The Sound of Music (1965)

The Sound of Music is based on the Rogers and Hammerstein musical.  It's about a nun in Austria who doesn't quite fit in at the convent, so she is sent (willingly) to a naval officers home to become the governess for his six children.  There are also nazis.  And, of course, there is music.

If you were to ask my parents some of their favorite memories of me as a youngster, they would of course talk about the time when I was no more than three, standing on the coffee table, singing (at the top of my very well developed lungs), "CWIMB EVERWE MOUNTAIN!!!!!!!"  Needless to say, this is one of my very favorite movies.  I just love it!  Christopher Plummer portrays the hard, militant Captain Von Trapp who falls deeply in love with the musically gifted, home-wrecking nun.  Because, she was a home-wrecker!  That changes the nun's pristine image, doesn't it??   He was engaged to the lovely Baroness and he starts batting his lovely lashes Maria's way and they both leave him.  However, the nun comes back and they are so happy that they sing and make-out.  Their marriage scene still seems REALLY long to me.  But after that, the nazis become more central to the plot, which isn't boring.  They also manage turning Liesl's Aryan beau, Rolf into a huge chode and a nazi.  It is a fantastic film and anytime Christopher Plummer sings "Edelweiss," I get oddly emotional.    

The bar was set high with My Fair Lady, and The Sound of Music knocks it out of the park. It’s almost impossible to hate this movie unless you can’t stand musicals or three-hour films in general. And let’s get this out of the way: Julie Andrews is not only a fabulous singer and actor but a truly gorgeous lady. If this and Mary Poppins were the only films she was ever in, her legacy would still be as strong as it is today. The songs from The Sound of Music are all incredibly memorable and well-performed (you know, when I could hear them above Katie’s singing) especially “Do-Re-Mi”, also known as “God’s gift to music teachers.” Seriously, it not only helps to teach solfege but it also illustrates the importance of scales and tips on how to compose based on them. Thank you so much Rodgers and Hammerstein! While this film does fall victim to the “Third Act Slump” (see our The Broadway Melody post http://timandkatiesworkingtitle.blogspot.com/2012/08/broadway-melody-1929.html for clarification), The Sound of Music is an undeniable classic. On one last side note, the Blu-Ray transfer for this film is just magnificent. So if you can that’s the way to see it. 

The house that was used as the Von Trapp home was actually owned by actress Hedy Lamarr. 

Liesl: I'm Liesl. I'm sixteen years old and I don't need a governess.