The Misogynistic Musical: Reevaluating a Classic
| By FEM - Apr 24th, 2006 at 4:30 am EDT |
It was nothing out of the ordinary. My friend and I decided to relive old memories by listening to the music of the living hills and hearing about needles pulling thread. How were we to know that a movie night would turn into a practicum in feminist theory?
The Sound of Music is billed as the ultimate wholesome movie whose heartwarming topics of family togetherness and the power of love tug at the heart strings, ennoble the spirit, make you laugh, make you cry, and leave you wanting to run down the aisles, the hills, the living room, the local mall, -- or anywhere else inspiration happens to strike -- and sing for joy. I was looking forward to each and every one of these things... until Liesl went off to meet Rolf at the gazebo. It has been years since I last heard the lovely little ditty known as "Sixteen Going on Seventeen":
Here is a guy telling the eldest Von Trapp child that she cannot face the world on her own and needs someone to take care of her by telling her what to do. Still holding on to some of that naïveté, I decided to give Rodgers and Hammerstein the benefit of the doubt by expecting the seemingly smart Liesl to respond sarcastically. She didn't. She accepts the role of the rose-like innocent and submits to the life of dependence that is considered the best thing for her -- a thoughtless and scared little girl in a big bad world full of men. But the subordination doesn't stop there. Oh no.
There are many more moments and scenes in this film which do not exactly promote equality between the sexes. Taking into consideration that this is a blog post, I will limit myself to concentrating on the implications of this song and perhaps expand on the subject at hand in a later article. Let us continue our short journey through the sexist world of 'Salzburg, Austria during the Thirties' by exploring the reprise to the above song, "Sixteen Goin' on Seventeen". The lyrics to this version of the song are just as unnerving:
The one character that showed potential for being a strong female role lets down its feminist viewers. The one character who was criticized for speaking her mind and who was known for doing things her way has clearly undergone a retroactive metamorphosis. Independence has become dependence. Society has won.
Apparently, this new and improved Maria wants the young women of the world to believe that life does not begin until one is married. It is of unimportance how wonderful a life you have or how much you have traveled or any other experience that is in your past; life is not life unless there is a man there beside you. Julie Andrews' beautiful voice melodically enlightens Liesl in that eloquent musical theater style about how once you belong to a man as his wife all your silly old ideas of the past just vanish. The silly old ideas that Maria has lost are her notions of independence, self-determination, and the reluctance to conform. She, however, does not seem to have any major qualm in regards to this. Liesl repeats her past behavior and exhibits unequivocal thrill at having a man that can call her his. She can hardly wait to have a man to tell her what to do and how to behave. Now, I would hate to compare this girl to a domesticated animal but the lyrics suggest that this comparison might not be all that avoidable.
It was a sad day indeed. Will I ever be able to watch this film again? It is hard to say. This revelation has just made those three hours not only seem longer but actually arduous as The Sound of Music is a feel good movie no longer. Allow me to delve further and ask if I will ever be able to listen to songs from this musical. Again, it is difficult to answer this with a clear yes or no. I for one do not enjoy listening to a song that evokes the image of young girl salivating like a dog and anxiously awaiting the presence and commands of her master. But trust me when I say that I will never look at this film in the same way again and will not be listening to the sound of this music anytime soon.
-- RH
The Sound of Music is billed as the ultimate wholesome movie whose heartwarming topics of family togetherness and the power of love tug at the heart strings, ennoble the spirit, make you laugh, make you cry, and leave you wanting to run down the aisles, the hills, the living room, the local mall, -- or anywhere else inspiration happens to strike -- and sing for joy. I was looking forward to each and every one of these things... until Liesl went off to meet Rolf at the gazebo. It has been years since I last heard the lovely little ditty known as "Sixteen Going on Seventeen":
How could I have not seen it before? Perhaps I was still viewing this classic musical with the eyes of a young and naïve theater lover. I was so blind. I, as well as my friend, was not singing along with the two teenage lovebirds this time around. In fact, anyone could have easily lodged a watermelon in our mouths with the way our jaws were touching the ground.
[Rolf:]
You are sixteen, going on seventeen, baby it's time to think.
