1. The Sound Of Music
Watch With: Everyone - who doesn't love The Sound of Music? The Sound of Music is considered by many to be the epitome of the movie musical. A stand-out performance by Julie Andrews as the nun-turned-governess Maria, a heart-warming plot and a host of well-loved musical numbers have garnered the movie a place in film history. The Sound of Music is adored by young and old and is the ideal choice for Christmas day viewing: perfect for that post-Christmas-dinner, mid-afternoon lull. In 1930s Austria, wilful and determined postulant Maria is sent by the Mother Abbess at her Salzburg abbey to be the governess for the widowed Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and his seven children. Since the children's mother died, the Captain has ruled the house like he would a navy ship and has banned all music. The entrance of Maria to the Von Trapp household changes the lives of both the children and their father, but the potential Nazi German Anschluss with Austria threatens to ruin everything. Rodgers and Hammerstein's acclaimed score includes such classics as 'Do-Re-Mi', 'My Favourite Things' and 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain' and is undoubtedly part of the film's enduring success. Several scenes in the movie have become iconic: the opening shot of Julie Andrews' Maria as she sings the titular song amongst the glorious backdrop of the Swiss Alps and eldest daughter Liesel (Charmain Carr) and her would-be boyfriend Rolphe dancing in a gazebo in the rain during 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen.' The movie is a classic and, whilst every member of your family has probably seen it many times, The Sound of Music does not grow old and is guaranteed to be enjoyed by all.
Have you got a favourite movie musical you think would be perfect for holiday viewing? Let us know in the comments below.