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Saul Austerlitz's avatar

My God, do we need some mainstream antifascist art right now. Time to greenlight "The Sound of Music 2."

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Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's avatar

I have some ideas for that pitch!

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Brandi's avatar

Please share, if only for fun :-)

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Brandi's avatar

This is all spot on; so well said, Jennifer. (FYI I’ve been a fan since Why? Because We Still Like You. I was thrilled to find this Substack.) Like all great movies, it holds up and tells us uncomfortable truths about our own time because history is always repeating itself, as much as we don’t want it to. Building on your points: Rolf is the 2020s young white male turning more conservative. The Baroness is every white woman who pretends she’s a feminist but is only really one when it’s convenient for her. Uncle Max is the person who didn’t vote in 2024 because both sides were “bad” choices even though one side is actual Nazis. Franz is the guy all too willing to go along with Musk’s telling-on-your-coworkers plan. And on and on. I never got the Edelweiss scene as a kid, but now it makes me cry. Art is resistance. Shared culture is a reminder of shared humanity. We all need comfort food like this right now.

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Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's avatar

Wow, you're old school, thank you! (WBWSLY!) You are so totally right about all of the characters! I'm particularly worried about Max and the nuns in the aftermath of watching this time. I could see them coming for Max because he's gay and using his help of the Von Trapps to do so. Maybe the nuns get out of it by playing dumb though? I hope so.

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Brandi's avatar

The nuns for sure get away unscathed. If they hide those car parts well, there's no proof they did anything wrong.

Max might go along to get along for a little while, but how long can that last? You're right, his future is potentially bleak. Gonna be thinking about that one!

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Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's avatar

Hoping he can just hide out having a fabulous time at the Baronness’ place …

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