100 Movies Every Catholic Should See #46: The Sound of Music (1965)

Directed by Robert Wise. Starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.

The Sound of Music is one of my personal favorites as well as one of the most widely loved films of all time. The movie follows a young woman named Maria who wants to be a nun, but her Mother Superior isn’t convinced she has a calling and sends her out of the convent for the summer to be employed as a governess by Captain Von Trapp, a widower with seven children.  

When Maria first arrives at the Von Trapp home, she receives a stiff and cold greeting from the Captain who whistles at his children and treats them with cool indifference. The children play pranks on her and act out at first, but she quickly wins them over, and it becomes clear that their bad behavior is simply an effort to be seen by their father who leaves for a long trip as soon as Maria arrives.

The magically charming scenes that follow show Maria teaching the children how to sing as they frolic through the fields and skip through the town. Scenes such as this one cause critics of the film to object and cry out that it is too trite, too perfect – “Real children would hate to be forced to sing endless scales of do-re-mi!” However, as someone who has worked with children in several capacities - babysitter, camp counselor, teacher, new mother - I can attest to the truth that is depicted in these scenes, for I’ve experienced the magic that happens when you fall in love with the children in your care and they, in turn, pledge their allegiance to you. Though you may not be singing and dancing through every moment of life, the sweet rhythm and harmony of caretaker and tiny companions often feel so natural that it could have been choreographed.

To be clear, however, though there are countless truths portrayed through the story and the characters, The Sound of Music is not meant to be a realistic film. It is a musical with colorful, aesthetically pleasing sets, and a simple plot, and it would never be described as a real, challenging, or literal account. But different movies have different purposes. This film doesn’t focus on the harsh realities of life, but rather through romanticizing the relationships and experiences that make life beautiful, it uplifts our souls so that, looking down, we can see the bigger picture of what might be possible in our own lives. Just as Maria runs to the mountains in the first scene to sort out her problems, this movie brings us along with her to great heights to help us gain a better perspective.

Perhaps one of the biggest lessons that Maria teaches us is one that she learns herself throughout the movie, and that is to live life to the fullest. In the gospel of John, chapter 10 verse 10, Christ says, “I came so that you might have life and have it to the full.” In this verse, He is most obviously referring to eternal life, but I think He is also saying that we will be happiest in our time here on earth when we are living life the way He has shown us how. That is, by loving God above all things and by loving our neighbor as ourselves. In other words, to live a full, abundant, and happy life, one must be able to fully love.

Maria begins pouring her love into each of the Von Trapp children from the moment she arrives on the scene. She is a friend and confidante when Liesl is in need. She prays for each of the children by name and notices their individual needs. She risks the wrath of the Captain by sewing them play clothes out of curtains, and stands up to him on their behalf. Maria’s warmth, playfulness, and tenacity win over each of the children, and all of the viewers, and slowly softens the heart of the Captain, and yet she is not without imperfections.

Besides the more comical faults of clumsiness, tardiness, and clown-like qualities that her fellow sisters sing about, asking each other how to solve a problem like Maria, Maria’s true weakness is first revealed in yet another marvelously memorable musical number, “I have confidence in sunshine! I have confidence in rain!” This personal pep talk that she gives herself, in which she also asks, “why am I so scared?” on the way to the Von Trapp home is the first glimpse that we get of the fear that Maria carries within her own heart. Later in the movie, this fear surfaces again when she flees the Von Trapp home without a word after realizing she is in love with the Captain. Her Mother Superior recognizes this fear for what it is and refuses to let Maria take her vows, declaring, “Maria, these walls were not meant to shut out problems. You have to face them. You have to live the life you were born to live.”

As we watch Maria struggle to discern God’s true calling for her life, we receive a poignant reminder that love is not love if it is safe. As CS Lewis writes, “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements.” Maria has good reason to be afraid of her feelings for the Captain. He is in a relationship with the baroness, she has her heart set on being a nun, and yet she has to learn that she will never be able to fully love anyone, including God, as long as she is keeping her heart to herself, without any risk of getting hurt.

Meanwhile, the Captain has already learned this lesson the hard way, and as the movie progresses we begin to understand him more. Though we are given very little information about his previous wife, we know that her passing was a great loss and that ever since her death the Captain has only been a shadow of himself. Throughout the movie, there are a few moments that hint at what he used to be like, and through Maria’s presence, we start to see his transformation as he opens himself up once again to love and therefore life. For example, when the Captain reluctantly agrees to play his guitar and sing for his children he says, “It’s been a very long time,” and later he tells Maria, “You brought music back into this home.”

Additionally, throughout the movie the Captain also suffers from another love near and dear to his heart: his beloved country, Austria. In the scene of his return home after visiting the baroness, he receives a “Heil Hitler” from young Rolphe. He is so disturbed and distracted by this that the baroness asks him, “Hello? You are far away. Where are you?”  to which he replies, “In a world that’s disappearing, I’m afraid.” These are the moments that help us viewers to begin to understand the Captain better and see past his aloof exterior to merely a husband, father, and Austrian whose heart has been wrung and feels on the verge of being broken. It is also through the Captain’s disdain for the Nazi takeover of Austria that the virtue of his character is revealed. Thus, Captain Von Trapp wins over the hearts of viewers along with his children and Maria, and we find ourselves invested in their compelling romance. We see how Maria looks at him when he sings with passion, “Bless my homeland forever”, and we feel both of their emotions with them.

Ultimately, the Von Trapps end up fleeing Austria at the end of the movie to escape orders for the Captain to serve in Hitler’s ranks. By the time this happens, their family has come alive and come together beautifully. Maria and the Captain have fallen in love and married, the Captain’s relationship with his children has been restored, and music has once again entered the home. The reason why it is worth it for them to try to flee is because they have so much worth preserving. They have once again discovered the abundance of life and are willing to take some risks to continue to live life to the fullest.

There are so many other things to be said about this movie, it’s been very difficult deciding what to include. From the incredible music to the absolutely beautiful scenery and sets, to the acting, the script, the characters, let alone the sheer, pure wholesomeness and virtue, there are countless reasons why this movie will always be a classic. It shines especially as a family film as it’s one in a very small minority of Hollywood films that portray a beautiful, healthy, happy family on screen. So if you’re looking for something that focuses on the harsh realities of life, the nitty gritty, and the dark alleyways of the world, this should not be your choice for movie night. But if you’re looking for something inspiring and uplifting that highlights the moments of hope and joy amidst the human experience, I would recommend this beautifully done masterpiece.