There is something about The Sound of Music, that timeless musical drama that always manages to fill your heart with sheer goodies. A movie so beautiful it still puts us to shame, if we consider the kind of musicals that have been releasing lately. Nothing matches the level of emotions this movie was so profusely and effortlessly able to achieve.
A classical take right off the leaflet of Maria Von Trapp book, on the then prevalent World War backdrop, her life with the Captain and the children, with music so beautiful that it still makes you want to hum it non-stop.
BREAKING DOWN THE SOUND OF MUSIC
The thing that keeps you on your toes is its enchanting tale. You are always seeking what happens next. The rhythm is so beautiful, thanks to its ravishing editing, that it will keep you forever interested.
The pace of The Sound of Music is simply mind-boggling, as it rides on musicals to tell the tale in a majestic fashion. The songs, ah! The songs are so brilliantly written and sung with such harmonic voices that the flick becomes not only an affair for the eyes but an auditory delight too.
I must dream of the things I am seeking. I am seeking the courage I lack.
Every character in The Sound of Music is in a way so powerful that it is hard to ignore them. You take the elusive demeanour of Christopher Plummer as Captain Von Trapp for instance. He is like a tough nut to crack. But there is nothing Julie Andrews as Maria can’t do. She brings out the dead music in him through the children, and he sings like a canary.
You take the innocence of Maria into account, her vexed comportment whenever she is wondering about her conscience, or when she is scouring for love in Captain’s eyes. You can’t help yourself falling for her.
Then there is the witty Max Detweiler portrayed by Richard Haydn who fathoms the talent of the children, but always stays in check whenever it inconveniences Captain. All the seven children who are outright adorable and in sheer need of love. Even the character of The Baroness played by Eleanor Parker is quite impactful. A jilted lover who fails to create ripples in the Captain’s heart.
SCREENPLAY OF THE SOUND OF MUSIC
There are beautiful conversations in the movie that are worth every penny in the world. Even simple dialogues of Maria and Mother Abbess played by Peggy Wood are so thoughtfully written that it is hard not to pay heed.
This is what Maria has to say when Mother Abbess shows her disquiet of her getting lost in the mountains:
Mother, I could never be lost up there. That’s my mountain. I was brought up on it.
Captain’s flair is brimming up with a style that is rare to find in any generation of actors. He seems to have mastered his dialogues; so well rehearsed is his delivery that it is hard to pinpoint a morsel of error.
Activity suggests a life filled with purpose.
There are heartfelt conversations that are reflective of his state of mind, and he puts it all there. Thoughts that are going through his mind, and the things that cause his dissonance. When The Baroness asks him:
You are far away. Where are you?
He replies glumly:
In a world that’s disappearing I am afraid.
LOVABLE BITS
The best part of the movie is when the searching eyes of children find Maria again, as she returns to face her fears. Her void is so depressing that it will bring tears to your eyes when you see them reunite. She is definitely one of the most powerful characters in The Sound of Music. In a way the movie constantly revolves around her.
There’s nothing more irresistible to a man than a woman who’s in love with him.
Another side plot of the movie, the Liesl and Rolfe story is an equally great tale, that unfortunately doesn’t come to fruition, on account of the War brainwash that Rolfe ends up succumbing to.
Sometimes I feel the world is coming to an end.
Liesl is young and is still learning and Maria as her mother teaches her the import of crying when things don’t pan out. She teaches her life’s most important lesson – the sun will always come out again.
THE FINAL CLIMAX
The fact that Robert Wise didn’t conclude his story the moment Captain and Maria find their love was also a bold decision. It goes on to show, Wise was wise enough to fathom there are far more important issues to be addressed than love alone.
To have ended it up all in a tragic set of events like Shakespeare would have been a blunt affair. Otherwise we might have seen Rolfe shooting Captain and the curtain closing right then. But this taken right from the books of Maria Von Trapp, a happy ending was already lurking in the corner. They make a narrow escape from the clutches of war and go on to live into the mountains.
Wise throws in an element of fear and a staid possibility lodged in his frames at all times during the final climactic juncture of the movie to keep everything as thrilling and ugly as the World War situation originally was.
I can’t thank Robert Wise and the writers enough to have helmed something so beautiful, moulding the tale of Maria Von Trapp into a musical feat.
THE ACCOLADE CORNER
The movie won countless awards out of which the Academy stood in the vanguard to felicitate it immensely. Academy awarded it with Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Film Editing and Best Music accolades which were all well deserved, hands down.
The Sound of Music is such a rare classic that it can never be possibly forgotten.
You can check out the trailer of The Sound of Music here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY6uw3WpPzY
