An Enchanting Movie With Memorable Musical Numbers
Ever since I was a child, I've been enchanted by The Sound of Music, and after seeing this film again as an adult, I can see why I've always loved it. Now that I'm older, I consider The Sound of Music to be a guilty pleasure, but it is still one of my favorite movies. I agree with those who say the characters and situations aren't completely believable, but that is also part of the charm. I can forgive this film its flaws—many of which are the flaws of an old-fashioned musical.
For me, the single most important thing about a musical movie is the music, and The Sound of Music contains several memorable numbers, including the title song, "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "Edelweiss," "So Long, Farewell," and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain." In fact, I find it hard not to think of this movie without some of its music roiling around in my head. The songs are mostly carried over from Rogers and Hammerstein's hit 1959 Broadway musical.
Excellent Leads, Locations and Cinematography
Julie Andrews is perfectly cast as Maria, and I'm not surprised she was nominated for an Oscar. Christopher Plummer is handsome and masculine as Captain von Trapp. The child actors are all charming, although they overact as child actors of the era often did.
Location shooting in and around Salzburg, Austria, added to the picturesque charm of many of the scenes, and the beautiful cinematography helped sweep me into the story. While it's true that an overly high emphasis on production values can distract from a film's emotionality, this is not so in a musical such as this. The high level of craft in The Sound of Music added to the sense of wonder I felt when watching this movie.
A Heartwarming Story Told in an Unabashedly Sentimental Way
The film is set in Austria during the late 1930s. The central character is Maria (Julie Andrews), who is preparing to become a nun when the movie opens. However, her suitability for that vocation is questionable, and she goes to work for a widower, Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), as the governess of his seven children.
Maria comes to love the kids and the Captain, but he is already far along in his plans to marry a wealthy aristocrat. A more serious complication is the rise to power of the Nazis, who finalize their control of Austria when it becomes part of Germany in the 1938 event known as the Anschluss.
The movie is heavy-handed and unabashedly sentimental, and there's a sizable group of people who enjoy referring to it, as did critic Pauline Kael, as The Sound of Mucus. However, for me, its strengths outweigh its weaknesses.
Two Separate Audio Commentary Tracks
The 40th Anniversary Edition DVD is a two-disc set that contains many bonus materials. There are two audio commentary tracks. One is by director Robert Wise. The other is by Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian Carr (plays the daughter who performs "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" in the gazebo), choreographer Dee Dee Wood, and Johannes von Trapp (member of the real-life Von Trapp family).
Review Continued on the Next Page: The Extras on Disc Two and DVD Details
