The Sound of Music

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The Sound of Music

In 1965 Robert Wise presented the world with his smashing box office hit film, The Sound of Music. Over time it has become known as one of the most loved and well-known musicals of all time. Shortly after its release it won many Academy awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Adapted Score, Best Film Editing, Best Film-Musical, Best Color Cinematography, and Best Costume design (Freiden par3). The movie is based upon the true story of the VonTrapp family and allows its audience to relive their family experience as well as their flight from Nazism just before the outbreak of World War Two.

So why is it that even today, The Sound of Music is still the "most popular movie-musical ever made?" (20th Century Fox). The musical film presented a sound that "inspired a generation," giving them romance, longing and love. (20th Century Fox). However, there is certainly more than meets the eye to this 1965 American production of Austria's VonTrapp family. By taking a closer look at the movie we find that, not only did this smashing box office hit present us with a classic tale of romance and adventure, but it also inadvertently challenged us to wonder if The Sound of Music was Austria’s chance to exonerate itself from its past involvement in Nazism.

In order to question whether or not this movie is an opportunity for Austria to exonerate itself, we first need to understand how the movie creates an Americanized image of Austria's role in Nazism. An American audience will most certainly be affected by this movie in a different way than will a German or Austrian audience who have been personally involved in will. Because most Americans are not personally attached to ...

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...s/sound-of-music.html>.

Gruber, Ruth E. “Viennese Warily Confront Austria’s role in World War II.” The Jewish Bulletin. 1996. San Francisco Jewish Community Publications Inc. 11 November 2001. <http://www.jewishsf.com>.

Perez, R.H. “Timebase 1938.” Humanitas International. 2001. 5 November 2001. <http://humanitas-international.org/showcase/chronography/timebase/1938tbse.htm>.

Starkman, Ruth A. “American Imperialism or Local Protectionism? The Sound of Music (1965) Fails in Germany and Austria.” Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television 20 (1997): 63. MAS ULTRA- School Edition. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 30 October 2001.

Webster, Brian. “Review—The Sound of Music.” Apollo Guide. 2000. Apollo Communications Ltd. 10 October 2001. <http://www.apolloguide.com>.

2oth Century Fox. The Sound of Music. 1965. 9 November 2001.

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