Rodgers and HammersteinRichard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
's
The Sound of Music is a
musical filmThe musical film is a film genre in which several songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative. The songs are usually used to advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but some musical films simply plop the songs in as unrelated "specialties" - as with Carmen Miranda's...
directed by
Robert WiseRobert Earl Wise was an American sound effects editor, film editor, film producer and director...
and starring
Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
in the lead role. The film is based on the
Broadway musicalBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
, with songs written by
Richard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
and
Oscar Hammerstein IIOscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American writer, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song", and much of his work is part of the unofficial Great...
, and with the musical book written by the writing team of
Howard LindsayHoward Lindsay was an American theatrical producer, playwright, librettist, director and actor. He is best known for his writing work as part of the collaboration of Lindsay and Crouse, and for his performance, with his wife Dorothy Stickney, in the long-running play Life with...
and
Russel CrouseRussel Crouse was an American playwright and librettist, best known for his work in the Broadway writing partnership of Lindsay and Crouse.-Biography:...
.
Ernest LehmanErnest Lehman was an American screenwriter. He received 6 Academy Award nominations during his screenwriting career...
wrote the screenplay.
The musical originated with the book
The Story of the Trapp Family SingersThe Story of the Trapp Family Singers is a memoir written by Maria Augusta von Trapp, the nun-turned-baroness whose life was fictionalised in the musical The Sound of Music. The book was published in 1949 by J. B...
by
Maria von TrappBaroness Maria Augusta von Trapp was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Her story and that of her family's escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss served as inspiration for the musical The Sound of Music.-Biography:Maria Augusta Kutschera was born on a train heading from...
. It contains many popular songs, including "
Edelweiss"Edelweiss" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. It is named after the edelweiss, a white flower found high in the Alpine hills. The song is sung by Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp as he rediscovers music and a love for his children...
", "
My Favorite Things"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.- The Sound of Music version :The song was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production, and sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film adaptation.In the musical the lyrics to the...
", "
Climb Ev'ry Mountain"Climb Ev'ry Mountain" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Here it is sung at the close of the first act by the Mother Abbess...
", "
Do-Re-Mi"Do-Re-Mi" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Within the story, it is used by Maria to teach the notes of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children who learn to sing for the first time, even though their father has disallowed frivolity after...
", "
Sixteen Going on Seventeen"Sixteen Going on Seventeen" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.The lyrics of the song state that Liesl is a young girl at the beginning of her womanhood, and having men approach her, and that she can depend on Rolf for guidance, because he's a good year...
", and "
The Lonely Goatherd"The Lonely Goatherd" is a show tune from the musical The Sound of Music that makes use of yodelling.This song tells the whimsical story of a goatherd whose yodelling is heard from far off and by passers-by, until he falls in love with a girl who wears a pale-pink coat, with her mother joining in...
", as well as the
title song"The Sound of Music" is the title song from The Sound of Music, composed by Richard Rodgers to lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally sung by Mary Martin in the 1959 stage musical of the same name. It was sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film, with a reprise by the Von Trapp family...
.
The movie version was filmed on location in
Salzburg' is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg's "Old Town" with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is noted for its...
,
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
and
BavariaBavaria , with an area of and almost 12.5 million inhabitants, is located in the southeast of Germany and is the largest state of Germany by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in
Southern GermanyThe term Southern Germany is used to describe a region in the south of Germany. There is no specific boundary to the region, but it usually includes Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and the southern part of Hesse. The Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate are also often included...
, and also at the
20th Century FoxTwentieth Century Fox Film Corporation , also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox, is one of the six major American film studios...
Studios in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
. It was photographed in 70 mm
Todd-AOTodd-AO is an extremely high definition widescreen film format developed in the mid 1950s. It was co-developed by Mike Todd, a Broadway producer, with American Optical Company in Buffalo, New York. It was memorably characterized by its creator as "Cinerama outa one hole". Unlike Cinerama, the...
by Ted D. McCord. It won a total of five
Academy AwardsThe Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is...
including
Best PictureThe Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible...
in 1965 and is one of the most popular musicals ever produced. The cast album was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Album of the YearThe Grammy Award for Album of the Year is one of the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
.
Adjusted for inflation, it made $1.022 billion domestically at 2009 prices, putting it third on the list of all-time inflation-adjusted box office hits, behind
Gone with the WindGone with the Wind is a 1939 American drama romance film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel of the same name and directed by Victor Fleming...
and
Star WarsStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released simply as Star Wars, is an American 1977 space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It was the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films continue the story, while a prequel trilogy contributes...
. In 2001, The United States
Library of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress and is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and holds the largest number of books. The head...
selected the film for preservation in the
National Film RegistryThe National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
as it was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Plot
In Salzburg, Austria, Maria, played by
Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
, is studying to become a
nunA Nun, or also known as a Sister in some cases, is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
. Maria is a free spirit and Reverend Mother (
Peggy WoodPeggy Wood was an American actress of stage, film and television.-Early career:Born Mary Margaret Wood in Brooklyn, New York, Wood spent nearly fifty years on the stage, beginning in the chorus and becoming known as a Broadway singer and star...
) is not sure if
conventA convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
life is right for her. So the Reverend Mother sends her temporarily to be the
governessA governess is a woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not their physical needs...
to seven children of a widower
navalA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
commander, Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp (
Christopher PlummerChristopher Plummer, CC is a Canadian theater, film and television actor. In a career that spans over five decades and includes substantial roles in film, television, and theater, Plummer is perhaps best known for the role of Captain Georg von Trapp in The Sound of Music...
