Simplistic, predictable, overly dramatic and quite simply the best musical and one of the best movies ever made. It's supposed to be a little sappy. Of course the right girl marries the right man in the end. It wasn't even a close contest. Predictable? Well it's based on a rue story. Some predictability is hard to avoid.
When they say, "they don't make them like that anymore", it's sadly true. When this movie was made, it was much more common for a movie to be purely for the escapist fantasy value. If it was made today, the critics would pan it, the academy would ignore it, the public wouldn't know it existed, and even the Sundance Channel wouldn't show it. Yet somehow it endures.
This is the story of the singing Von Trapp Family and their escape from Austria just before Nazi Occupation would have forced Captain Von Trapp into military service. Rodgers and Hammerstein took a few liberties with the story. It's more fairy tale than documentary but I forgive them. They weren't trying to make a documentary, they were trying to make a film that would entertain. And entertain is what this film does best.
The star of the movie is Julie Andrews. As Maria, there just is no other choice. Anyone else would have made this a different, and lesser, film. Maria is perpetually upbeat, optimistic and full of life. It would have been easy for this role to have slipped over the edge and fell into 'sickeningly sweet', but not in the hands of a master like Andrews. Julie got a 1965 Best Actress Oscar nomination for this movie. She lost the Oscar to Julie Christie in 'Darling'. However, in 1964 she WON best actress for Mary Poppins in which she also plays a nanny.
Captain Von Trapp had to be strong and powerful. He needed to have a 'presence' that would be immediately evident whenever he was on screen. Christopher Plummer conveys that 'presence' immediately and effortlessly. Yul Brenner was originally considered for this role and while I think he's an excellent actor, it again would have made this film a little less than it is.
Peggy Wood as Mother Abbess was nominated for best supporting actress. Eleanor Parker (I) who played Baroness Schraeder and Richard Haydn who played Max Detweiler were two screen veterans whose names they hoped would help box office draw.
Of the kids, Charmian Carr was 22 years old when she played 17 year old Liesl. Although I think she did a fine job in this film, she only had one other relatively minor role a year after this. I also liked the relatively small part of Heather Menzies as Louisa who went on to a dozen other roles, an appearance in playboy and marriage to Robert Urich. And my favorite Angela Cartwright in too small a role as Brigitta did an excellent job, especially in the puppet show scene.
I was not impressed by the performances of the other children but none of them had a very large part. Only Charmian as Liesl and Kym Karath as Gretl had any attention paid to them individually. Charmian due to Liesl's relationship with Rolf and Kym because the movie capitalized on the cute ness of the young Gretl, particularly during the 'Farewell' number.
But the real star, the thing that brings you in and hold you. The thing that makes you forget all the movies faults and walk away satisfied that you just spent 177 minutes in a very worthwhile and entertaining diversion, is the MUSIC! The songs of most movies made 35 years ago are nothing but dated. The songs from this Rodgers and Hammerstein hit have instead become classics. From 'Do-Re-Mi' to 'Edelweiss' to 'My Favorite Things', many have become perennial music box standards. It seems like half the music boxes made play a song from this film.
I'm not a big 'Musical' fan. You can keep 'Oklahoma' and I've yet to be able to stand more than the first 10 minutes of 'Carousel'. And I'm not a huge fan of this type of music. Although I have broad tastes, the only other musicals I can think of that I like are the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show', 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'West Side Story'. But they all pale next to this film. These songs have an enduring quality that is hard to explain.
This is a must for any serious movie collector! Even if you don't collect, the puppet show alone is worth the price. No matter what else may distract me during other parts of the film, nothing can take my eyes or ears away from the puppet show scene.
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