The Sound of Music

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 The Sound of Music [1965]

Starring: Julie Andrews, Cristopher Plummer, Charmain Carr

Direction by Robert Wise, Screenplay by Maria Von Trapp

Language: English


Sometimes I dream that I am Maria: gallivanting around the hills of the Austrian countryside. Sounds peaceful, doesn't it? Everyone, even those who haven't watched this movie, have some link to it. Everyone has heard 'my favourite things' somewhere - I'm sure of that. The last time I watched this was a good thirteen years ago, when I was sick with a cold. A cold of similar severity has struck me down again, and so naturally I thought that it was time for a rewatch. 

There is no musical without the music (it goes without saying), and it was glorious. Timeless classics hit the viewer left and right. I miss the simplicity of movie music: where simple and strong melodies were the norm. There's a reason that, after watching this movie, I have caught myself singing some of the big songs - several times. My favourite in particular is the opening song: 'the hills are alive with the sound of music'. 

The things is, I don't really have a lot to say about the movie. Speaking as somebody who is young, who has watched movies from all over the world from vastly different decades, this movie can be considered to be cliché. At least the premise of it. Woman falls in love with a seemingly unattainable man, hardened by his life experience. However, through all the negative experiences and heartache, the two eventually fall for each other, and despite the obstacles, end up being able to live a happy life. Obviously, this movie in particular is decorated with timeless music, an escape from Nazi brutality, and children who somewhat complicate the matter even further, but the main idea remains the same. But, in spite of all these 'clichés', I wasn't bored - and I can be objective considering that the most recent time I watched it was maybe a decade after I had seen it the time before. I could predict that this movie was going to be an upper: a musical with a focus on children almost has to end up that way, but the avenues through which this happy ending is reached were engaging, and for that I can credit nobody but the screenwriters. 

It's difficult for me to critique this movie, because it was so simplistic. However, it was the movie's simplicity which made it so good. It's often very difficult to categorise a movie into buzzwords: but that can be easily done in this case. Light, cute, and heartwarming are words that come to my mind when I first think of this. 

A nice watch for a night in - grab a blanket, make the room cold, and get ready to sing! 


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