). Maria and the Captain immediately disagree on the way the children are treated. The Captain, still stricken with the grief of his deceased wife and not wanting to be reminded of the joy they once had--music is expressly forbidden--has been raising them according to the principles of military/navy discipline. He shows this because he is very controlling and stern to the children. He blows whistles at the children when he gives them orders and makes them wear uniforms. Maria, on the other hand, wants them to enjoy life as children while they can. The children are: Liesl (16) (
Charmian CarrCharmian Carr is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Liesl, the eldest Von Trapp daughter in The Sound of Music where she starred with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, and Kym...
), who originally thinks she doesn't need a governess; Friedrich (14) (
Nicholas HammondNicholas Hammond is an American actor best known for his roles as Friedrich von Trapp in The Sound of Music and Peter Parker/Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man...
), Louisa (13) (
Heather MenziesHeather Urich , born December 3, 1949 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a Canadian-born actress who moved to California via Florida at the age of 11. She enrolled at the Falcon Studio’s University of the Arts, in Hollywood. Her first professional role at the age of 13 was on My Three Sons...
), Kurt (11) (
Duane ChaseDuane Chase is an actor, best remembered as Kurt von Trapp in The Sound of Music. He played Danny Matthews in The Big Valley for one episode. He stopped acting after high school and went on to study for his Master's degree in geology.-Current Status:Today, he lives in Seattle, Washington, and...
), Brigitta (10) (
Angela CartwrightAngela Margaret Cartwright is an English-born American actress, primarily known for her roles in movies and television...
), Marta (7) (
Debbie TurnerDebbie Turner is a former child star who played the role of Marta von Trapp in the film The Sound of Music.-Biography:Turner grew up in a Los Angeles Suburb as the third daughter of Canadian parents...
), who likes the color pink (Maria does too) and Gretl (5) (
Kym KarathKimberly "Kym" Karath is an American actress, best known for her role in The Sound of Music.- Career :...
).
The children, mischievous and initially hostile to Maria, eventually come to love her when she introduces them to the pleasures of music and singing. After a confrontation between Maria and the Captain, at the end of which he orders her to return to the abbey, he unexpectedly hears the children singing. He softens, tells Maria that she was right, and asks her to stay. One of the Captain's friends, Max Dettweiler (
Richard HaydnRichard Haydn was an English comic actor in radio, movies, and television.-Early life and career:Born George Richard Haydon in London, he was known for playing eccentric characters, such as Edwin Carp, Claud Curdle, Richard Rancyd and Stanley Stayle...
), tries to persuade the Captain to let the children perform in his concert. Maria finds herself falling in love with the captain, who seems likely to marry the wealthy
BaronessBaroness can refer to:*The female equivalent of the nobility title Baron*Baroness , a metal band from Savannah, Georgia*The Baroness, a fiction book series by Paul Kenyon*Baroness , a villain in the G.I. Joe toyline...
Elsa Schraeder (
Eleanor Parker-Early life:Parker was born in Cedarville, Ohio. At an early age, her family moved to East Cleveland, Ohio and she attended public schools. She is a graduate of Shaw High School. After high school, she was signed by Warner Brothers in 1941, at the age of 18...
). The Baroness becomes jealous of Maria's talents and the effect she has on the Captain. She convinces her to leave during a grand party at the house by exploiting Maria's inner conflict about becoming a nun and her discomfort at the Captain's obvious affection towards her. Shortly thereafter, the Captain announces his intention to marry the Baroness Elsa. However, she doesn't have good rapport with the children.
Maria talks with the Reverend Mother, who convinces Maria she must "climb every mountain" to find God's will for her life and how God "wants her to spend her love." Maria decides to return to the von Trapp family to explore where these feelings will grow. Before, Maria felt that her attraction to the Captain was improper, given her assignment and her role at the convent. Upon Maria's return, the Captain confesses to the Baroness that he is in love with Maria and the Baroness decides to leave for Vienna after realizing marriage between them would not work. Afterwards, the Captain and Maria reveal their feelings for each other in "Something Good" and finally wed.
In a subplot, Liesl, the oldest of the children, falls for a messenger named Rolf (
Daniel TruhitteDaniel Truhitte is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Rolfe in the film The Sound of Music and his portrayal of Frances Louis in the film Missing Mackintosh.-Career:...
). At first he encourages Liesl to sneak out and meet him whenever he delivers a telegram to her father, such as in one memorable episode where they are dancing in the rain. The two become estranged after he joins the Nazi Party, as he realizes that her father has no regard for him and does not support
Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , popularly known as the Nazi Party...
's
Third ReichNazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany between 1933 and 1945, while it was led by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Worker's Party . The name Third Reich refers to the state as the successor to the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages and the German...
. Rolf subtly warns the von Trapps about the danger they face for not obeying the summons of the Reich.
The Third Reich takes power in Austria as part of the
AnschlussThe ' , also known as the ', was the 1938 de facto annexation of Austria into Greater Germany by the Nazi regime....
and tries to force Captain von Trapp back into military service. The Captain, unwilling to serve the Reich, delays the matter by insisting to Zeller (
Ben WrightBen Wright was an English actor in radio, film and television.-Radio:Wright worked extensively in American radio, supplying crisp, erudite diction as the radio incarnation of Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Peter Black on Pursuit...
), the
GauleiterA Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Etymology:...
, or party leader for the district, that he is part of the
von Trapp Family SingersBaroness Maria Augusta von Trapp was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Her story and that of her family's escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss served as inspiration for the musical The Sound of Music.-Biography:Maria Augusta Kutschera was born on a train heading from...
and must appear with them during a performance at the
Salzburg Music FestivalThe Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
, in a guarded theater. After they fail to appear for their
curtain callA curtain call occurs at the end of a performance when individuals return to the stage to be recognized by the audience for their performance. In musical theater, the performers typically recognize the orchestra and its conductor at the end of the curtain call...
