Too bad about that Captain...
Finally got to watch this tonight, on DVD, and I found much of it quite well done, including the well done sets, costumes and the nice, seamless way some of the transitions were done. I guess I'd say the direction was good in many ways, but with some reservations, including casting of Captain Von Trapp, some cuts and changes made to the score. I would've preferred the complete, original score, without "Something Good," and including "An Ordinary Couple" instead. Also, they seem to have cut some of the gorgeous choral work of the nuns, which was great highlight of the complete, original version production I saw a few months ago.
Casting was mostly good. Loved Laura Benanti and Audra McDonald, most particularly, and Christian Borle almost as much. Also wonderful were Jessica Molaskey (Sister Berthe), Kristine Nielsen (Frau Schmidt), Christine Ebersole (Sister Margaretta)<---(Note, that's incorrect, but since someone responded and corrected it, I'm leaving my inaccuracy up here, ashamed though I am of it), Elena Shaddow (Sister Sophia), and all the kiddos. I felt Miss Carrie Underwood did not need to be ashamed of her performance, despite the dire reports I'd heard of it. I can understand what people were objecting to, and it was not a portrayal of the kind of depth some actresses would get from it, but her heart was definitely in it, and there were moments that were genuinely touching, in their own ways. I loved especially her scenes and exchanges with Audra, who seemed to bring out the best in her, the two of them having a real connection; Audra's evident emotion in the "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" scene was lovely, her eyes shining with just-held-in tears.
But, why in hell didn't they get someone better for the Capt.?! Charmless, and not a very good singer; his singing would have been good enough, if he were good in the role. But he was pretty bad in the areas of singing, acting, and charm or allure. If they wanted a "name" (which I don't know that Stephen Moyer is--I'd not heard of him, but I'm not very au courant) there must have been other options. What about Michael C. Hall? One great option, which they couldn't have gotten, would've been Benedict Cumberbatch; he has all three of those aforementioned areas down just fine. But it's an unrealistic idea. They'd have done better to get some excellent man from the theater world for the job. OH--how about John Benjamin Hickey? I'd like that. Oh well...
Multiplex: 100+ shows a day, NONE worth watching. John Sayles' latest: NO distribution. SAD.