The Sound of Music
4/4
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Peggy Wood, Charmain Carr, Richard Hadyn
Rated G
It is arguably the most famous, and without a doubt the most successful musical of all time. Nearly every song has earned a place in our hearts and our culture. And, surprisingly, it's nearly 3 hours long. Time really flies when you're watching it however.
Maria (Andrews) is a young nun living in Austria. She's enthusiastic, energetic and devoted, but a little scatterbrained. After inadvertently causing enough trouble, the Mother Abbess (Wood) sends her to be the new governess for the Von Trapp family. This is not a normal family. Captain Georg Von Trapp (Plummer) is an ex-naval officer who runs his family as such. They are called by whistles, stand in formation and their only release for their energy is to walk around the garden. Maria is horrified, but quickly makes an impression on the children with her singing and gentle nature. The Captain is not impressed at all, until he hears them sing. That's when he realizes that he is falling in love with this woman, and she for him. Meanwhile, war is on the horizon, which puts him in a precarious position.
The acting is exceptional across the board. Leading the way is Julie Andrews. Maria is a role that challenges her as an actress and a singer. She excels at both of them, although her singing voice was ruined as a result of a botched throat surgery in 1997. As Maria, Andrews is irrepressibly endearing. She's outspoken and sings a lot (too much in her opinion) but her energy and love for life is infectious. Andrews also excels at conveying Maria's uncertainty about her feelings for the Captain. Christopher Plummer, in his most famous role before staying out of the spotlight until the last decade (he won an Oscar last year for "Beginners"), is also very good. Captain Von Trapp is a stern and humorless man whose grief over the loss of his wife has taken away his ability to lead a normal life for him or his children. At times, Plummer brings to mind Jason Isaacs in his portrayal of the male lead. Von Trapp has a nice singing voice, but it was dubbed (although Plummer did record songs with his own voice). The other truly famous character is Mother Superior (Wood), although I'm not a fan. Wood's voice is a minor irritant (and her singing was dubbed by Margery McKay), but the character is wise. She can read people like a book, especially Maria, and she knows what is best for her better than Maria does.
Robert Wise, who's also known for another brilliant musical, "West Side Story," transforms a simple story into an epic spectacle. Few musicals have been opened up like this. The songs, of which there are many, are vividly, if not elaborately staged. Whether they're singing "Do Re Mi" on a hilltop or going upstairs to the tune of "So Long, Farewell," "The Sound of Music" is always eye-catching.
For much of the film, "The Sound of Music" retains a feather-light tone. It's sweet and cheery and goes down easy. When the third act comes around, the film takes a darker turn, and the film contains genuine pathos and suspense. It works because of how Wise handles it. There is a considerable amount of suspense because we care about the characters and it was hinted at periodically throughout the film. The ending is bittersweet but hopeful. Exactly the right tone for the film.
"The Sound of Music" is one movie where watching the film in its entirety is as much fun as listening to the soundtrack.
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Peggy Wood, Charmain Carr, Richard Hadyn
Rated G
It is arguably the most famous, and without a doubt the most successful musical of all time. Nearly every song has earned a place in our hearts and our culture. And, surprisingly, it's nearly 3 hours long. Time really flies when you're watching it however.
Maria (Andrews) is a young nun living in Austria. She's enthusiastic, energetic and devoted, but a little scatterbrained. After inadvertently causing enough trouble, the Mother Abbess (Wood) sends her to be the new governess for the Von Trapp family. This is not a normal family. Captain Georg Von Trapp (Plummer) is an ex-naval officer who runs his family as such. They are called by whistles, stand in formation and their only release for their energy is to walk around the garden. Maria is horrified, but quickly makes an impression on the children with her singing and gentle nature. The Captain is not impressed at all, until he hears them sing. That's when he realizes that he is falling in love with this woman, and she for him. Meanwhile, war is on the horizon, which puts him in a precarious position.
The acting is exceptional across the board. Leading the way is Julie Andrews. Maria is a role that challenges her as an actress and a singer. She excels at both of them, although her singing voice was ruined as a result of a botched throat surgery in 1997. As Maria, Andrews is irrepressibly endearing. She's outspoken and sings a lot (too much in her opinion) but her energy and love for life is infectious. Andrews also excels at conveying Maria's uncertainty about her feelings for the Captain. Christopher Plummer, in his most famous role before staying out of the spotlight until the last decade (he won an Oscar last year for "Beginners"), is also very good. Captain Von Trapp is a stern and humorless man whose grief over the loss of his wife has taken away his ability to lead a normal life for him or his children. At times, Plummer brings to mind Jason Isaacs in his portrayal of the male lead. Von Trapp has a nice singing voice, but it was dubbed (although Plummer did record songs with his own voice). The other truly famous character is Mother Superior (Wood), although I'm not a fan. Wood's voice is a minor irritant (and her singing was dubbed by Margery McKay), but the character is wise. She can read people like a book, especially Maria, and she knows what is best for her better than Maria does.
Robert Wise, who's also known for another brilliant musical, "West Side Story," transforms a simple story into an epic spectacle. Few musicals have been opened up like this. The songs, of which there are many, are vividly, if not elaborately staged. Whether they're singing "Do Re Mi" on a hilltop or going upstairs to the tune of "So Long, Farewell," "The Sound of Music" is always eye-catching.
For much of the film, "The Sound of Music" retains a feather-light tone. It's sweet and cheery and goes down easy. When the third act comes around, the film takes a darker turn, and the film contains genuine pathos and suspense. It works because of how Wise handles it. There is a considerable amount of suspense because we care about the characters and it was hinted at periodically throughout the film. The ending is bittersweet but hopeful. Exactly the right tone for the film.
"The Sound of Music" is one movie where watching the film in its entirety is as much fun as listening to the soundtrack.
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