, a search party is formed to track the family fugitives. Rolf alone discovers the von Trapps hiding in a
cemeteryA cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term cemetery implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are the place where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
at Maria's old convent, and after a brief confrontation with the Captain, alerts his fellow soldiers to their presence. The soldiers give chase as the family flees, but they are unable to catch up with the von Trapps: their vehicles have been sabotaged by the nuns at Maria's former abbey. The von Trapps are free. The film ends with the von Trapps hiking over the Alps to
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
, which was neutral territory during WWII.
A recurring story theme is
making choices: Maria's choice between heavenly and earthly love; Von Trapp's choice between Maria and the Baroness; Max's choice between principle and pragmatism; Rolf's choice between his admiration for Von Trapp and the new rulers of Austria; Liesl's choice between Rolf and her family; the choice of the Baroness between rural Salzburg and bustling Vienna; the choice of Reverend Mother between order and spontaneity.
Production
Darryl and Richard Zanuck originally asked
William WylerWilliam Wyler was a motion picture director.-Early life:Wyler was born Wilhelm Weiller to a Swiss father and a German mother, in Mulhouse in the French region of Alsace...
to direct the film. Because he was suffering from a loss of hearing that affected his ability to appreciate music fully, Wyler felt he was the wrong man for the job, but he agreed to fly to New York and see the
BroadwayBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
production. Feeling many of the songs did not evolve organically from the plot, he remained undecided and wrote to the producer of
Die Trapp-FamilieThe Trapp Family is a 1956 West German film.The film is about Maria von Trapp's family. It had one sequel, The Trapp Family in America .The film and its sequel appeared before the film The Sound of Music....
, a 1956 non-musical film about the von Trapps, to ask his advice. "This cannot fail," he responded, and Wyler accepted the assignment.
Wyler had seen the original Broadway production of
My Fair LadyMy Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from professor Henry Higgins so that she can pass as a lady...
and had been impressed by
Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
, who was in the process of filming
Mary PoppinsMary Poppins is a 1964 musical film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, produced by Walt Disney, and based on the Mary Poppins books series by P. L. Travers with illustrations by Mary Shepard. The film was directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, with songs by...
. He met with her on the set and asked
Walt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the twentieth century. As the co-founder Walter Elias...
if he could see some of the
dailiesDailies, in filmmaking, is the term used to describe the raw, unedited footage shot during the making of a motion picture. They are so called because usually at the end of each day, that day's footage is developed, synched to sound, and printed on film in a batch for viewing the next day by the...
. Convinced she was perfect for the role of Maria, he signed her to a contract.
Wyler returned to New York and met with Maria von Trapp, then he and screenwriter
Ernest LehmanErnest Lehman was an American screenwriter. He received 6 Academy Award nominations during his screenwriting career...
and their wives flew to
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
to begin scouting locations in the
Tyrolean AlpsThe Princely County of Tyrol was an independent county within the Holy Roman Empire, and later a Kronland of Cisleithanian Austria. Today its territory is divided between the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and the Austrian state of Tyrol...
. There they visited the convent where von Trapp had been a novice, and Wyler discussed the possibility of filming scenes there with the
Mother SuperiorA mother superior is an abbess or other nun in charge of a Christian religious order or congregation, a convent or house of women under vows.Mother superior may also refer to:*Mother Superior , a rock band who became ¾ of Rollins Band circa 2000...
. He then met with the mayor of
Salzburg' is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg's "Old Town" with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is noted for its...
. Wyler was concerned the presence of a film crew shooting German troops parading before buildings draped with the Nazi flag would be a harsh reminder of the
AnschlussThe ' , also known as the ', was the 1938 de facto annexation of Austria into Greater Germany by the Nazi regime....
for those who had experienced it. The mayor assured him the residents had managed to live through it the first time and would survive it again.
Wyler returned to Hollywood and began pre-production work on the film, but his wife realized his heart clearly wasn't in it. Then he was approached by Jud Kinberg and John Kohn, neophyte film producers who had purchased the rights to the
John FowlesJohn Robert Fowles was an English novelist and essayist.-Birth and family:Fowles was born in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, England, the son of Gladys May Richards and Robert John Fowles. Robert Fowles came from a family of middle-class merchants of London. Robert's father Reginald was a partner of the...
novel
The CollectorThe Collector is the title of a 1963 novel by John Fowles. It was made into a movie in 1965.- Plot summary :The novel is about a lonely young man, Frederick Clegg, who works as a clerk in a city hall, and collects butterflies in his spare time. The first part of the novel tells the story from his...
prior to its publication. They had a commitment from
Terence Stamp-Early life:Stamp, the eldest of five children, was born in Stepney, London, the son of Ethel Esther and Thomas Stamp, who was a tugboat captain. His early years were spent in Canal Road, Bow, in the East End of London,, but later in his childhood the family moved to Plaistow, Essex...
to star in the film and a first draft screenplay by
Stanley MannStanley Mann is a Canadian-born film and television writer. He began his writing career in 1951, and was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the 1965 film The Collector, based on the John Fowles novel of the same name. In 1957 he penned an adaptation of Death of a Salesman for television...
. Wyler was impressed with the script and, feeling an affinity with the project he did not with
The Sound of Music, he asked the Zanucks to release him from his contract. They agreed, and Robert Wise was hired to replace Wyler.
Cast
- Julie Andrews
Dame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
as Maria von TrappBaroness Maria Augusta von Trapp was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Her story and that of her family's escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss served as inspiration for the musical The Sound of Music.-Biography:Maria Augusta Kutschera was born on a train heading from...
