I never realized how horrifically happy THE SOUND OF MUSIC was...

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 5:13pm

I just rewatched a film called THE SOUND OF MUCHS and, holy crap! I forgot that Maria actually spins with her arms outstreched in the middle of an Alpine meadow in it.

Not saying this is bad. I just don't remember her being such a joyously optimistic postulant toward everyone.

[degrassifan]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 9:01pm

Yep! Very happy movie. My favoritest (is this a word?) film actually.

This is what I don't get: Maria had a wicked childhood and a miserable youth, but yet she seems happy-go-lucky. The power of forgiveness is a strong one!

*The real Maria's mother died when she was 2, and her father died when she was 8. She grew up with elderly relatives, who didn't really believe in showing affection. In fact, her "first" kiss was with Johanna Von Trapp (Marta in the musical), who randomly came to her one day, put her arms around Maria, and gave her a kiss. Maria's uncle was verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive. When she was 16, she ran away with some of her Uncle's money and worked odd jobs in order to pay for school. While in College, she found the Lord. After graduation, she joined Nonnberg Abbey.

[ExceedinglyPeculiar2]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 9:51pm

Looks like sheer joy to me

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 1:26am

This is not totally related to the subject, but the Sound of Music was one of those movies I watched almost every day when I was little. My mom really didn't want to explain Naziism to a 4 year old so she would stop the movie after the wedding. It wasn't until I was about 9 or 10 that I saw the second half or even knew that it exsisted. Good times.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 7:42am

There really isn't a subject go off. Since this theard is meant as a joke.


When the film was playing it's record-setting theatrical run, it was around for so long, that going to see it was just something I did. Like, "what are you doing today?" - "Well, I have an audition this afternoon; then after I'm going to drop-in on my parents; go see The Sound of Music, then have some dinner." It was just always there. It ran from March 1965 until January 1970. When they pulled it, it was like losing a friend. So many people felt that way and wrote 20th Century-Fox, that the studio returned it to theaters in March of 1973, where it stayed until the end of the year. The film never had another re-release, other than an occassional special showing in one city or other. Nothing really compares to seeing it on that mamouth 70MM screen, though. Most cities don't even have a screen that could accommodate the Todd-AO presentation of it, anymore.

[artscallion]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 8:06am

It's worth noting that, in real life, Maria was a hard-ass, close-talking nutcracker.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 8:51am

Which is why nobody ever wanted to see her in a movie!

[eponine88]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 11:12am

insertclevernamehere- My mother used to do the SAME thing! I thought I was the only one. I'm sure you can understand my shock and confusion when I finally watched the whole thing on my own for the first time...

[degrassifan]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 12:41pm

I wish I could go back in time and see this film as a Roadshow production! I think it would be an awesome experience.

My parents say that this is the first movie I saw when I was a baby, and just kept on watching it and watching it. I didn't understand the last 45 minutes of the film, and my parents never explained it to me. It wasn't until I was between 9 and 11 that I knew who Hitler was and what Nazism was all about. I guess when you are a child, you just pay attention to the songs, scenery, the children, and Maria of course. I wanted a governess soooo bad!

The real Maria Von Trapp was forceful, but she was also a good woman. Her strengths were her weaknesses. She always followed the philosophy: Always find the will of Gid and do it wholeheartedly. She must have been a good person in order for the children to love her and the Captain to fall in love with her. I wish I could interview her or something.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 1:02pm

Heh, my Mom didn't try to explain, other than there were bad men after the Von Trapps. Made sense to me.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 3:29pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLvLbSv27rE

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 3:34pm

"It's worth noting that, in real life, Maria was a hard-ass, close-talking nutcracker."


I wonder how the show would have worked out if R&H had created it as a vehicle for the Merm?

[degrassifan]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 4:07pm

I don't think it would have ever happened because Mary Martin brought the idea of the show to R&H. But weren't Merman & Martin friends?

The real Maria must have been an interesting person to talk to. Who knew her life would turn into a very successful musical & movie musical? She's even in the movie. She's in the "I Have Confidence" scene where the fictional Maria crosses the Residenplatz.