The Sound of Music - The Oscar Project Part XXXVIII

I’ve written before about how I had trepidation about the 1960’s when I started this project. For years I had avoided the 1965 winner like the plague. I wanted nothing to do with it. I avoided the stage production, tv airings and the music as much as I could, but it was finally time for me to sit down and watch a movie I had hoped to never see. I mean it has singing nuns and a bunch of children that sing and dance all the time, none of that sounds appealing to me. I like my musicals broody and full of drama. They don’t call me “Kill’em All Matt” because I like it when people nail a musical number. But it is finally time for me to analyze “The Sound of Music.”

For those that don’t know, “The Sound of Music” tells the tale of a nun in training (Maria) being given the job of Governess for a rich Austrian Naval Captain’s family. The Captain is a recent widow and has turned to strict rules to keep his family in line. The kids behave in front of their Father but have taken out their frustrations on their previous Governess’s. Maria however is able to win the hearts of the children and eventually their father through song. However due to the approaching Nazi threat the end of the movie requires the family to flee from Austria. All of this is of course done to song.

So obviously I am not a fan of this movie, however that doesn’t mean it’s a bad movie it’s just not for me. From an acting standpoint everyone puts in a decent performance, really it is only Christopher Plummer however that really shines. He shows growth and change throughout the movie and creates a character that is memorable for more than his songs. The cinematography is also very impressive as the scope of the movie is quite amazing. It is a very well directed and put together movie. The songs also end up being quite catchy, even though I don’t really like any of them. There is a reason that they are remembered by so many. It definitely feels right at home with some of the other films that won Best Picture during the 1960’s.

Overall the movie isn’t for me, but that doesn’t make it a bad movie, it’s for people that aren’t quite as cynical. It gets 3 out of 5 stars.