Why we're still high on a hill with von Trapps

Jewish World Review ^ | 6/15/05 | Lenore Skenazy

[rhema]

In a world where the new "Gilligan's Island" features sexual tension between Mary Ann and Ginger, where "The Longest Yard" remake makes "Platoon" look pleasant, where Nicole Kidman can star in the big screen "Bewitched" even though she can barely wiggle her nose, let us do the world a favor:

Let us brook no remake of "The Sound of Music."

After all, it's not like the 1965 version is boring audiences in its current incarnation. Just mention this movie and people start smiling. Or singing. Or both. Then they start remembering their favorite things ... er ... scenes: The boat trip where Maria and the kids fall overboard. The folk dance at the big party. The baroness remarking that, "Somewhere out there is a lady who I think will never be a nun." (I hope I'm not giving anything away.)

This month marked the movie's 40th anniversary, and it remains the No.3 box office winner of all time, bested only by No.1 "Gone with The Wind" (another movie wherein the star proves her pluck by making clothing out of curtains) and No.2 "Star Wars" (wherein the star proves her pluck by enduring the same double-cinnamon-bun hairdo as Gretl von Trapp.)

So what is it that makes "The Sound of Music" so enchanting, despite the fact it is basically a movie about the Nazis taking over Europe?

[snarks_when_bored]

If I'd ever seen the movie, I might've been able to make a meaningful comment...

[CORedneck]

I remembered seeing that movie in 7th grade back in 1979/1980. It was in Music class and the teacher was this old woman who was very strict about the rules. Once she started the movie, there was the scene of the woman singing on the mountain. It was funny and many people laughed. She immediately got up and stop the VCR and turned on the lights. She asked who laughed and those who admitted it were promptly sent them to the Principal's office. She had no sense of humor. I laughed but did not volunteer the information. If it happened today, with my smart @$$ attitude, I would have admitted it and then mentioned that I think it is funny and there is nothing wrong with laughing.

[BigWaveBetty]

This movie is a must see, even if you don't like musicals. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll find yourself singing along! Eighteen thumbs up!

[snarks_when_bored]

Is that the 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' film?

No, that was Mary Poppins, right?

[Jack of all Trades]

Favorite part: when the nuns yank the coil wire from the Nazi's car. Either that or when Capt. Von Trapp breaks down and sings Eidelwiess (sp?) before his stunned children.

Funny, just last night I was tying to recount the story from memory while giving my son a bath.

[BigWaveBetty]

Those clowns in Hollywood had better not mess with this movie perfection. I will hunt them down and hurt them very seriously.

[BigWaveBetty]

Correct, that was in Mary Poppins. Not a bad movie itself, but it's no Sound of Music.

[beezdotcom]

If I'd ever seen the movie, I might've been able to make a meaningful comment...

Hey, go right ahead, this is FR: most people here comment on articles without even reading them...

[2banana]

"The Sound of Music" is one of the best movies ever made...and I am a guy who thinks "Braveheart" is the standard to rate movies...

[Northern Yankee]

LOL...

Still, compared to a lot of stuff put out today, a delightful movie that you can watch with your family.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"this is FR: most people here comment on articles without even reading them..."

That's the funnest part of being a member ! :-D

[snarks_when_bored]

And then I said, "Are you going to eat that last burritto?"

[durasell]

Hey, go right ahead, this is FR: most people here comment on articles without even reading them...


I liked the part where they trapped the Nazi party goers in the basement of the castle then poured gasoline down the air vents and lobbed in a couple of handgrenades before digging a tunnel with James Garner and Donald Pleasance, who was going blind.

[Jack of all Trades]

Some people post replies without even being logged in.

[BigWaveBetty]

Capt. Von Trapp breaks down and sings Eidelwiess (sp?) before his stunned children.

That part always makes me cry.

How about the scene where Liesl sings (I am sixteen, going on seventeen...) and dances with her bow in the gazebo? The actress did all that dancing and jumping from bench to bench on a severely sprained ankle.

[Esther Ruth]

I think this is one of my favorites if not my most favorite. Excellent movie for so many reasons. The Captain's change of Heart, Maria's great love for the children, Max changes even though he wants to sit on the fence, remain comfortable and not offend, the nuns helping their escape!! The captain tries to convince/turn around the young man who has joined the Nazis and that baroness, with all going on around her, still just lost in her selfish vain pursuits.

[Jack of all Trades]

It's just a great movie. What a horror it would be to remake it.

[yarddog]

I loved the music, our class song (class of 65) was "Climb Every Mountain", and liked the movie. One of my most first memories of my wife was of her singing "Edelweiss" at a camp talent show.

It did give a somewhat false impression of Austria as being taken over by the Nazis. They joined Germany very willingly.

[fieldmarshaldj]

...or the part at the Salzburg Music Festival where a young Linda Lovelace as Gretchen von Trapp swallowed an entire footlong kielbasa to the delight of the crowd.