The Sound of Music released 50 years ago today

The Sound of Music Released: April 1, 1965 Studio: 20th Century Fox Genre: musical/romance Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 163.21 Worldwide: ? Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 1397.92 Worldwide: 2884.00

Directing: Robert Wise Screenwriting: Ernest Lehman Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Peggy Wood Review: Music, comedy, romance, and drama “are woven perfectly into this beautiful film” VD “adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical,” A7 which, in turn, was based on the true story of the von Trapp family. Maria (Andrews) is a restless nun prone to daydreaming and, as seen in the memorable opening, roaming the hills and belting out the title song. When it becomes clear the Abbey isn’t for her, she’s assigned as the governess to the von Trapp family. The seven children, ages 5 to 16, “have a well-deserved reputation for scaring off caretakers, but Maria wins them over” FS with their shared love of music through songs like “Do-Re-Mi” and “My Favorite Things,” which became iconic because of the movie. It takes a bit more effort, but she also warms the heart of their stern, widowed father, Captain von Trapp (Plummer). Their blossoming romance, however, is overshadowed by the impending threat of Nazi occupation in their native Austria. Maria and the von Trapps have to find a way to escape before their country is invaded. Sources: A7 American Film Institute (2007). “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition” FS Filmsite.org “100 Greatest Films” VD Video Detective (1997). “Top 100 Films of All Time”

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Genre Lists: Box Office: Oscars: Wins: 5 – including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Adapted Score, Best Film Editing Nominations: 10 – including Best Actress (Andrews), Best Supporting Actress (Wood), Best Color Cinematography, Best Color Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Color Costume Design Awards: Other Lists/Honors: First posted 8/25/2019; last updated 5/29/2023.

50 years ago: Mary Poppins, the “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious musical fantasy,” released

Mary Poppins Released: August 26, 1964 Studio: Disney Genre: musical/fantasy/comedy Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 102.27 Worldwide: -- Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 887.80 Worldwide: 1511.80

Directing: Robert Stevenson Screenwriting: Bill Walsh, Don DaGradi Starring: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke Review: “This supercalifragilisticexpialidocious musical fantasy” A07 “is proof of how childhood films can be a wonderful salve as you grow into an adult.” RF “There’s charm, wit, and movie magic to spare in Walt Disney’s adaptation of P.L. Travers’s book about a ‘practically perfect’ nanny who brings profound change to the Banks family of London, circa 1910.” LM The movie “introduced Andrews to film history as the magical nanny who…arrives at the home of Jane and Michael Banks via umbrella and teaches them that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” A07 Dick Van Dyke “is equally good as Bert, the whimsical jack of all trades). That’s Jane Darwell, in her last screen appearance, as the bird lady.” LM Sources: A07 American Film Institute (2007). “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition” LM Leonard Maltin “100 Must-See Films of the 20th Century” RF Refinery29.com (2/8/2023). “101 Best Movies of All Time” by Alexandra Koster

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Box Office: Awards: Oscars: Wins: 5 – Best Actress (Andrews), Best Film Editing, Best Special Visual Effects, Best Original Song (“Chim Chim Cher-ee”), Best Substantially Original Score Nominations: 13 – including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art/Set Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Scoring of Music Lists: Experts’ Picks: Genre Lists: First posted 6/11/2023.