Sunday marks the 60th anniversary of “The Sound of Music,” a beautifully aged and magical movie. The Oscar-winning Best Picture story, which explores strained family dynamics, societal conventions and the rise of fascism in Europe, remains the perfect rainy-day watch to lift your spirits.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s timeless music sparks nostalgia in anyone who practiced solfège in music class or whose grandmother sat them down on Sundays to watch “good movies.” Almost every number has become a musical theater repertoire staple.
A recognizable stamp of this musical is its breathtaking visuals and equally pleasing music. The opening sequence, featuring the sunny Austrian Alps and Julie Andrews performing the title track, “The Sound of Music,” sets the bar high for the rest of the film. It’s hard to keep from swooning over the scenes and mouthing along with the words. As the last musical Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together, the music has an extra sentimental touch.
Another standout aspect is the unforgettable performances. Andrews’ performance as Maria the Baroness remains the most iconic and recognizable of her career. Playing a woman who is too carefree and whimsical to remain a nun, the joy she brings to the screen is palpable.
Her dynamic with the von Trapp family is especially entertaining to watch. Even if you have a distaste for children, watching Maria wrangle the ensemble of mischievous young ones will have you signing up for nanny gigs.
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The musical number “Do-Re-Mi” encapsulates the love the children share for Maria and has created a catchy learning tool for generations of children.
Not only is it one of the best scenes in the movie, with multiple outfits and settings, but the song has also transcended the context of the musical and become the foundation for learning music theory. The importance of this magnetic musical has gone above and beyond just a classic to watch with friends and family.
The family lives in Salzburg, Austria, in the 1930s, and the film openly discusses opposition to incoming Nazis. Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) is the head of the family and strongly opposes fascism entering his country.
His defiance is represented by his refusal to join the German Navy and his performance of “Edelweiss,” an Austrian national song, in front of Nazi officials. His attitude toward the rise of fascism permeates the tone of the movie and makes it an aggressively anti-fascist film.
It comes with a swift tone shift in the latter half of the movie when the family must flee the country together. Despite the struggles they faced because of the Nazis, the family makes it out and ends the film by singing joyously in the same mountain field where the film opened.
The last 30 minutes of the musical deliver a statement larger than itself. The beliefs of the von Trapp family can be translated to any modern political conflict, and being on the right side of history continues to be what younger generations strive for.
“The Sound of Music” is designed to be an example of how to fight against aggressive political powers. The von Trapp family fought for others to speak out and flee with them, aiming to create a peaceful community to raise their children.
The heartwarming musical has kept its charm for decades, and like whiskers on kittens, it is one of “My Favorite Things.”
