Leave your cynicism aside and enjoy

Rating: 9/10 (22 March 2020)

The beautiful music is at the heart of The Sound Of Music. Richard Rodgers' gorgeous and varied melodies, and Oscar Hammerstein's exquisite and witty lyrics don't just dazzle you - they move the story along. Even Eidelweiss, such a simple ballad, is a gem. The Sound Of Music is a wonderful (kind of) true story: a nun, Maria, wins the hearts of a sad, strict widower and his seven children who she is sent to mind as governess. It's a classic look back at the sadness of exile and oppression, the triumph of goodness over evil and the joy that just one woman, Maria, makes in people's lives. As Maria, Julie Andrews has great chemistry with Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). The child actors are great. The choreography and the script are both a bit regimented - probably because this was a polished stage show before the movie. Overall, this is one of the classic movie musicals, possibly the best ever.