The Sound of Music [G]

Salzburg, Austria in the last golden days of the thirties. Maria is a spirited young woman who leaves her life at the convent to become the governess to the seven children of Captain Von Trapp, an aristocratic widower who runs his household like one of his ships. Entering a world where children cannot play and music is prohibited, Maria works her magic to bring some joy back to the Von Trapp family, learning a few new lessons along the way. 

The timeless musical classic from Rogers and Hammerstein, The Sound of Music is a film that practically everyone has been raised on. I, however, was fifteen when I first saw this movie. Can you believe it? FIFTEEN! Oh well, at least I can say that I have experienced the musical magic and will continue to do so for years to come. 

Salzburg, Austria in the last few golden days of the thirties. Maria is a spirited young woman who leaves her life at the convent to become the governess to the seven children of Captain Von Trapp, an aristocratic widower who runs his household like one of his ships. Entering a world where children cannot play and strict discipline is King, Maria begins to work her magic of music and song to try and bring some joy back to the Van Trapp family household, learning a few new lessons along the way. 

This film is a timeless musical classic that every family should have a copy of. From the helicopter sweep of the breathtaking Austrian mountain scenery to zooming into the first scene of the movie (which is a musical number and title track of the film), well from there the movie just escalates into a journey of change, the catalyst being the power of music and song. 

Julie Andrews stars as Maria. Oh you have to love Julie Andrews! She does always seem to play these roles that are free-spirited and vivacious, of course there is nothing wrong with that. In this film, Julie’s performance was passionate and very forcible. She really makes her presence known. She was brutally honest, comedic, innocent, and simply delightful. Julie is one of those rare actresses who lights up a screen, even from a great aerial distance. 

Christopher Plummer stars as Captain Von Trapp and he’s just charming. Beginning the film with a strict and wooden demeanour, his character soon changes into a subtly playful and ultimately charming gentleman. The change is a bit sudden, almost as though he decided he didn’t like what he was doing halfway through, but nevertheless, it’s still enjoyable to watch him on screen. 

Starring Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn, Peggy Wood, Charmian Carr, Heather Menzies, Nicholas Hammond, Duane Chase, and Angela Cartwright, The Sound of Music is a timeless classic family movie that’s filled with memorable characters, wonderful songs, breathtaking scenery, and brilliant performances. It’s definitely a film you have to see before you die. Love it!

"The hills are alive with the sound of music. With songs they have sung for a thousand years. The hills fill my heart with the sound of music. My heart wants to sing every song it hears."