The Sound of Music (1965)

‘The Sound of Music’ the musical classic directed by Robert Wise, is an incredibly beautiful and heart-warming film which tell the story of the Von-Trapp family, set in the background of WW2 and leading up to the Nazi’s occupation of Austria. Perhaps the most distinct aspect of the film is the musical soundtrack, with well-known classic songs which has endured generations; the beauty of the music is absolutely transcendent and adds such life and spirit to the film. Furthermore the contrasting variety of emotions the soundtrack throughout the film provides adds such vitality- songs such as ‘Edelweiss’ and ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain’ gives tenderness and warmth to the film whilst songs such as ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ and ‘Do-Re-Mi’ will make audiences laugh and gives the film a sense of innocence and fun.

Despite the copious number of cast members, mostly composed of the impeccably acted 7 Von-Trapp children, the film is able to give each character an immense and detailed amount of depth and development, an impressive skill for even just one character, let alone so many! Even minor characters such as Rolfe are allowed their time to shine- in which we are able to witness the struggle between staying true to himself and the brainwashing of the Nazi empire, his character thus serving as a depiction of the struggle which many people underwent under Hitler’s dictatorship. Of course, stand out performances came from the lead protagonist Maria, played by Julie Andrews, and Captain Von-Trapp, played by Christopher Plummer. They both gave incredible performances as individuals but also as a couple, which made their love story truly believable and something for audiences to invest in. I was also particularly impressed with the youngest cast member Kym Karath who played Gretl. For such a young age, her performance was charmingly delivered and completely enamouring.

The cinematography of the film was undeniably exquisite- the DOP; Ted D. McCord does an incredible job of capturing the beauty of Saltzburg and the natural allure of the mountains and lakes, creating a character out of just the setting itself, an important feature within the film. Perhaps the biggest challenge of the film was keeping the sense of innocence and fun, represented through the children and their relationship with Maria, whilst also presenting the serious and hard hitting topic of war and the Nazi occupation, particularly towards the end of the film and the intensity that that presents. However, this is something that the director Robert Wise handled extremely well and he was able to strike a perfect balance between the two, a remarkably respectable skill.

Having re-watched this classic film again in 70mm and in the cinema, I experienced what it might have been like to watch the film when it first opened in 1965, and how the film would have originally been intended to be viewed. This added to the authenticity of the film, and added a whole new layer of detail to the film that I may not have noticed before when watching it at home. It was a truly immersive experience and something I would really recommend for anyone who has the chance.