TV Review: Why the Sound of Music make me want to sing my heart out

Every time I watch Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s musical, I cry my eyes out, sing my heart out and consume ice cream and chocolates.

Once I heard Lonely Goatherd, Favourite Things and Do-Re-Me on BBC Radio 2’s Junior Choice on a Saturday morning, I pestered my parents to take me to the pictures to see the film from which the songs came.

They did. I was seven and transfixed by the luscious, song-filled love story shown in glorious Technicolour at the Doncaster Gaumont.

The Sound of Music is about a novice nun, Maria, who is sent from the convent to be governess to the seven von Trapp children. She and their father fall in love. It is set in Austria during the rise of the Nazis.

Casablanca is the perfect film: The Sound of Music is the perfect musical film.

Of course, my adoration is steeped in the memories of being with my parents and two sisters in that hallowed place, a picture house.

It is more than that. The Sound of Music has everything: intrigue, jeopardy and romance. It is about the healing power of love and music.

It is a love story, a war story, an unrequited love story, a celebration of patriotism and triumph against oppression. It has nuns, Nazis and a musical score with not a duff song to be heard.

Every number has a purpose: the title song embodies Maria's love of music; How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? is a character description and Edelweiss is Captain von Trapp’s yearning for his country threatened by Nazism.

Sung by the two juvenile leads, Charmian Carr as Liesl von Trapp and Daniel Truhitte as Rolfe, I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen is about the exhilaration of first love.

Climb Ev’ry Mountain is about courage, conquering fear, facing adversity and realising dreams and So Long, Farewell is a heartbreaking goodbye to somebody you love.

The cast is perfect. Dame Julie Andrews embodies naive nun Maria. She lights up the screen. Check out Sky Arts’ profile Julie Andrews Forever. It says more about how marvellous she is than I have space for here.

I have learned to shut my ears to Christopher Plummer’s scathing ‘sound of mucus’ remark about the film.

Sorry, Christopher: you were never better, more handsome and commanding as the principled Captain. Who could resist you? I know you did not sing the songs, Bill Tell dubbed you, but you were, nevertheless, brilliant.

The heartbreaker for me is the elegant Eleanor Parker as Baroness Elsa von Schraeder, the Captain’s rich, sophisticated fiancée. She loves him and yet pretends not to so he can leave their relationship guilt-free to be with Maria.

She is big-hearted enough to give Maria, who is her antithesis, a push into the arms of the man they both love. Parker plays all that emotion with ease. There is a film there – What Happened to the Baroness?

Bringing cynicism to cut the cuteness is Richard Haydn as Max Detweiler, the Baroness’ hanger-on who wants to exploit the singing seven von Trapp children.

In a smaller but no less mighty role, Peggy Wood as Mother Abbess anchors the film in morality.

The Sound of Music is available on BBC iPlayer.