The Sound of Music (1965) is an all time classic family musical that has always been one of my favorites. Ever since I was child, I would watch this movie and just love every minute of it. This movie really was destined for greatness from the beginning, anyone at all could have seen that. Between the A list cast, great performances, top notch singing, and the enchanting story.... there's no wonder people still love it to death. Julie Andrews stars as Maria, who is a nun, but not a very good one, and she gets sent to be a governess to the Von Trapp family. The Von Trapp family is a very well to do family in Austria. The father is a former captain and the mother died some time ago. Christopher Plummer plays captain Von Trapp, and he does a great job. Every member of the cast does a great job with their performances, both singing and non. The singing alone in this film is just astounding, every single musical number is just as good, if not better than the previous one. If you do not care for musicals, then I wouldn't really suggest this movie to you. It really is a lot of singing, but it is great singing by talented artists, which is really why it will forever have a place in classic great cinema. 10/10 for The Sound of Music. Enchanting story with lovely entertaining music.

This review contains LOTS of spoilers. My advice is not to read my review at all, as it will no doubt hinder your enjoyment of this wonderful film! I mean it--DON'T READ ON.....

I adored "The Sound of Music" when I saw it for the first time when I was 16. I loved the film and was completely infatuated with Julie Andrews. Frankly, this isn't at all surprising as practically EVERYONE was in love with Julie Andrews after they watched the film! What wasn't to like?! The music was AMAZING, the story very romantic and the film uplifting throughout. However, I made a mistake. I loved the film so much that I read up on the real Von Trappe family--and it was little like the wonderful family in the film! The Captain was actually always a pretty nice guy and Frauline Maria wasn't exactly 'practically perfect in every way'! To make things MUCH worse, I traveled to Salzburg, Austria several decades later--and I learned THE TRUTH!!! The wonderful Von Trappe home in the film was actually a composite of about a half dozen different homes in the area! The gazebo was miles from the riverfront which was miles from the interior of the Von Trappe home--and the truth got worse! When we visited the cemetery where the family hid out at the end of the film, we were shocked (and VERY offended) at a memorial in this cemetery for the SS--the same folks that manned the death camps! All in all, this is a case where the truth really, really hurt. And, although I am a history teacher who loves historical accuracy, this is a case where I wish I'd never learned the truth. Heck, at the end of the film, you see the family escaping over the Alps to freedom--and in real life, they just took a train to Italy!! Hrmmph!!

I know this movie is long, but it is a timeless musical nonetheless. The thing i loved most was the songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein. They are amazing, and make the movie what it is. Another reason why I love it is the magnificent performance of Julie Andrews as Maria, a young woman who wishes for a better life, I suppose. Maria is pretty, with a beautiful voice, mixed with brashness and sadness, all the qualities that Andrews gives to her performances. The only film she disappoints slightly in is Thoroughly Modern Millie. The choreography is superb, as well as the supporting cast, from the likes of Christopher Plummer and co. i can't pick a favourite scene, but who can forget the opening and the "Do ah Dear" sequence? i also thought the children were sweet and the film had a number of clever subplots, like Liesels's secret love. 10/10 for a musical, that should be in the top 250. It was number 2 on the Greatest Musicals, losing out to Grease. Bethany Cox