, a free-spirited young AustrianAustrians are a nation and an ethnic group originating from the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent...
woman, studying to become a nunA Nun, or also known as a Sister in some cases, is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
. Due to her often singing and seeming somewhat out of place in the abbey, Mother Abbess sends her to the nearby town of Salzburg' is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg's "Old Town" with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is noted for its...
to be governess to the seven children of Captain von Trapp. Although initially hostile toward her, the children come to love Maria through her introducing the joys of music and singing, and she develops a special relationship with Liesl, the eldest. Throughout the film, the Captain grows closer to both his children and Maria through the reintroduction of music, and Maria falls in love with him. Fearful of how returning the Captain's affections might seem in God's eyes (as she is the children's governess), Maria returns to the abbey, but is convinced to return and see what her love might bring. Eventually, the Captain admits his feelings for her, and they marry. However, the Third Reich is taking power via the Anschluss, prompting Maria and her new family to leave Austria.
- Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer, CC is a Canadian theater, film and television actor. In a career that spans over five decades and includes substantial roles in film, television, and theater, Plummer is perhaps best known for the role of Captain Georg von Trapp in The Sound of Music...
as Captain Baron von Trapp, a former Austrian captain in its military whose wife died, leaving behind their seven children. He extends his military background into raising his children, at first represented as a strict disciplinarian. However, the Captain's attitude toward both the children and Maria softens considerably after she reintroduces music into the family. The Captain is courtingCourtship is the traditional dating period before engagement and marriage. During a courtship, a couple dates to get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement...
Baroness Elsa Schraeder throughout the film, and becomes engaged to her, but they call it off, and he proclaims his love to Maria, marrying her instead. The Captain firmly believes in Austrian independence, proudly displaying the Austrian flag and tearing down the Nazi one, as well as refusing to join the Nazis. He, Maria and the children leave Austria at the end of the film by crossing the Alps to Switzerland.
- Richard Haydn
Richard Haydn was an English comic actor in radio, movies, and television.-Early life and career:Born George Richard Haydon in London, he was known for playing eccentric characters, such as Edwin Carp, Claud Curdle, Richard Rancyd and Stanley Stayle...
as Max Detweiler, a good friend of both the Baroness and the Captain, he is one of the few to call him Georg. Max seeks out talented musicians and singers, and reveals them to the public eye. In searching Salzburg for talented singers, he finds what he wants in the von Trapp family, and constantly tries to convince the Captain to let him enter the children in the Salzburg Music FestivalThe Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
. He is also somewhat neutral when it comes to the Third Reich, and although he doesn't like or approve of it, Max is more willing than the Captain to let it quietly take place. Nevertheless, due to their close friendship, he helps the von Trapps escape during the festival.
- Eleanor Parker
-Early life:Parker was born in Cedarville, Ohio. At an early age, her family moved to East Cleveland, Ohio and she attended public schools. She is a graduate of Shaw High School. After high school, she was signed by Warner Brothers in 1941, at the age of 18...
as Baroness Elsa Schraeder, the Captain's lady friend from ViennaVienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by...
, and later his temporary fiancee. The Baroness becomes jealous of Maria's talent, and convinces her to leave during a grand party at the house by exploiting Maria's inner conflict about becoming a nun and her discomfort at the Captain's obvious affection towards her. The Captain announces their engagement to the children, but she doesn't go over well with them. After Maria's return, the Captain confesses to the Baroness that he is being unfair to her. Seeing the marriage wouldn't work, she decides to return to Vienna.
- Charmian Carr
Charmian Carr is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Liesl, the eldest Von Trapp daughter in The Sound of Music where she starred with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, and Kym...
as Liesl von Trapp, the eldest of the von Trapp children, sixteen ("going on seventeen"). She at first believes she doesn't need a governess, but soon comes to trust Maria. Liesl is in love with a messenger named Rolf, who delivers their telegrams. However, Rolf changes after joining the Third Reich, no longer caring for Liesl. She seeks advice from Maria about this, who tells her to "wait a year or two" to find love. She is shocked to see Rolf is one of the search party, and begs him to stop and to let them escape.
- Nicholas Hammond
Nicholas Hammond is an American actor best known for his roles as Friedrich von Trapp in The Sound of Music and Peter Parker/Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man...
as Friedrich von Trapp, the second oldest of the children, fourteen. He is very quiet; he is also somewhat of a gentleman, despite his involvement in the tricks against the previous governesses, which the children confess were merely to get the Captain's attention.
- Heather Menzies
Heather Urich , born December 3, 1949 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a Canadian-born actress who moved to California via Florida at the age of 11. She enrolled at the Falcon Studio’s University of the Arts, in Hollywood. Her first professional role at the age of 13 was on My Three Sons...
as Louisa von Trapp, the third of the children, thirteen. She and Brigitta are often together, and Louisa is somewhat of a daydreamer.
- Duane Chase
Duane Chase is an actor, best remembered as Kurt von Trapp in The Sound of Music. He played Danny Matthews in The Big Valley for one episode. He stopped acting after high school and went on to study for his Master's degree in geology.-Current Status:Today, he lives in Seattle, Washington, and...
as Kurt von Trapp, the second boy, eleven. Kurt often tries to act manly and is outspoken against the previous governesses and often questions Maria about things, once trying to learn an Austrian waltz. He is notable for being somewhat loud and boisterous at times.
- Angela Cartwright
Angela Margaret Cartwright is an English-born American actress, primarily known for her roles in movies and television...
as Brigitta von Trapp, the fifth child, ten. Brigitta is very sharp-witted, honest, and somewhat nonconformist, not afraid to speak her mind about things (e.g., Maria's dress being ugly). She is sometimes shown to have her head in a book.
