Mozart Von Trapp (cont'd)

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Now let's think about this one.

If one were to ask me, in the late 1930s, where was the best place to go to escape the Nazis, Germany would be at the very bottom of my list! In bold letters. With little skull and crossbones next to it. And a big red circle with a slash would encompass it, surrounded by the word "NO" in as many languages as I could think of and even a nice little design of barbed wire all around.

Young Wolfgang could pound a Hammerklavier like nobody's business, but when it came to common sense he was just a little less sharp witted than a chunk of granite. By the way, his real (and full) name is Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus "Amadeus" Mozart, and he was born at 8:00 p.m. on January 27, 1756, just in case anyone needs to know.

The historical Von Trapp family made enough money telling their story that they need no mention here. The candy confection characters that protrayed them in the film bore as little resemblence to real life as makes no odds (rumor has it Julie Andrews doesn't really exist either), so let's just put them back on the shelf with "South Pacific" and "Guys and Dolls" and let them collect dust.

Okay, Okay, maybe we can let the really big Von Trapp fans trundle them out once a year, like at Christmas or something. They can sing a Little Night Music about the Marriage of Figaro. I'll bring the tea (a drink with jam and bread), you provide the popcorn. Mary Poppins can bring the fancy chocolates.

I gotta go. I'm not even sure that "Germany" thing is true (when it comes to guidebooks, I'm a rigorous fact-checker; but for this I just write off the top of my head). Speaking of which, my head hurts. Maybe my powdered wig is too tight or something.

Copyright 1994 © by Reid Bramblett. All rights reserved.