‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘The Deer Hunter,’ and ‘Chariots of Fire’ – Three Oscar Winning Films that Reflect Their Times
Movies don’t just entertain, but teach us something about ourselves and touch our hearts. Here are three different movies that came out during time periods that convey cultural shifts.
The Oscars are right around the corner and this year has been a horn of plenty full of various types of stellar films. Films that are nominated for Best Picture frequently herald society's sociopolitical, cultural, and economic pulse. The 60s, 70s, and 80s were very different decades that marked technological advancements, how success was measured, changes in sexual lifestyles, music innovations, and cultural phenomenons. Three different movies that came out during these time periods convey cultural shifts as well as societal equilibrium. In other words, they are a sign of the times. The Sound of Music (1965), The Deer Hunter (1978), and Chariots of Fire (1981).
The Sound of Music, directed by Robert Wise (The Haunting, West Side Story), stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer and is set in 1938 Austria on the cusp of the Anschluss. The Anschluss was an occasion for German speaking countries to unite and, thus, Austria’s expropriation by Germany began, promoting a “Greater Germany” and signaling the beginning of WWII. Amidst the turmoil of the Nazi invasion, a romance blossoms between Andrews’s governess character Maria and Plummer’s emotionally distant and widowed Captain Georg von Trapp as war looms. Based on the 1959 Tony award winning Broadway musical with the ebullient Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s score, the film, with a script by Ernest Lehman (North by Northwest, West Side Story), went on to win five Oscars.
The 60s had its own war to contend with, the Vietnam War, so The Sound of Music’s portrayal of burgeoning war was all too familiar to audiences then. Maria’s innocence and sweet spirit is what charms the seven children she has to look over as well as the cynical Captain varon Trapp. Gretl, Marta, Brigitta, Kurt, Louisa, Friedrich, and Liesl, who range in age from five to sixteen, are the names of the children whose dour lives Maria brightens with music. Maria’s naivety is somewhat tainted by the Nazi’s egregious presence but that only makes her a stronger, wiser person who becomes sure of her love for and place with Captain von Trapp and his family. The film is a perennial favorite but is perfect for the holiday season because of its family focus and joyous score.
Directed by Michael Cimino (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Year of the Dragon), The Deer Hunter stars Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cazale, and Meryl Streep. This 1978 film takes place from 1968 to 1975, with the titular characters participating in the Vietnam War and the painful aftermath of life for these Pennsylvania steelworkers. Where The Sound of Music shows the nascent stages of war, The Deer Hunter shows the thick of it.
The story is adapted from the unproduced screenplay The Man Who Came to Play by Louis Garfinkle and Quinn Redeker. Cimino and Deric Washburn (Silent Running, The Border) transformed the story into a tale about the Vietnam War instead of about Las Vegas. Russian roulette was explored in the original script and took on a whole new meaning in the revised one. This is a heavy film with serious themes about unresolved trauma and the lingering malaise of war.
Hugh Hudson’s (Fangio: Uno vita a 300 all’ora, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes) Chariots of Fire is an engrossing tale about how healthy competition can be a catalyst for motivation and how competing against yourself to strive to be the best is the ultimate litmus test for victory. Set during 1924, the story revolves around two track athletes, Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), who are British competitors on their way to the Paris Olympics, but their personal battles are the heart of the story.
Harold is Jewish and attempts to overcome the anti-semitism he faces. Eric is a Christian who is devoted to his faith and uses his skills as an athlete to exalt God. 1924 was post-WWI and pre-WWII. It was a time of significant change in Britain, including the growth of the Labour Party and the British Empire’s power being showcased on multiple fronts. Colin Welland’s script imbues vitality and depth to this true story and Vangelis’s soaring score gives wings to the inspirational tale. Harold and Eric ultimately achieve their goals, making the film uplifting, yet melancholy.
What stands out about the 20th century is that it was rife with wars, a time of unprecedented scientific and technological progress, and an era of a cultural and societal paradigm shift. From burning bras to sit-ins to outsourcing work to other countries to nuclear threat, the 20th century represents upheaval as well as unmitigated advancement. The Sound of Music, The Deer Hunter, and Chariots of Fire reflect these changes in different ways. Though two of the films aren’t set in America, the universal themes of love, resilience, family, heritage, and trauma tie them together. One is a musical, one is a war drama, one is a sports drama. All very different genres that cater to different audiences, yet appealing to many because of their artistry and fundamental truths.
Oftentimes, movies don’t just entertain, but teach us something about ourselves and touch our hearts. The movie theater is a citadel for brain stimulation and emotional crests. The Oscars, since 1929, has celebrated filmmakers, visual storytellers, and their impact on society. On March 15, 2026, the 98th Oscars will once again select those films that not only represent the cultural zeitgeist but that simply just move us.
Sonya Alexander started off her career training to be a talent agent. She eventually realized she was meant to be on the creative end and has been writing ever since. As a freelance writer she’s written screenplays, covered film, television, music and video games and done academic writing. She’s also been a script reader for over twenty years. She's a member of the African American Film Critics Association and currently resides in Los Angeles.
