Review of The Sound of Music (1965) by David L — 18 Jun 2012

The Sound of Music is maybe a little too sweet, even with Julie Andrews and especially even with Christopher Plummer, but that's why everyone, critic and viewer alike, praises this film in the first place.

Things never do seem to get melancholic: on the contrary, everything is so gay and comedic that in the end, when the Von Trapp family are traipsing over the mountains while escaping from the Nazis (never mind that such an escape never happened in reality), you feel sad - sad at realizing that it has reached its conclusion.

Few films leave you with such a thought (ET and Lawrence of Arabia being just some), but while those others were dramatic and serious, The Sound of Music is charming and gay. And although the songs were a little too familiar even before I watched it first at age 7 (then again, "Do Re Mi" and "My Favourite Things" were requisites for school music lessons!), even though it's filled with inconsistencies that seem to have been put in purposely to make its plot structure more "perfect" (such as the withdrawal of that spiteful Baroness from the entire story in around a minute), and even though it never seems to get serious (perhaps a little with the Nazis), I genuinely loved The Sound of Music.

I think that is why it has become a must watch with all film fans. Just make sure you add this to your own personal "Films Before I Die" list!