Better beware, be canny and careful, baby you're on the brink.
You are sixteen, going on seventeen, fellows will fall in line...
Totally unprepared are you, to face a world of men.
Timid and shy and scared are you, of things beyond your kin.
You need someone older and wiser, telling you what to do.
I am seventeen, going on eighteen. I'll take care of you...
[Liesl:]
I am sixteen, going on seventeen. I know that I'm naive.
Fellows I meet may tell me I'm sweet, and willingly I believe.
I am sixteen, going on seventeen, innocent as a rose...
Totally unprepared am I, to face a world of men.
Timid and shy and scared am I, of things beyond my kin.
I need someone older and wiser telling me what to do.
You are seventeen, going on eighteen. I'll depend on you.
Here is a guy telling the eldest Von Trapp child that she cannot face the world on her own and needs someone to take care of her by telling her what to do. Still holding on to some of that naïveté, I decided to give Rodgers and Hammerstein the benefit of the doubt by expecting the seemingly smart Liesl to respond sarcastically. She didn't. She accepts the role of the rose-like innocent and submits to the life of dependence that is considered the best thing for her -- a thoughtless and scared little girl in a big bad world full of men. But the subordination doesn't stop there. Oh no.
There are many more moments and scenes in this film which do not exactly promote equality between the sexes. Taking into consideration that this is a blog post, I will limit myself to concentrating on the implications of this song and perhaps expand on the subject at hand in a later article. Let us continue our short journey through the sexist world of 'Salzburg, Austria during the Thirties' by exploring the reprise to the above song, "Sixteen Goin' on Seventeen". The lyrics to this version of the song are just as unnerving:
[Maria:]
You are sixteen goin' on seventeen
Waiting for life to start
Somebody kind who touches your mind
Will suddenly touch your heart
[Liesl:]
When that happens, after it happens
Nothing is quite the same
Somehow I know I'll jump up and go
If ever he calls my name
[Maria:]
Gone are your old ideas of life
The old ideas grow dim
Lo and behold you're someone's wife
And you belong to him
The one character that showed potential for being a strong female role lets down its feminist viewers. The one character who was criticized for speaking her mind and who was known for doing things her way has clearly undergone a retroactive metamorphosis. Independence has become dependence. Society has won.
Apparently, this new and improved Maria wants the young women of the world to believe that life does not begin until one is married. It is of unimportance how wonderful a life you have or how much you have traveled or any other experience that is in your past; life is not life unless there is a man there beside you. Julie Andrews' beautiful voice melodically enlightens Liesl in that eloquent musical theater style about how once you belong to a man as his wife all your silly old ideas of the past just vanish. The silly old ideas that Maria has lost are her notions of independence, self-determination, and the reluctance to conform. She, however, does not seem to have any major qualm in regards to this. Liesl repeats her past behavior and exhibits unequivocal thrill at having a man that can call her his. She can hardly wait to have a man to tell her what to do and how to behave. Now, I would hate to compare this girl to a domesticated animal but the lyrics suggest that this comparison might not be all that avoidable.
It was a sad day indeed. Will I ever be able to watch this film again? It is hard to say. This revelation has just made those three hours not only seem longer but actually arduous as The Sound of Music is a feel good movie no longer. Allow me to delve further and ask if I will ever be able to listen to songs from this musical. Again, it is difficult to answer this with a clear yes or no. I for one do not enjoy listening to a song that evokes the image of young girl salivating like a dog and anxiously awaiting the presence and commands of her master. But trust me when I say that I will never look at this film in the same way again and will not be listening to the sound of this music anytime soon.
-- RH
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Comments are closed for this post.
As for the songs - I don't see them as arguing one way or another, but as a reflection of when they were written. The "I am sixteen, going on seventeen" song always struck me as poking fun a bit - as if it were saying, "Look how silly both of them are" without doing so outright.
Frankly, the people I'd take issue with are the people who'd think that The Sound of Music would be something to draw any lessons / morals from in the first place. I watch movies (by and large) to either be moved or to watch people with guns kill lots of shit, but never to find out what's right and wrong. If anyone's being taught that the movies (any movies) are where to go for morals, that's the travesty.