I watched most of it. I really didn’t like the format, because it put the actors at a huge disadvantage by restricting them to a static stage, with at times really poor lighting and sound, and not giving them the benefit of audience feedback. It’s like televising a football game in an empty stadium… I mean, what’s the point? I’d have much preferred it to be shot like a movie, so that the two actors could have connected under a less artificial setting.
The musical numbers were technically good, though lacking true emotion (except for Mother Superior, who did a fine job), and the dancing was uninspired (but forgivable given the context). What was supposed to be a huge emotional highpoint of the show, Maria’s revelation during their dance that she was attracted to him, felt completely flat. So disappointing! It could have been so much more…erotic, romantic, tormented – take your pick – had it been shot in a different, more intimate format. As it was, there was no chemistry between the two leads, and so that dance, and their marriage, was…meh. Moyer was trying, I think, but Underwood just couldn’t get into character.
And therein lies the biggest issue, perhaps, and that was the script. They didn’t modify the script at all to make it more relevant, less corny. If anything, they should have changed it just to mitigate some of the negative comparisons to earlier versions with better actors. By not changing the script, it came across as corny and old-fashioned without the saving grace of nostalgia.
Personally, I can think of two ways that they could have modified it to make it more relevant and less old-fashioned:
a) Darkening and emphasizing Captain vonTrapp’s conflict. When SoM first came out, the audience only needed to see a Nazi flag to feel fear and understand vonTrapp’s torment. A huge portion of today’s target audience doesn’t make that connection because they weren’t around to experience it. But they have experienced terrorism, so it wouldn’t have been a huge ordeal to help get them to that understanding. But they stuck with the script, and in the process lost the emotional impact of that Nazi subtext, and the real danger they were in.
b) Sexualizing the relationship between Rolf and Lisl. Once again, modern audiences have a hard time relating to what was supposed to be another compelling subplot. By today’s standards, a 16 year old girl traipsing around in silly costumes and dancing with her younger siblings makes her look silly. Like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm instead of a Romeo and Juliet. And what’s with Rolf choosing to NOT turn them in. In the film, he blew the whistle, which was HUGE.
Anyway, I enjoyed it but it definitely fell short. I agree with the critic who said he was pining for the Captain to bite Maria’s neck. Yup, we’ve been completely ruined by cable shows.
