Introduction
The world we live in, now, gave us many opportunities to enjoy the life, and along with the architecture, painting, literature and the other arts cinematography is being established as a leader.
Casting, colors, makeup designs, budgets of the film are far form the whole list of “ingredients” that make a good film.
Now in contemporary cinematography the budgets of the films and box-office takings are the main sense of the filmmaking, but was it so in the earliest days of the cinematography in the U.S.A.?
Main body
“The Sound of Music” is the film of 1965 year of production starring Julie Andrews in the role of Marie and Christopher Plummer as the captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp, directed by Robert Wise. The film originates from the Broadway musical “The Sound of Music” adopted from the novel “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers” by Maria von Trapp. A young woman named Maria , a widower Georg Ludwig von Trapp and his seven disobedient children and, no doubt, music are the main characters of the story.
The film draws the viewers attention to a family of retired Navy captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp and his family and a lady, who was going to become a nun, Maria.
Navy captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp is a widower and had to breed his seven children. And as it makes some difficulties to him he hires on the nannies for his naughty and mischievous children. The fathers constant searching for the nannies makes the children treat all them the same way: hostile and mocking. Former Navy captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp runs his domestic cares as strictly as he used to at the ships, but after Marias appearance in their house everything turned head over heels. The woman, who was preparing to become a nun, became a nanny to seven mischievous children and whats the more of it became a mother for von Trapps children. Soon the children understand that this very woman is not one to get rid of. Maria draws their attention with the kindness, sense of fun, understanding she poses. The nanny teaches the children to sing, to get happy with every moment of life through the music, that is when the music comes to a viewer as the element of good story. And after that not only the naughty children change their views towards their nanny but their father changes his attitude towards his childrens nanny, Maria. Now captain von Trapp realizes he is falling in love with Maria.
Another story of love and disappointment is “Gone with the Wind”.
“Gone with the Wind” is a 1939 epic film adapted from the novel with the same name by Margaret Mitchell. The film was directed by Victor Fleming. Vivien Leigh played the role of young and beautiful lady named Scarlett OHara, the part of Rhett Butler was played by Clark Gable.
At the beginning of the film the viewer sees young lady, Scarlett. She is beautiful and independent. She comes from the rich family. The only thing she wants at that time is to marry a young man named Ashley Wilkes, but it is only Scarlett, who is longing to marry Ashley for Ashley is betrothed to his cousin Melanie Hamilton and is going to marry her and he does intend to. Scarlett makes up her mind to spite Ashley by marrying Charles Hamilton, Melanies brother. But soon thing go not the way Scarlett wants. During her adventures through the film Scarlett gets acquainted with captain Rhett Butler.
From the first sight it may seem that the film is a love story between airy lady, Scarlett, and no less airy and mischievous captain Rhett Butler, but upon closer view deep political, cultural backgrounds become evident. The plot of the story unfolds on the background of the American Civil War, its political, social and moral aspects.
It is not for the destiny is unjust to Scarlett, but it is Scarlett who is unjust to her destiny: she does not want to admit what she has got, she does not want to admit Rhetts love and finally loses him and his love.
Both of the films are the musicals and music is one of the main characters of both films.
The main theme of “Gone with the Wind” is Skarletts attempting to make her life suit her wishes, but finally loses all the love. In contrast to “Gone with the Wind” , “The Sound of Music” identifies the theme as appropriation of love by the main heroine of the film.
The epic saga “Gone with the Wind” focuses the audience attention on Scarletts longing for something she had once lost, for love. Even being loved by a strong, rich Rhett Butler Scarlett is longing for Ashley Wilkes.
In “The Sound of Music” the viewer can see the other embodiment of heroism, probably less far-reaching one, but no less evident and prominent.
A retired Navy captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp is a widower , and he needs a nanny to breed his children. But soon captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp realizes that the discipline can not be obtained by the mean used at the ships.
Maria introduces music to the children, she teaches them to sing and that music becomes a turning point in the relations between rough and strict Navy captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp and young lady Maria from the near abbey.
Music becomes the symbol of love and happiness in their family.
Both films unfold on the war backgrounds. “The Sound of Music” shows the viewer times of World War II. The main character of von Trapp does not want to serve Austria under Nazis and makes everything so that to protect his family by escaping to Switzerland over the Alps. And in “Gone with the Wind” the American Civil War is shown.
Given two stories show us the relations between two persons unfolding on the moral, political and social backgrounds. The films shows the viewer different historical periods in different countries, but one theme can be viewed that is love and disappointment. If in “The Sound of Music” the genesis of love is seen, when the main heroine of the story ascends from disappointment to love, then in “Gone with the Wind” the main heroine descends from being loved to being left alone.
In contrast one to another, in one film we see falling in love and in the other we see the opposite situation when two persons fall out of love.
“Gone with the Wind” was originally shot in three-strip Technicolor. Technicolor company was the matter to make the film vital and the scenes vivid as the company required twice as much illuminating of the scenes and Selznick made this step to obtain visual richness for the drama. And the second cinematographer Ernest Haller succeeded in it. Another visual effect used whilst the picture-taking was borrowed from black-and-white cinematography matte painting. The cinematographer of the film Clarence Slifer used this technique in almost all the shootings of the view of Tara, Twelve Oaks, decoration in the Old Army, of entire streets and even in the scenes with wounded soldiers.
Unlike “Gone with the Wind “ “Sound of Music” was photographed with the revolutionary technique of widescreen film format, that is 70 mm Todd-AO, used by Ted D. McCord, the films director of photography. In contrast to the producers artificial findings in making vivid and live landscape and view of “Gone with the Wind”, “Sound of Music” was filmed in the location of Salzburg in Austria and Bavaria in South Germany, where the nature itself made the best visual effects for making vital onscreen picture. The fact later on, after the successful years of the release of the film, Salzburg environs became widely-known recreation place, makes the whole story more interesting and well-recognizable.
The symbolism of the film is expressed through the music sang by all the characters, spiritual, filled with feeling. Differing from the symbolism of music in “Sound of Music”, the main symbol of “Gone with the Wind” is Tara. Constant struggle against stereotypes characterizes Skarlett as a strong and heroic woman. The inspiration and strength Skarlett takes is what her roots give her, her plantation Tara, assonant with the latin “terra”. The land Skarlett comes from is a symbolic aspect of the story.
“Gone with the Wind” was ten times awarded by the Academy in different categories and had five additional nominations. It is awarded as: best picture, best actress, best film editing, best director , best writing, best art direction, best color, technical achievement award.
The film sold more tickets than any other one in the U.S.A.
But the most interesting thing about these two films is that after premiering in the U.S.A. “The Sound of Music” displaced “Gone with the Wind” as all-time champion at the box office.
Bibliography
Boggs, J., & Petrie, D. (2006). The Art of watching films. New York: McGraw-Hill College.
Selznick,D.(Producer), & Fleming,V. (Director). (1939). Gone with the Wind [Motion picture]. Burbank, CA: Warner Home Vide.
Wise, R.(Producer), & Wise, R.(Director). (1965). The Sound of Music [Motion picture]. Century City, CA: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.