The Sound of Music (1965)

The film is hailed as an artful crowd-pleaser that reaches every generation through Robert Wise's expert and unsentimental direction and Julie Andrews' magnificent performance as Maria. Particular praise goes to the stunning opening panoramic shot, the Do Re Mi sequence around Salzburg, and the refreshing Rodgers and Hammerstein score.

The critic calls it one of the greatest screen musicals ever made, praising its set-pieces, scenery, and unforgettable Rodgers and Hammerstein songs in a re-release review. They note it remains a festive classic that holds up decades later.

The review acknowledges valid criticisms of the film's sentimentality and simplification while arguing it is richer due to its tension between a happy past and uncertain future; it singles out Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer's performances and Wise's stately direction for praise.

The critic describes the film as empty, overbearing, and aggressively wholesome with rudimentary songs, complaining about its lack of depth and toothless Nazis, while conceding some merit in the film version over the stage show thanks to Julie Andrews.

Scheuer praises the film as a visually and vocally brilliant cinematic transformation of the stage musical, crediting Robert Wise's airborne camera work and the Salzburg/Alpine locations for adding depth and spectacle. He highlights Julie Andrews' warm, irrepressible Maria and the strong supporting cast while noting the successful handling of the story's potentially saccharine elements.

The critic finds the film an exceedingly sugary experience full of wholesome thoughts but undermined by a less memorable Rodgers and Hammerstein score and awkward handling of the Nazi plot elements. Robert Wise's direction is seen as tactful but not inspired, with praise reserved mainly for the eye-catching Austrian exteriors.

The critic finds the film overly sweet and sentimental, like an indulgent dessert one can enjoy only occasionally. They single out the director Robert Wise's competent and slick handling of the material, along with the charm of Julie Andrews and the appealing Alpine settings and songs, as compensations.

The critic calls it one of the all-time great pictures that restores faith in movies and humanity, praising Robert Wise's consummate direction, Julie Andrews as a dazzling phenomenon, the score's insidious charm, and the incomparable Austrian scenery.

Crowther finds the film a largely faithful but quaintly old-fashioned screen version of the stage musical, with abundant kirche-küche-kinder sentiment and a strong Rodgers-Hammerstein score. He singles out Julie Andrews' radiant, authoritative performance as Maria for particular praise while noting the artificiality of much of the adult cast and the story's repetitive, operetta-like qualities.

Though the story is dismissed as reactionary pap, the review argues the blockbuster musical is still grossly underrated for its superb editing and shooting, neat handling of the Nazi threat, and strong turns from Julie Andrews and Eleanor Parker. The new digital print is recommended for its stunning mountaintop camerawork.

Williams hails the picture as one of the top musicals to reach the screen, with the stage hit's magic and charm sharply blended into a warmly pulsating, captivating drama through imaginative use of the lilting score and magnificent mounting. He singles out the brilliant cast headed by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, along with the stunning Salzburg locations and technical credits, as key to its assured box-office success.

The critic praises the re-release as a proper cinema outing that reminds viewers why the film is a favorite and Robert Wise one of the greats. They single out the first half as a thing of beauty for its structure, writing, direction, performances, and songs.

The critic calls it the greatest screen musical, praising its uplifting, infectious numbers, stylish choreography, and Julie Andrews' perky, career-highlight performance as Maria. They note it is saccharine and sentimentalizes its real-life story but challenge viewers not to sing along.

The piece presents the film as comforting and essential viewing, highlighting Julie Andrews' buoyant and magical performance, the sweeping cinematography, and the chemistry with Christopher Plummer, whose role gains depth on revisit. It acknowledges the sentimentality but finds it charming and engaging despite the mix of romance and political elements.