Darlings, "I Know I Will Hear What I've Heard Before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                          What better film to see after "The Nun," than "The Sound Of Music?"  And in the big screen glory it was meant for.

                             It was also meant to be, because this came about by accident.  Occasionally, on Google, I type in titles of my favorite movies, to see if any are being screened in the New York area.  Last week, when I typed "Sound Of Music," I saw Fantom Events were having screenings Sunday and two today--at 2 and 7PM.  I knew I had to be there, not only because it may be my last chance to see it onscreen--it does not get revived as often as other classics--and as a tribute to Charmian Carr, who died two years ago this September 17, and Heather Menzies, who will have been gone a year, this December 24!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              To think Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer are still alive and kicking, but two of the Children, from this film, have already passed on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                My special relationship with "The Sound Of Music" began when I did not even know what it was, or who, or anything about Nazis.  The only thing I knew about the film were Julie Andrews, and Angela Cartwright, who had grown up before my eyes on television .

                                  The summer of 1965--the film was released on March 2 of that year--I had a children's picture magazine, called "Jack And Jill."  They did a feature story on the film, and the visual quality of the alps, Julie, and the kids, just captivated me.  I had to see it.  I was given the soundtrack album as a gift, and memorized all the songs, but I desperately wanted to see the film.

                                   When my birthday came around, that November--I turned 11--my parents told me I would not get my present right away.  I wondered what was going on, and did not find out till the day after Thanksgiving, when, after leaving my Aunt Jane and Uncle Donald's, in Linwood, where we had spent the holiday, I was told we were not going home right away,  I could not imagine what was going on, and, not until I saw that now iconic poster plastered on the wall of a theater on the Atlantic City boardwalk, did I realize that seeing "The Sound Of Music" was to be my birthday present.

                                     Two things I can share from that first viewing--

The next day, when we were home, found me in front of our house, which had steps, doing the following.

Because, in this movie, I saw, then, the childhood I so desperately wanted, as opposed to the boring suburban banality I was raised on.  Already I knew I wanted so much to be Angela Cartwright and Heather Menzies, who, always attractive, were just so perfect looking at the time.  I wanted to be THAT perfect looking!!!!!!!!!!!

As the film gained stature over time, and my viewings mounted, these Children, became, in a sense, my emotional siblings.  I am sure I was not the only one who felt that way.

I was so engrossed in that initial viewing, that, at the climax, when the audience sings back "Edelweiss" at the Salzburg Festival, I stood up in my seat, and did it, because I thought that was what you were supposed to do!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seeing the film Sunday made me appreciate it all the more--the opening, which cannot be topped, the camera placement of Robert Wise in the Wedding Scene, and the wryness, which I had never noticed before, of both Christopher Plummer's and Richard Haydn's performances.

I was in fifth grade when I first saw it, so this was how I became aware of the Nazis, the holocaust, and why the Von Trapps had to leave Austria.  I did some reading up, afterwards.

Over the years, the film has acquired a camp reputation, particularly in the scene leading up to the "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" song, where the Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) asks Maria, "What is it you can't face?"  Only, since the actors speak in aristocratic tones, it comes out like "What is it you cunt face?"  I was so absorbed in this viewing, I did not even notice!

Peggy Wood!  Oh, my God, what a wonderfully moving and nuanced performance.  When, hiding Maria, Captain, and The Children, in the Abbey, she says to Julie, "I lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my strength," I cried real tears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Anna Lee and Portia Nelson!  Oh, my God!  Portia gets the best line, when she sings, "And underneath her wimple, she has curlers in her hair!"  Not to mention a visible Marni Nixon, singing on screen!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then, there is that opening.  I tell you, when the theater goes black, and the alps first appear on the screen,  you can feel the electricity of anticipation in the audience.  And, as the visuals get more beautiful, the music builds, and the camera first spots Julie from the distance, applause breaks out in the theater.  Then, as that iconic twist is done, someone in the audience--me, this time--invariably shouts out--"Sing it, Jules!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And "The Sound Of Music" is off and running!

This movie always elicited tears, but this time in the most unusual places.  Like, when after Maria returns, and the Captain says, "You never said goodbye.  Even to the children."

However, I have to say the scene that did me in the most, was the end, with the choral accompaniment of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain."  Because my viewing was meant as a tribute both to Charmian and Heather. As they walked up the mountain, I kept my eyes peeled on them, and then, as they reached the top, and went on down, presumably to Switzerland, I cried outright, as I knew I was saying goodbye to them, and the innocence of my first viewing, when the world lay ahead of all of us, and is now a time gone forever.

Here is that scene.  May I get another viewing in  of this film before I depart, like Charmian and Heather.

And may all of you out there, who have never experienced it, this way, get to do so!

Really, it is the ONLY way, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!