I casually mentioned that I’ve never watched “The Sound of Music” to some English teachers, and they were aghast. So naturally, being an English teacher, I decided that I would make the effort to watch this classic film. I hadn’t watched it before because I had the impression that it was some romanticised version of a group of World War II escapees singing as they traipsed through the hills. Upon watching it, though, I realised that I had probably seen the last few scenes on television in my youth, and mistakenly assumed that the entire film was about World War II escapees.
I’m probably the last person not to know that the film is actually about a nun who comes to a family of seven children and their widower father to be their governess, and literally brings the sound of music to the household. It was a very palatable story, and since I’ve seen Julie Andrews in “Mary Poppins”, I can understand why she was chosen to play the role of nun/governess Maria in this film. There’s no magical element in the film (I half-expected it after the film opens with her singing “The Hills Are Alive”), but it feels just as magical all the same.
Although I was a little disappointed that the hills didn’t literally come alive at any point in the movie or that there was no elemental or hill spirit hiding in the mountains because it felt like the song was leading there. But again, no fantastical elements in the film.
What really struck me, though, was just how inspiring the film was. Maria’s speech about how children need to play and go outdoors, instead of being told what to do all the time, is as relevant now as it was in the past. In fact, it seemed like a very pointed indictment of our education system, and it’s slightly uncanny how “The Sound of Music” came out in 1965 – the same year Singapore was born. I can’t help but feel that this is a message for all parents and teachers, that children need to enjoy their childhood and have more playtime, instead of spending it all behind books and instructions.
The opening scenes, which show how difficult it is for Maria to adhere to the conventions and expectations of being a nun, are again, surprisingly applicable to the present day as well. It’s such a familiar situation with Maria when you see the nuns gossip about her not following the rules in her absence. It feels reflective of religion today, where you’re expected to behave in so-and-so way or be chastised by the (yes, “the” and not “your”) elders. Similarly, just as you’d expect the nuns to show more compassion and love towards Maria, you’d also expect Christians to be similarly more big-hearted, and it’s a good reminder of the core tenets of Christianity – showing compassion.
As shallow as this may sound, Eleanor Parker (who plays the Baroness) is truly a bombshell, and I went to look her up after the film. I have genuinely not heard or seen her before this movie, but I’m surprised why she didn’t become as famous as Marilyn Monroe. She’s beautiful, elegant, and charming, and has such great screen presence that I truly wish she had been in more films and gotten more success and exposure. Rest in peace, Eleanor Parker. I wish I had known who you were earlier.
The film was incredibly long though (almost three hours!) and that put me off for a very long time. It’s so long that it literally has an intermission in the middle. Some plotlines could have been cut for brevity, like the draggy World War II portion at the end and, unfortunately, the plot with the Baroness. I understand that her inclusion was necessary to precipitate some events and character growth in the middle, but it felt like it went nowhere. I expected more drama and conflict to come from this, but they’re all very civil and cordial about the love triangle. It was rather strange. Wouldn’t Maria and the Baroness at least have some sort of catfight or exchange more snarky remarks? They seemed pretty cool with everything, and it almost felt like they were trying to give up the Captain to each other (instead of, you know, pursuing their true love and all).
The Captain’s character change is rather abrupt too, instead of what I had expected to be a gradual softening of his heart. He morphs into a completely different person rather than having a character arc. Again, I realise that giving him a longer time to grow would have lengthened the movie running time, but it felt like this would be warranted. Other plot lines, as mentioned earlier, could have been cut in order to include this.
Max Detweiler (Richard Haydn) gets some really snappy retorts that are hilarious 50-plus years later, and his deadpan delivery makes it all the more humourous. I especially loved “how many couples do you know send telegrams to their children when they’re honeymoon?” comeback. Although he initially comes off as a sleazy old pervert, he’s eventually portrayed as a kindly old grandfather, and smokes less than the Baroness, oddly.
Had I seen “The Sound of Music” earlier in life, I would probably have appreciated “The Nanny” more since their premises are pretty similar. Even though it’s an old film and you’d expect it to be unrelatable, it’s still surprising relevant and current in today’s context, and I finally understand why it’s such a classic.
Score: 4.5/5
Secret ending? No (but I’m sure you all knew that)
Running time: 174 minutes (~3 hours)
“The Sound of Music” is a musical family drama that’s based on the stage musical of the same name. The story is based on the biographical book, “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers”.
“The Sound of Music” is directed by Robert Wise and written by Ernest Lehman. It stars Julie Andrews (Maria von Trapp), Christopher Plummer (Captain von Trapp), Eleanor Parker (the Baroness), and Richard Haydn (Max Detweiler).
You can buy “The Sound of Music” on Amazon.
Image Credits: Cinema Clock, Movie Room Reviews
This is an original article on marcusgohmarcusgoh.com
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I’m a Singapore television scriptwriter who’s written for Lion Mums, Crimewatch, Police & Thief, and Incredible Tales. I’m also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find me on social media as Optimarcus and on my site.
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