In the years before the Second World War, a tomboyish postulant at an Austrian abbey becomes a governess in the home of a widowed naval captain with seven children, and brings a new love of life and music into the home.
The movie has almost everything: music, romance, kids, spectacular scenery, religion, sentiment, comedy high and low, and, at the end, intrigue and adventure.
– Michael Wilmington,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Nov 2001
rotten:
The septet of blond and beaming youngsters who have to act like so many Shirley Temples and Freddie Bartholomews when they were young do as well as could be expected with their assortedly artificial roles, but the adults are fairly horrendous.
– Bosley Crowther,
New York Times,
20 May 2003
fresh:
Call me a drongo, but this really is quite watchable (yes, I've seen it more than once).
– Geoff Andrew,
Time Out,
9 Feb 2006
rotten:
Every audience sniffle and tear has been taken into account.