There was a news item last week in the print media about Julie Andrews, the famous actress of the 1965 film 'SOUND OF MUSIC' and the actress who had won several awards including the Academy Award, Grammy award, Golden Globe, Emmy, Laurel, Tony Award etc.etc., being presented with yet another Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement coinciding with her reaching 75 years of age.
Memories went back to the middle of the 60s when the film SOUND OF MUSIC was released at Calicut at the Crown Theatre. With the publicity build up in the news papers and film magazines and the rave reviews the film was enjoying, the release of the film was an event in itself in the city especially among the youngsters. The film was based on the highly successful Broadway musical production n
amed Sound of Music (1959) which was again based on the book,' Maria von Trapp,Story of the Trapp Family Singers' (Authors: Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse). The film Sound of Music had Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in the lead roles of Maria and Captain Georg Von Trapp respectively.The story revolves around Maria joining the Von Trapp family to look after the family children and later marrying the Captain and finally helping them to escape from being captured by the Nazis. The picture ends,if I remember correctly, showing the Captain, Maria and the family climbing the Alps to reach Swirzerland.The 20th Century Fox picture, produced in 'TODD-AO* COLOR BY DE LU
XE', was such a sensation among the public that it was shown for several weeks in the theatre . The major attraction of the film was the songs and the music by Richard Rodgers which were very popular and the music record(in Stereo)of the film was in great demand. The picture of Julie Andrews swinging the box of guitar and hand bag and playing with the Trapp family children was seen every where on the city walls and newspapers . The picture was there on the front cover of the dust jacket of the record. The back cover gave the full details of the cast and credits of the film. The impact of Julie Andrews gelling with the songs of the film made the name Julie Andrews synonymous with the sound of music!That also brings to my mind the highly successful Broadway production, viz., MY FAIR LADY, based on Bernard Shaw's PIGMALION, in which Julie Andrews gave an outstanding performan
ce. I have a record of the highly popular music though it is not the original sound track but an instrumental version by Percy Faith. When the play was made into a film in the same name, My Fair Lady, actor Rex Harrisson was retained as the hero but Audrey Hepburn was chosen to play the role of the heroine, Miss Doolittle, so memorably enacted by Julie Andrews for the Broadway music,
How many more movies got to be made in Indian languages, inspired by Sound of Music! Parichay in which we saw Jitendra in a totally different role (a break from the jumping jack image) was definitely spawned by Sound of Music. And what songs!
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be funny if it weren't so true... Julie Andrews turned 69 and to commemorate her 69th birthday on October 1, actress/vocalist Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan 's RadioCity Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP One of the musical numbers she performed was "My Favourite Things" from the legendary movie "The Sound Of Music."
ReplyDeleteHere are the actual lyrics she used:
Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favourite things.
Cadillac's and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favourite things..
When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.
Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favourite things.
Back pains, confused brains, and no need for sinnin',
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',
And we won't mention our short, shrunken frames,
When we remember our favourite things.
When the joints ache, When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.
Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd that lasted over four minutes and repeated encores. Please share Ms Andrews' clever wit and humour with others who would appreciate it.
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I was recently reminded of this particular blog on Julie Andrews as I watched the hoardings of the Broadway musical "Mary Poppins" in Times square,Newyork.Just like the movie the musical has been a hit too and is into the fourth consecutive year of performance with the tickets being sold out quickly everyday.
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