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The Sound of Music (1965)

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Movie review

From Time Out London

Reactionary pap the story may be, but Wise’s blockbuster musical is still grossly underrated (and frequently knocked by those who’ve never seen it). It’s superbly edited and shot, Ernest Lehman’s script keeps things moving along nicely, the Nazi threat is neatly handled, Andrews makes for a surprisingly determined heroine (even if her aim is merely to care for kids and stand by her man), and Eleanor Parker steals the show. This new digital print should do justice to that stunning mountaintop camerawork.

Author: Geoff Andrew

Time Out London Issue 1936: September 26-October 2 2007

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User reviews of this film

usman khawaja said...

Posted on Dec 16 2008 13:51 seven wonders of cinema hit the seven notes of music and create a perfect rainbow splashed in the haze of popular art and culture as determined by the western culture in a european perspective .
this is truly a wonder of true cinema as robert wise has adapted a subtle but magnifique symphony from a stage musical with the whimsical but wonderfully talented julie andrews,christopher plummer and eleanor parker giving all they can,along with the extremely talented 7 trapp kids to a simply sophisticated but psychologically complex visual script which casually throws in some great witticisms and choreography to die for as well as music which reflects the seven hues of the rainbow with notes that fly to heaven and can make the angles sing in ecstasy .
the vision of wise symbolises life itself in all its vicarious shades as do the seven musical notes ,the seven children are just as charismatic as the 3 leads and wise makes the wisest musical of all times with a tongue in cheek camp tone underlying his traditional narrative as nuns sing and dance in the cloisters of a bavarian convent .
this is incomparable morally or artistically with anything of todays era and its wisdom shines in its literary stoic characters and prosaic dialogues only a sage can create with the lyrical cinematography on the alpine slopes where light intersperses with the pine and fir trees and thunder mixes with the cliffs to make the magical music of life come alive,
the menace of nazis and the virtue of the nuns is as symbolic of evil as the trapp family of our existence .
this is a true masterpiece which is the best that a decreipt yet delightful western culture can offer as both a pluralistic philosophy and intelligent entertainment .

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Michael O'Farrell said...

Posted on Nov 24 2008 01:06 Everything about "The Sound of Music" makes me want to gag but nevertheless director Robert Wise, a master filmmaker, was able to turn the original stage treacle into a soaring music spectacle, without doubt the finest film adaptation of the R&H musicals. Julie andrews will forever be Maria. It's a spunky, endearing performance. The Todd AO wide screen is diminished on even the largest home tv monitors but the movie still manages to look big. This final collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein was not in the same leaugue as their earlier masterpieces but the movie version's colorful vistas, lilting score and nimble editing made for a great entertainment.

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