"A classic for all time, Sound of Music is one of those
delightful cinematic experiences that totally captivates at each
viewing. Here is a film with real heart: it’s impossible not
to be swept away by the magical spell that it weaves. From the
very first sweeping shot over the stunningly beautiful Austrian
alps to the sight of the irrepressible Julie Andrews singing the
title song, the goosebumps start tingling. Although she
didn’t win the Oscar for this role, her performance is
faultless as the naïve governess finding her direction.
Christopher Plummer and Eleanor Parker add great depth, and the
entire cast is terrific, the children enchanting. No-one can
complain that there are no singable songs here - Richard
Rodgers’ melodic, wonderful music and Oscar Hammerstein
II’s bewitching and inspiring lyrics are lilting, memorable
and poignant. Sound of Music is a movie masterpiece, combining
very human elements with real life drama, romance and song. In
this digitally mastered version, the sound, colour and clarity
zings, allowing the sentiments and magic to be stored in the
video library forever."
Louise Keller
"The old saying about truth being stranger than fiction
applies in this case: the Trapp family’s life as it
intersected with Maria’s, provided an ideal mix of romance,
drama, music and character tranformation for a musical that has a
powerful dramatic core. In this case, of course, a massive one in
the form of encroaching Nazi occupation in Europe. What writer
would today dare write a fictional screenplay for a musical with
such a backdrop? Then there is the execution of the script: as
Louise notes, the quality of talent here is awesome, and the
players and filmmakers have all come together fortuitously –
by accident, even, in some cases – to create a film that
offers insight and entertainment, drama and laughs."
Andrew L. Urban
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Facts you may not
know
*
Baroness Maria von Trapp visited the film on location and can be
seen as an extra.
* Marni
Nixon made her film debut in Sound of Music as Sister Sophia.
(Nixon provided singing voices for Deborah Kerr in The King &
I and for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady).
*
Originally, 20th Century Fox wanted Doris Day to play
Maria. But Robert Wise and screenwriter Ernest Lehman wanted
Julie Andrews after seeing just a little of Mary Poppins at the
Walt Disney Studios. Other actresses considered included Shirley
Jones, Anne Bancroft and Leslie Caron.
* Both
Bing Crosby and Yul Brynner were suggested for the role of
Captain von Trapp, but Robert Wise wanted Christopher Plummer.
Others considered were Sean Connery, Richard Burton, Peter Finch
and Walter Matthau.
* Five of
the ten Academy Award nominations were successful.
* Peggy
Wood, who plays Mother Abbess, had been a major stage star,
playing the lead in the original Broadway production of Naughty
Marietta in 1910. And Marni Nixon sang Climb Every Mountain for
Peggy Wood in The Sound of Music!
* In the
stage musical version, the song, My Favourite Things, is sung by
the Mother Abbess - to Maria.
* Two
songs were deleted from the stage musicals, "How Can Love
Survive?" and "No Way to Stop It". This was
because the characters who sang the song on stage were not
singing characters in the film.
*
Originally William Wyler was to direct The Sound of Music, but
other projects intervened. Robert Wise turned down the film three
times before agreeing to make it.
*
Christopher Plummer was determined to do his own singing until he
heard his voice in the playbacks. The Captain’s voice heard
in the film is that of Bill Lee.
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