Thread by @Yascha_Mounk

Alright, friends.

Never have I ever... seen The Sound of Music. Until now.

Please follow along for an incoherent live tweet as I watch (the first half of) the movie.

I'm sort of dreading this experience.

Growing up in Germany gave me an irrational fear of this movie.

And now you'll hate me if I hate it.

Anyway. The hills are alive, apparently.

The nuns are pretty good at social distancing so far.

OK, I appreciate the way "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria" introduces us to a main character before we've properly met her. Quality storytelling device.

Despite myself, I like her already. (Let's see how long that lasts.)

A family near Salzburg! Seven children! Captain von Trapp!

I think I can see where this is going?

(By the way, the only real time I've spent in Salzburg was visiting the parents of a sort-of-stepfather who were, um, very nostalgic for the past...)

That butler is MEAN.

(I'm sure he'll turn out to be nice though?)

I'm not supposed to like von Trapp, am I?

Please don't tell me this movie is gonna try to make me like that guy.

(By the way, my commentary is not gonna get any more clever than this. If you're judging, log off. It's a Friday night!)

Well, this is creepy as shit.

I knew Rolf was bad news...

"You need someone older and wiser /
Telling you what to do."

#problematic.

"I need someone older and wiser /
Telling me what to do."

#highlyproblematic

Kind of amazing how many of these songs sound familiar even though I've never seen the movie before.

(One of my favorite things.)

Trying to understand why I knew nothing about the movie growing up. According to Wikipedia, the German title of the movie is "My Songs, My Dreams." (Never even heard that.)

"The movie was not successful in Germany and remains largely unknown there today."

"You can't not tweet about this song! It's iconic!"

Consider do re mi fa so la ti do duly tweeted.

It's kind of impressive how they manage to place a big mountain into EVERY DAMN shot.

(I wonder how many PhD dissertations have been written about that.)

First Heil Hitler of the movie. Somehow imagined there'd be more of them.

But at least the Austrian authoritarian is not a Nazi?

The boss and the governess are falling in love.

Do I need to find this problematic, too? It's admittedly rather cute.

OK, OK, the movie is going to make me like Captain von Trapp.

I capitulate.

Damn you all.

Are any widowers really so stupid as to introduce their new fiance to their seven children by calling her their "new mother"?

Wow, that's one gracious breakup.

"You can't marry someone when you're in love with someone else, can you?"

Quality life advice.

I see we're in for lots more Nazi salutes.

Well, von Trapp tearing that Nazi flag in two is not quite the Marseillaise scene in Casablanca - but very satisfying nonetheless.

I prefer Maria's version of that Rolf song:

"You are sixteen going on seventeen /
Waiting for life to start /
Somebody kind who touches your mind /
Will suddenly touch your heart."

Oh no! The Nazis are lying in wait for them!

OK, the rebellious rendition of Edelweiss is pretty moving.

(Though it's taking all my suspension of disbelief to look past the fact that the Salzburg Festival does not tend to feature random musical acts. It's not Eurovision!)

"Mother Superior, I have sinned." And they escaped.

Fine, I admit it: My skepticism has been conquered. It's a great movie. Y'all win.

Oddly, I feel like this was my last step in becoming a true American 🇺🇸.

(Now, if someone could please explain the NFL to me?)

[The End.]