- Debbie Turner
Debbie Turner is a former child star who played the role of Marta von Trapp in the film The Sound of Music.-Biography:Turner grew up in a Los Angeles Suburb as the third daughter of Canadian parents...
as Marta von Trapp, the sixth child, seven. Marta gets along well with Maria, sharing her love of pink and being the first to like her.
- Kym Karath
Kimberly "Kym" Karath is an American actress, best known for her role in The Sound of Music.- Career :...
as Gretl von Trapp, the seventh and youngest of the children, five. She speaks very little, and is often shy.
- Peggy Wood
Peggy Wood was an American actress of stage, film and television.-Early career:Born Mary Margaret Wood in Brooklyn, New York, Wood spent nearly fifty years on the stage, beginning in the chorus and becoming known as a Broadway singer and star...
as Mother Abbess, the head of Maria's abbey, who convinces her to leave the abbey and explore life as a governess a while. When Maria returns, she has her explain why she left and realizes Maria is in love, and convinces her to return and face her problems, to see what might come of this love. This proves to be good advice, as Maria later marries the Captain. Mother Abbess also shelters Maria and her family while they are hiding from the Nazis and helps them escape to Switzerland.
- Anna Lee
Anna Lee, MBE , born Joan Boniface Winnifrith, was an English actress.-Career:Lee studied at the Royal Albert Hall, then debuted in 1932 with a bit part in the film His Lordship...
as Sister Margaretta, a nun who looks fondly on Maria. She, as well as Sister Berthe, helps her to escape by sabotaging Gauleiter's car.
- Portia Nelson as Sister Berthe, a nun who doesn't believe Maria belongs in the abbey; she nevertheless helps her escape by sabotaging Gauleiter's car.
- Daniel Truhitte
Daniel Truhitte is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Rolfe in the film The Sound of Music and his portrayal of Frances Louis in the film Missing Mackintosh.-Career:...
as Rolf, a messenger who is in love with Liesl. The two become estranged after he joins the Nazi Party, as he realizes that her father has no regard for him and does not support Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , popularly known as the Nazi Party...
's Third ReichNazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany between 1933 and 1945, while it was led by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Worker's Party . The name Third Reich refers to the state as the successor to the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages and the German...
. Rolf subtly warns the von Trapps about the danger they face for not obeying the summons of the Reich.
- Ben Wright
Ben Wright was an English actor in radio, film and television.-Radio:Wright worked extensively in American radio, supplying crisp, erudite diction as the radio incarnation of Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Peter Black on Pursuit...
as Hans Zeller, Gauleiter, an enforcer of the Third Reich, who is oppositional against the Captain as early on as the party held for the Baroness. He later returns to inform Max that the Captain is to be escorted to his new position in the German Navy, personally meeting the Captain himself. Through the intervention of the abbey and the festival, the von Trapps ultimately elude his grasp.
Historical accuracy
The film presents a history of the von Trapp family, albeit one that is not completely accurate. Georg Ludwig von Trapp, who was indeed anti-Nazi, lived with his family in a villa in a district of Salzburg called
AigenAigen is a district in the city of Salzburg, Salzburgerland, Austria. It is one of the 24 districts in which Salzburg is organized. The Salzach river is its western border and the municipality of Elsbethen is to the south.- Infrastructures :...
.
MariaBaroness Maria Augusta von Trapp was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Her story and that of her family's escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss served as inspiration for the musical The Sound of Music.-Biography:Maria Augusta Kutschera was born on a train heading from...
and Georg had been married 10 years before the Anschluss and had two of their three children before that time. Unlike in the film, Georg considered a position in the
KriegsmarineThe Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi regime, superseding the Reichsmarine, and the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht.-Command structure:Adolf Hitler was the commander-in-chief...
but ultimately did decide to emigrate with his family.
While the film shows the von Trapp family hiking over the Alps to Switzerland, they actually walked to the local train station and boarded the next train to Italy, from which they fled to London and ultimately the United States.
Salzburg' is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg's "Old Town" with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is noted for its...
is only a few miles away from the Austrian-German border and is much too far from either the Swiss or Italian borders for a family to escape by walking. Had the von Trapps hiked over the mountains they would have in all likelihood ended up in Germany near the
KehlsteinhausThe Kehlsteinhaus , is a chalet-style building which when built was an extension of the Obersalzberg complex built by the Nazis in the mountains near Berchtesgaden. The Kehlsteinhaus was an official 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler...
, Hitler's mountain retreat in
BerchtesgadenBerchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich...
.
Although the film does not recount an entirely accurate story of the family, it was filmed at original locations in the city and county of Salzburg and
Upper AustriaUpper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
, including
Nonnberg AbbeyNonnberg Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Salzburg, Austria.It was founded ca. 714 by Saint Rupert of Salzburg and is the oldest women's religious house in the German-speaking world...
, and
St.Peter cemeteryThe Petersfriedhof or Sant Peter's cemetery is one of the twelve cemeteries in the city of Salzburg, Salzburgerland, Austria. It's one of the most important tourist attraction in the city.- Buried people :* Michael Haydn...
. Leopoldskron Palace, Frohnburg Palace, and Hellbrunn Palace were some of the locations used for the Trapp Villa in the film. The opening scene and aerial shots were filmed in
AnifAnif is a small municipality with 4,300 inhabitants, located south of Salzburg in the state of Salzburg, Austria.-History:The place was mentioned for the first time as "the church near Anif" in 788. In 1782, the Grimm brothers recorded in his Brixener Volksbuch a local tale about a peasant and a...
(
Anif PalaceThe Anif Palace, also known as Water Palace Anif, stands beside an artificial pond within the Austrian county of Anif at the southern edge of the city of Salzburg...
),
MondseeMondsee is an Austrian town in the Vöcklabruck district in Upper Austria located on the shore of the lake Mondsee. The length from north to south is 9.5 km, and width from east to west is 7.7 km...
