1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die- The Sound of Music

#455- The Sound of Music (1965)
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker
Directed by: Robert Wise


Plot Summary: In 1938, Maria is a mischievous nun in training who has been asked to assume the role of a governess for Captain Georg von Trapp and his seven children. Maria tries to change the strict lifestyle Captain von Trapp has established in his home by teaching the children to have fun and how to sing. After seeing how Maria has changed his children's lives, Captain von Trapp's feelings for her begin to show. Eventually, Captain von Trapp marries Maria, but the feeling of happiness is not for long, as Captain von Trapp has been ordered to accept commission in the German Navy under the direction of the Third Reich.


When I started brainstorming which films I should do for Musical Month, one of the first films to pop into my head was The Sound of Music. Like many other movies I've reviewed on here, The Sound of Music was one of those movies that people were appalled at me for never seeing before. Naturally, with such a strong response like that, I believed I would be in for something special when I finally sat down and watched it for the first time. To my surprise, there was actually quite a bit of the film that seemed familiar to me. Considering the theme of the month, it is only natural that I would recognize most of the songs due to their impact on pop culture, but I also wanted to know if there was more to the film than just its music.

The main character of The Sound of Music is Maria, played by Julie Andrews. While Maria is a free-spirited character and believes more in having fun than rules, I'm sorry but I kept seeing Mary Poppins for a while. The film was released only ONE YEAR after Mary Poppins, and both films have their similarities and both star Julie Andrews as a similar type of character. But by the end of the film, I was able to see the difference between the two. Mary Poppins is more structured by knowing when to have fun and when to be serious, and Maria is more of a fun having type of character. Of course, Andrews is once again able to give her character a breathtaking voice, as she has the strongest singing voice in the film, as is evident in "The Sound of Music," "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," and many more beautiful songs.

Captain Georg von Trapp is played by Christopher Plummer. Right off the bat, Georg feels like an uptight crank, but throughout the film, we see a natural progression of him changing his ways through Maria and his children. He's the character that Maria impacts the most and is given a new outlook on life and those around him. He's still a stern character, as is evident through his stances on Nazism and times when he stands up for his family, but is given more character in the process. There's a lot of depth to Georg and once the movie was over, he was the character I enjoyed most because I love characters in film that tell a complete story. Georg starts off the film as a strict and neglectful single father, and ends the film as a noble and loving family man, the perfect beginning and end points for a great character.

The von Trapp children are Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta and Gretl, played by Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, and Kim Karath respectively. Just like in my review of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, I felt that The Sound of Music had a difficult time developing all seven children. Some were obvious, like Liesl being the eldest and Gretl being the youngest, but that's about it. Friedrich and Kurt were the only boys in the group, and despite the age difference, I still couldn't tell them apart. And then with three other girls in the middle, it became even more difficult. I'm sure with multiple viewings I'd be able to catch on, but I saw the children as more of a plot device for Maria and Georg's relationship.

Filmed on location in Austria, the film has wonderful setting with a sense of realism. I have a feeling that the hills wouldn't be alive if they were a stage set or a backdrop. The film is given an extra amount of depth by having real locations for sets, creating a grand film adaptation of a Broadway musical that leaps off the stage (so to speak).

Besides the songs I've already named off, there are a number of great songs in The Sound of Music that have had a major cultural impact (as well as that darn catchy factor). The songs, including "Maria," "I've Got Confidence," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "The Lonely Goatherd," "So Long, Farewell," and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" were great and songs that I was mostly familiar with due to hearing them elsewhere (it's funny to notice how many of these songs I've heard parodied on Family Guy). But my favorite song in the film was "Edelweiss," particularly when it's sung near the end of the film. It was a very powerful and moving number that really sets the tone for the film's climax. These songs are spectacular, memorable and are another factor in bringing the cherished musical by Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II to life on the big screen.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

With an epic three hour length, The Sound of Music is one of the grandest and most beloved musicals of all time. It is a film that all moviegoers should see at least once in their life, and one that all musical lovers need to see and own in their collection.

Comment below to share your thoughts on the movie or to discuss a topic that I left out of my review

The Sound of Music and movie images are copyrighted by 20th Century Fox