Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
Director: Robert Wise
As Maggie would say, Julie Andrews is a national treasure. I would have to agree with that sentiment. I had never seen this movie (oh why do most of the classic movies I have not seen are more than two hours?) and it's pretty much blasphemy according to some. I just don't like musicals. But I had fun with this one, despite its length. It's a fun movie - and obviously the best parts of the movie are the music numbers. These are classics in their own right. It's amazing how much of this movie had seeped into our culture.
For those not in the know, like me, the movie centers on Maria, a nun who longs to sing and have fun rather than being a dull servant of God. The nuns realize this and send her off to be the governess of the ruggedly handsome (according to Maggie) Captain Von Trapp, played by Christopher Plummer. Of course like all good governess stories dating back to Jane Eyre, she falls in love with the captain. But things are complicated because the Nazis have taken over Austria and the family must flee or face worse consequences. It's a good story and I was surprised to find out that it was based on the real story of the Von Trapp family who escaped Nazi-occupied Austria. I'm sure the love story isn't all that true, but whatevs, it works.
Obviously the highlight of the movie is the music. And there's some great musical numbers that, surprisingly, I found myself enjoying. "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss" are two of my favorites and I sometimes still get them stuck in my head. I always think the best musicals (not that I'm an expert) are the ones that strike a balance between the musical numbers and the story. Sound of Music is no exception - the music never overwhelms the characters and the music fits into the story very well. The songs never felt out of place.
A great movie that no doubt is still good today and its themes of discrimination, family and music are timeless. If you were hesitant on checking out this movie like I was, don't worry, it has my seal of approval.
Rating: Rent It!
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