Classic musical.

Rating: 7/10 (30 September 1999)

A movie made in a time when directors like Robert Wise who knew how to craft a musical were still around. Suffers terribly when viewed on a small screen since the brilliant cinematography is such an integral factor of the movie. Get the newer THX widescreen video version and you will see a glimpse of what the film would be like on a big screen. The movie still holds up well to nineties standards but may be a little sugary for hardened modern moviegoers, used to a diet of violence and profanity. Wise manages to make Julie Andrews look both virginal and alluring at the same time, which is essential for the plot to work. It is hard to imagine the movie with any other actress than Andrews playing Maria's part. Some may criticize Roger and Hammerstein as not being in the same league as other noted movie composers, but here the combination of composers/director/actors all comes together in a way seldom matched.