, and
SalzkammergutThe Salzkammergut is a resort area located in Austria. It stretches from City of Salzburg to the Dachstein mountain range, spanning the federal states of Upper Austria , Salzburg , and Styria . The main river of the region is the Traun, a tributary of the Danube...
(
Fuschl am SeeThe resort destination Fuschl am See is located at the East end of the Fuschlsee, between Salzburg and Bad Ischl in the state of Salzburg. The community has 1,406 inhabitants.-Geography:Fuschl am See covers an area of 21.4 km²...
,
St. GilgenSt. Gilgen is a picturesque village by the Wolfgangsee in the Austrian state of Salzburg, in the "Salzkammergut" region.-Geography:Sankt Gilgen is situated in the south-western shore of the lake Wolfgangsee, close to Strobl and to the Upper Austrian municipality of St. Wolfgang...
and
Saint WolfgangSaint Wolfgang or Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg was bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria from Christmas 972 until his death. He is a saint of the Roman Catholic church...
).
Hohenwerfen CastleBurg Hohenwerfen is a castle approximately 40 km south of the Austrian city of Salzburg. The castle is majestically surrounded by the Berchtesgaden Alps and the Tennengebirge mountain range...
served as the main backdrop for the song "Do-Re-Mi." At the
Mirabell GardensThe Palace of Mirabell is one of the most-visited places in Salzburg, Salzburgerland, Austria.-History:It was built in the Baroque style, with Italian and French models, by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau in 1606...
in Salzburg, Maria and the children sing "Do-Re-Mi", dancing around the Horse fountain and using the steps as a musical scale.
Songs
All songs have music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II unless otherwise noted. Instrumental underscore passages were adapted by
Irwin KostalIrwin Kostal was an Academy Award-winning American musical arranger of films and an orchestrator of Broadway musicals....
.
- "Prelude and The Sound of Music
"The Sound of Music" is the title song from The Sound of Music, composed by Richard Rodgers to lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally sung by Mary Martin in the 1959 stage musical of the same name. It was sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film, with a reprise by the Von Trapp family...
"
- "Overture" (Main Titles, consisting of "The Sound of Music", "Do-Re-Mi", "My Favorite Things", "Something Good" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain") segué into the Preludium
- "Preludium: Dixit Dominus", "Morning Hymn" (Rex admirabilis and Alleluia, based on traditional songs)
- "Maria
"Maria", sometimes known as "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music....
"
- "I Have Confidence" (lyrics and music by Rodgers)
- "Sixteen Going on Seventeen
"Sixteen Going on Seventeen" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.The lyrics of the song state that Liesl is a young girl at the beginning of her womanhood, and having men approach her, and that she can depend on Rolf for guidance, because he's a good year...
"
- "My Favorite Things
"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.- The Sound of Music version :The song was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production, and sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film adaptation.In the musical the lyrics to the...
"
- "Salzburg Montage" (instrumental underscore based on "My Favorite Things")
- "Do-Re-Mi
"Do-Re-Mi" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Within the story, it is used by Maria to teach the notes of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children who learn to sing for the first time, even though their father has disallowed frivolity after...
"
- "The Sound of Music" (reprise)
- "The Lonely Goatherd
"The Lonely Goatherd" is a show tune from the musical The Sound of Music that makes use of yodelling.This song tells the whimsical story of a goatherd whose yodelling is heard from far off and by passers-by, until he falls in love with a girl who wears a pale-pink coat, with her mother joining in...
"
- "Edelweiss
"Edelweiss" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. It is named after the edelweiss, a white flower found high in the Alpine hills. The song is sung by Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp as he rediscovers music and a love for his children...
"
- "The Grand Waltz" (instrumental underscore, based on "My Favorite Things")
- "Ländler
The ländler is a folk dance in 3/4 time which was popular in Austria, south Germany and German Switzerland at the end of the 18th century.It is a dance for couples which strongly features hopping and stamping...
" (instrumental based on "The Lonely Goatherd")
- "So Long, Farewell"
- "Processional Waltz" (instrumental underscore)
- "Goodbye Maria/How Can Love Survive Waltz" (instrumental underscore, incorporating "Edelweiss" and the deleted song "How Can Love Survive?")
- "Edelweiss Waltz" (instrumental, Act 1 Finale, based on "Edelweiss")
- "Entr'acte" (instrumental, consisting of "I Have Confidence", "So Long, Farewell", "Do-Re-Mi", "Something Good" and "The Sound of Music")
- "Climb Ev'ry Mountain
"Climb Ev'ry Mountain" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Here it is sung at the close of the first act by the Mother Abbess...
"
- "My Favorite Things" (reprise)
- "Something Good" (lyrics and music by Rodgers)
- "Processional" (instrumental) and "Maria"
- "Sixteen Going On Seventeen" (reprise)
- "Do-Re-Mi" (Salzburg Folk Festival reprise)
- "Edelweiss
"Edelweiss" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. It is named after the edelweiss, a white flower found high in the Alpine hills. The song is sung by Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp as he rediscovers music and a love for his children...
" (Salzburg Folk Festival reprise)
- "So Long, Farewell" (Salzburg Folk Festival reprise)
- "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" (reprise)
- "End Titles"
"
Edelweiss"Edelweiss" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. It is named after the edelweiss, a white flower found high in the Alpine hills. The song is sung by Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp as he rediscovers music and a love for his children...
", thought by some to be a traditional Austrian song or even the
Austrian national anthemLand der Berge, Land am Strome is the national anthem of Austria.Nineteen days before his death on December 5, 1791 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his last complete work, the "Freimaurerkantate", KV 623....
