One of the most beloved movie musicals of all-time, THE SOUND OF MUSIC had all the makings of a successful film -- a wholesome, sentimental story with sympathetic heroes, historic villains and broad family appeal.
By the standards of an era when civil rights, the space program, the Great Society and the Vietnam conflict dominated American headlines, THE SOUND OF MUSIC is old-fashioned and glossy, lacking the gritty realism and appeal for social consciousness that dominates other movies of the mid-1960s. Nevertheless, audiences then and now can't get enough of it; because for all its breathtaking scenery and cheery optimism, the film's characters are individuals with credible personal and political struggles, both externally challenged and internally troubled, for whom the audience comes to care. And caring, generations of viewers have been reminded of the importance of family and the universality of music; they have taken heart in the idea that "when the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window" and been inspired to "climb every mountain" in search of a dream. In short, THE SOUND OF MUSIC is the ultimate feel-good movie, and its popularity is likely to continue as long as humanity's need for an occasional shot in the arm of hope, happiness and harmony.
By the standards of an era when civil rights, the space program, the Great Society and the Vietnam conflict dominated American headlines, THE SOUND OF MUSIC is old-fashioned and glossy, lacking the gritty realism and appeal for social consciousness that dominates other movies of the mid-1960s. Nevertheless, audiences then and now can't get enough of it; because for all its breathtaking scenery and cheery optimism, the film's characters are individuals with credible personal and political struggles, both externally challenged and internally troubled, for whom the audience comes to care. And caring, generations of viewers have been reminded of the importance of family and the universality of music; they have taken heart in the idea that "when the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window" and been inspired to "climb every mountain" in search of a dream. In short, THE SOUND OF MUSIC is the ultimate feel-good movie, and its popularity is likely to continue as long as humanity's need for an occasional shot in the arm of hope, happiness and harmony.
