The Sound of Music (1965) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Sound of Music
Year: 1965
Director: Robert Wise
Country: US
Language: English

At the time, The Sound of Music was commercially successful (grossing well over $100 million at the box office), but was universally panned by critics. Pauline Kael described it as “the sugar-coated lie that people seem to want to eat.” In my opinion critics were right to dismiss the picture, as it seemed to be old hat for 1965. The cinema was going a different direction; becoming a more bold innovative art-form, free from the chains of convention. Sound of Music seemed like a 1950's musical in contrast. 

The film stars Julie Andrews as Maria, a woman who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a Naval officer widower.

By 1965 American Cinema had become drastically different from the more traditional "Old Hollywood" of the pre-60's. The most financially and critically successful films had focused on racial relations (In the Heat of the Night), sexuality (The Graduate) and/or violence (Bonnie and Clyde). Films that were more family-friendly (Dr.Doolittle) were immediately ousted and are now largely forgotten from cinematic history. The Sound of Music is a rather strange phenomenon, because even though the culture had become drastically different, it still managed to fare well. 

Despite being produced during a rather odd time in history, Sound of Music is a terrific adaptation of the 1959 Broadway musical composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Almost every tune has become engrossed in our culture, many of which I have difficulty getting out of my head. The cinematography is awe-inspiring, the acting is remarkable and the costuming (though historically inaccurate) is worthy of its Oscar nomination.

It's rather interesting to hear that some of the cast members still despise the very film they worked so hard on. One critique that I have of Sound of Music is that it is a bit too upbeat considering it is set in WWII Austria. It is also strange that some minor conflicts (a child misbehaving) are given the same weight as major conflicts (FREAKING NAZIS INVADING) Julie Andrews is the glue that holds this film together, just watching her remarkable singing is worth the price of admission.