, was written expressly for the musical by Hammerstein. Originally unknown in Austria, it has been promoted heavily there ever since, especially in Salzburg.
Reception
The film premiered in the United States on March 2, 1965. It ultimately grossed over US$158 million at the U.S. and Canada box office, and displaced
Gone with the WindGone with the Wind is a 1939 American drama romance film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel of the same name and directed by Victor Fleming...
as all-time champion. Adjusted for inflation, it made $1.022 billion at 2009 prices, putting it third on the list of all-time inflation-adjusted box office hits, behind
Gone with the Wind and
Star WarsStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released simply as Star Wars, is an American 1977 space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It was the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films continue the story, while a prequel trilogy contributes...
.
The soundtrack album on the
RCA VictorRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1983 and a partner from 1983 to 1986.-The RCA family of labels:RCA is the name of three different co-owned record...
label has sold over 11 million copies worldwide, and has never been out of print. The soundtrack album was included in the stockpile of records held in 20 underground radio stations of Great Britain's
Wartime Broadcasting ServiceThe Wartime Broadcasting Service was a service of the BBC that was intended to broadcast in the United Kingdom either after a nuclear attack or if conventional bombing destroyed regular BBC facilities in a conventional war ....
, designed to provide public information and morale-boosting broadcasts for 100 days after a
nuclear attackNuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weapons are used. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare is vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
.
Despite the enormous popularity of the movie, some critics were unimpressed.
Walter KerrFor the RN admiral see Lord Walter KerrWalter Francis Kerr was an American writer and Broadway theater critic. He also was the writer, lyricist, and/or director of several Broadway plays and musicals....
of the
New York Herald TribuneThe New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald. The Herald Tribune was a leading Republican paper, and a voice for moderate "internationalist" Republicans as opposed to the "isolationist" variety represented by the Chicago...
had written the one negative review of the stage musical by calling it "not only too sweet for words but almost too sweet for music"; similarly, noted film critic
Pauline KaelPauline Kael was an American film critic who wrote for The New Yorker magazine from 1968 to 1991. Earlier in her career she was published by City Lights, McCall's and The New Republic....
blasted the film by calling it "the sugar-coated lie people seem to want to eat," and "we have been turned into emotional and aesthetic imbeciles when we hear ourselves humming the sickly, goody-goody songs." This review allegedly led to Kael's dismissal from
McCall'sMcCall's was a monthly American women's magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century, peaking at a readership of six million in 1960. It was established as a small-format magazine called The Queen in 1873. In 1897, it was renamed McCall's Magazine and subsequently grew...
magazine.
Kael herself admits that her review of "The Sound of Music" was not the sole reason for her dismissal from
McCall'sMcCall's was a monthly American women's magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century, peaking at a readership of six million in 1960. It was established as a small-format magazine called The Queen in 1873. In 1897, it was renamed McCall's Magazine and subsequently grew...
, but was, she says, "...because of [reviews of] a lot of movies." McCall's then-editor, Bob Stein, says her dismissal was the result of a long series of infractions in which her reviews were deemed "personal attacks" on the life choices of the actors and producers themselves, and not of just the movie itself. "I don't know what particularly brought it on," Stein states, "...[M]y own guess is that reviewing for a mass magazine, she seemed to have some need to make it clear how independent she was."
20th Century FoxTwentieth Century Fox Film Corporation , also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox, is one of the six major American film studios...
executives close to the "Kael incident" categorically denied having anything to do with it. They even met with Kael shortly after her dismissal to clear this up with her. By the time Kael's review came out, they asserted, "The Sound Of Music" was a world-wide hit of such proportions that "another high-brow blast would not effect business."
Controversy surrounded the film's release in Germany. According to a 2000 documentary, "...the film's Nazi overtones brought about the unauthorized cutting of the third act," which begins directly after Maria's wedding to the Baron and contains images of post-
AnschlussThe ' , also known as the ', was the 1938 de facto annexation of Austria into Greater Germany by the Nazi regime....
Austria. Eventually, the third act was restored to the German release, but audience attendance did not improve, and the movie is ironically unknown in Germany and Austria. This can be mainly attributed to the former German-made movie
"Die Trapp-Familie" (1956) and its sequel
"Die Trapp-Familie in Amerika" (1958), but also to the dark period of Austrian history, cursorily displayed in the latter movie.
Ten years later, Robert Wise would later make another historical film known as
The HindenburgThe Hindenburg is a movie based on the disaster of the German airship Hindenburg. The film was produced and directed by Robert Wise, and was written by Nelson Gidding, Richard Levinson and William Link based on the book of the same name by Michael M. Mooney . A.A...
which also used at least some of the film's plot keywords and settings.
The Sound of Music is credited as the film that saved
20th Century FoxTwentieth Century Fox Film Corporation , also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox, is one of the six major American film studios...
, after high production costs and low revenue for
CleopatraCleopatra is a 1963 film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The screenplay was adapted by Sidney Buchman, Ben Hecht, Ranald MacDougall, and Joseph L. Mankiewicz from a book by Carlo Mario Franzero. The film starred Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall and Martin Landau. The...
nearly bankrupted the studio.
Retitles
The film was adapted for other countries, including:
- Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
(A Noviça Rebelde, or The Rebel Novice)
- China
China is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
(音乐之声, The Sound of Music)
- France
France , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
("La mélodie du bonheur", The Melody of Happiness)
- Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
(retitled Meine Lieder, Meine Träume, or My Songs, My Dreams)
- Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
(Η μελωδία της ευτυχίας,I melodia tis eftihias, The Melody of Happiness)
- Hungary
Hungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
(A muzsika hangja, The Sound of Music)
- India
India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
(Santhi Nilayam 1969 by Gemini Pictures) & (Raja Chinna roja) this film's songs were used as a base by Ilayaraja for three films and by A.R.Rahman for LaganLagan may refer to:*River Lagan, river in Northern Ireland**Laganside Corporation, public body formed to regenerate the Lagan in Belfast**Lagan College, the first integrated school in Northern Ireland**Lagan Valley, valley in Northern Ireland...
