Do you like The Sound of Music (1965)?

Yes, it is a great movie - and I'm a guy usually unmoved by movies based on an inspiring true story. It's sentimentality is certainly there but often vastly overstated. In any event, the script, direction, and acting earns our identification with the characters. The movie earns its love and, maybe, tears. In the beginning, it is more comical than inspiring and in the latter part, the Nazi threat is taken seriously. Right at the very end, the movie even changes one particular mawkish moment that is in the play into the failure of a sentimental gesture.

And then there is Julie Andrews. As Maria Von Trapp, she doesn't just shine, she blazes. All of the things I said the movie has wouldn't be there if not for her. Christopher Plummer, even with his showing up with an "I am a serious actor" attitude and his "Sound of Mucus" comments, does give a serious and meaningful performance almost the equal of Julie's. His singing voice was dubbed, however. (BTW, Plummer has walked back his early attitude and now embraces the popularity and status of TSOM, even to attending anniversary reunion events.)

The MAD Magazine parody called it "The Sound Of Money."

I shouldn't sign off without mentioning that the movie contains Richard Rodgers' most popular score set to the impeccable lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein.