One of the Very Best

Rating: Null/10 (2 July 1999)

This movie brings out the very best in people. It lifts the viewer even higher than the beautiful mountains around which the movie was filmed. I first saw SOM as a high school boy of 16 and immediately fell in love with Julie (I'm glad she left the convent - probably not kosher to be in love with a nun). Beautiful photography -outstanding music - while the script was charming, I think Julie's character was so sweet and so good that the experts believed that no one playing this role so well could EVER deserve to win an Oscar. These experts were probably friends of those "brilliant" people who didn't think Julie was photogenic enough - or "big" enough to play the lead in "My Fair Lady" (I'm sure Marni Nixon appreciated the work, however).
As an active duty army officer living in Heidelburg, Germany, we made numerous trips to Salzburg. We loved visiting the different locations - running my daughters around the gazebo jumping from section to section just like in the movie. What joy we experienced as my family lived out this musical during my three year tour. As we drove around Austria listening to and singing the soundtrack on tape, I will always remember my six year old daughter (now 23) crying with sincere emotion each time the finale played as the Von Trapps crossed over the Alps to escape the Nazis. What precious memories these are to my wife and me! Some have said it is too sticky sweet - too sentimental. To them I say, sweet -YES! sentimental - YES! I'll take these sweet and sentimental memories to my grave!