The Sound of Music; movie review/summary

Rating: Null/10 (8 June 2004)

SPOILER!!!!! The movie The Sound of Music is a great introduction to singing as well as a heart-warming tear-jerker. Maria (Julie Andrews) is a young nun who just can't stop leaving the Abbey to sing freely in the mountains. Soon the other nuns of the Abbey decide something must be done about Maria through the humorous song 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?' Maria is then sent off to be the governess of the seven von Trapp children including the oldest, Liesl (played by Charmian Carr)(16) all the way down to five year-old Gretl (played by Kym Karath). The children play harmless pranks on Maria before they get to know her, but after she comforts them all during a fierce thunderstorm with her song 'My Favorite Things' they begin to warm up to her and soon the children and Maria have a bond that cannot be broken. She takes them to a picnic and teaches them all to sing again, something that has been banned by Captain von Trapp (played by Christopher Plummer) after his wife died, in the delightfully simple song 'Do-Re-Me.'
The movie follows as Maria flees back to the Abbey after the Baroness informs Maria that she is in love. The children get her to come back by tracking her down at the Abbey. Finding that he is, indeed, in love with Maria, Captain von Trapp calls off his wedding with the Baroness, making you just want to cheer. Maria is soon married to the captain and mother of the children she has come to love when the Germans start invading. They are forcing the captain to command ships in the war, his old profession. Not wanting to help the enemies the von Trapps must think of something quick. So they are off to sing in a festival and, back-stage they escape and hide in the Abbey that has sheltered Maria. The nuns' loving nature welcomes them in. As they are hiding in the cemetery you will be leaning on the edge of your seat and laughing as the nuns confess 'Mother, we have sinned,' while holding up stolen car parts that make the Germans cars unable to run to catch the von Trapps. Without cars, the family goes by foot into the mountains to escape to Switzerland, a neutral territory where they will be safe. The movie closes as the von Trapps are climbing high in the mountains, over the border, singing all the way.