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Reviews
The Sound of Music (1965)
One of the Very Best
This movie brings out the very best in people. It lifts the viewer even higher than the beautiful mountains around which the movie was filmed. I first saw SOM as a high school boy of 16 and immediately fell in love with Julie (I'm glad she left the convent - probably not kosher to be in love with a nun). Beautiful photography -outstanding music - while the script was charming, I think Julie's character was so sweet and so good that the experts believed that no one playing this role so well could EVER deserve to win an Oscar. These experts were probably friends of those "brilliant" people who didn't think Julie was photogenic enough - or "big" enough to play the lead in "My Fair Lady" (I'm sure Marni Nixon appreciated the work, however).
As an active duty army officer living in Heidelburg, Germany, we made numerous trips to Salzburg. We loved visiting the different locations - running my daughters around the gazebo jumping from section to section just like in the movie. What joy we experienced as my family lived out this musical during my three year tour. As we drove around Austria listening to and singing the soundtrack on tape, I will always remember my six year old daughter (now 23) crying with sincere emotion each time the finale played as the Von Trapps crossed over the Alps to escape the Nazis. What precious memories these are to my wife and me! Some have said it is too sticky sweet - too sentimental. To them I say, sweet -YES! sentimental - YES! I'll take these sweet and sentimental memories to my grave!
To the Shores of Tripoli (1942)
A Sentimental Journey
While the story line is only so-so, the list of stars is quite impressive. The really special part of this movie is the exposure that the Marines in San Diego had to so many of the stars of the day. My father's unit (he was a DI) was used to film the movie. When you see Randolph Scott drilling his men, the close-ups are of Mr. Scott - the far off shots are of my father. My father also appears as an extra in other shots - the most noticeable being the scene where the men are all sitting in the bleachers. The really memorable aspect (and hopefully not TOO sentimental) of all this centers around the fact that this is the only record I have of my father in a "moving picture" (He died in 1952 when I was 3 years old, and the only pictures I have of him are still shots).
Additionally, I fondly remember a large autographed picture by Randolph Scott inscribed to my father and the men in the unit - sitting in front of the men are Mr. Scott and my father, both wearing their round DI hats. This picture was also very special to all of us children. Therefore, this movie, while never going down as one of the great ones, will always have a very special place in my heart. It also gives me a better appreciation of movie "extras" and makes me wonder, "who are they and whatever happened to them"!