael Curtiz, 1942, 35mm, 126 mins)
2 p.m. Sunday, April 12, 2026
Song-and-dance man George M. Cohan (played by a tap-dancing James Cagney) recounts his life from vaudeville to Broadway, culminating in FDR presenting him with the Congressional Gold Medal. This exuberant musical biopic blends patriotic pageantry, Warner Bros. dynamism, and mid-century optimism. Cagney won his only Academy Award for his electric, kinetic performance in Curtiz’s celebration of American resilience. 35mm print from the Harvard Film Archive.
NASHVILLE (Robert Altman, 1975, 35mm, 160 mins)
7 p.m. Friday, April 24, 2026
Music, politics, and American malaise converge in Altman's masterpiece, depicting the hoopla swirling around a populist outsider running for president. The prophetic result is “the funniest epic vision of America ever to reach the screen” (Pauline Kael). A sprawling ensemble includes Ronee Blakely, Henry Gibson, Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine, Geraldine Chaplin, Ned Beatty, and Karen Black. Introduction by Michael Kerbel. 35mm print from the Yale Film Archive, thanks to Paramount Pictures Corporation.
BOUND FOR GLORY (Hal Ashby, 1976, 35mm, 147 mins)
7 p.m. Friday, May 1, 2026
Ashby’s period-perfect portrait of folk singer Woody Guthrie (David Carradine) charts his Depression-era journey from vagabond to voice of labor. This was the first major film to use the Steadicam, and the Oscar-winning cinematography from Haskell Wexler gives the Dust Bowl a golden glow. “A hauntingly beautiful socio-political film” (Ruth Batchelor). 35mm print from Park Circus.
See the full Yale Film Archive screening schedule here.