. ChandraboseChandrabose is an Indian lyricist who writes songs for Tollywood films. He was also a playback singer at the start of his motion picture career.- Filmography :* Bendu Apparao R.M.P * Magadheera * Lakshyam...
used this movie's song in Raja Chinna rojaRaja Chinna Roja is a Tamil film is directed by S.P.Muthuraman. is a remake of 1965 English Musical Sound of Music with a song of the English movie fully remade in Tamil.- Plot :...
- Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
اشکها و لبخندها (Ashkha va labkhandha, Tears and Smiles)
- Israel
Israel officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
(צלילי המוזיקהTzeliley ha-muzika, The Sound of Music)
- Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
(Tutti insieme Appassionatamente, All Together with Passion)
- Japan
is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(サウンド・オブ・ミュージック, Sound of Music)
- Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish, Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,501 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
(La Novicia Rebelde, The Rebel Novice)
- Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
(Muzikos garsai,The Sound of Music)
- Netherlands
The Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
(De mooiste muziek, The Most Beautiful Music)
- Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
(Música no Coração, or Music in the Heart)
- Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia , is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south...
(صوت الموسيقى Saut al-musiqa, Sound of the Music)
- Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
(Sonrisas y Lágrimas, Smiles and Tears)
- Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia is a term that describes three political entities that existed successively on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century.The first country to be known by this...
(Serbo-Croatian: Moje pjesme, moji snovi, My Songs, My Dreams; Slovene: Moje pesmi, moje sanje, My Songs, My Dreams)
- Taiwan
Taiwan , also known as Formosa , is the largest island of the Republic of China in East Asia. Taiwan is located east of the Taiwan Strait, off the southeastern coast of mainland China...
(真善美, Truth, Kindness and Beauty)
- Thailand
The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
( มนต์รักเพลงสวรรค์ , Love Spell, Heavenly Songs)
Academy Awards
Wins
- Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible...
- Best Director (Robert Wise
Robert Earl Wise was an American sound effects editor, film editor, film producer and director...
)
- Sound
The Academy Award for Sound Mixing is an Academy Award that recognizes the finest or most euphonic sound mixing or recording, and is generally awarded to the production sound mixers and re-recording mixers of the winning film. Compare this award to the Academy Award for Sound Editing...
- Best Adapted Score
The Academy Award for Original Music Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Winners with multiple nominations:...
- Film Editing
The Academy Award for Film Editing is one of the annual awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; it was first given for films released in 1934. The name of this award is occasionally changed; in 2008, it was listed as the Academy Award for Achievement in Film Editing. The New York...
Nominations
- Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
(Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
)
- Best Supporting Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
(Peggy WoodPeggy Wood was an American actress of stage, film and television.-Early career:Born Mary Margaret Wood in Brooklyn, New York, Wood spent nearly fifty years on the stage, beginning in the chorus and becoming known as a Broadway singer and star...
)
- Best Cinematography
The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture....
- Best Art Direction
The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. The Academy Award for Best Art Direction recognizes achievement in art direction on a film. The films below are listed with their production year, so the Oscar 2000 for best art direction went to a film from 1999...
(Boris LevenBoris Leven was a Russian-born Academy Award-winning art director and production designer whose Hollywood career spanned fifty-three years....
, Walter M. ScottWalter M. Scott was an Academy Award-winning set decorator who worked on films such as The Sound of Music and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid....
, Ruby LevittRuby R. Levitt was an American set decorator. She was nominated for four Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction.-Selected filmography:Levitt was nominated for four Academy Awards for Best Art Direction:...
)
- Best Costume Design
This Academy Award was first given for movies made in 1948 when separate awards were given for black-and-white and color movies.- 1940s :Black-and-White*1948: Roger K. Furse – Hamlet** Irene Lentz – B...
Golden Globe Awards
Wins
- Best Picture - Musical or Comedy
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy has been awarded annually since 1952 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.-1950s:* 1952 - An American in Paris* 1953 - With a Song in My Heart...
- Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1950...
(Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
)
Nominations
- Best Director - Motion Picture (Robert Wise
Robert Earl Wise was an American sound effects editor, film editor, film producer and director...
)
- Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
The Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1944 for a performance in a motion picture released in the previous year....
(Peggy WoodPeggy Wood was an American actress of stage, film and television.-Early career:Born Mary Margaret Wood in Brooklyn, New York, Wood spent nearly fifty years on the stage, beginning in the chorus and becoming known as a Broadway singer and star...
)
Television and video releases
The first American television airing was on
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
on February 29, 1976 to record ratings. ABC then had a contract dispute with FOX. The film wasn't seen on TV again until
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
acquired the broadcast rights. Their first telecast of the film was on February 11, 1979. NBC continued to air it annually for twenty years, often preempting regular programming. During most of its run on NBC, the film was heavily edited to fit a three-hour time slot (approximately 140 minutes without commercials).
Starting in 1995, the movie aired in an uncut form on NBC (on April 9, 1995, minus the entr'acte). Julie Andrews hosted the four-hour telecast which presented the musical numbers in a
letterboxLetterboxing is the practice of transferring film shot in a widescreen aspect ratio to standard-width video formats while preserving the film's original aspect ratio. The resulting videographic image has mattes above and below it; these mattes are part of the image...
format. As the film's home video availability cut into its TV ratings, NBC let their contract lapse at the turn of the 21st century. In 2001 it had a one time airing on the
FoxThe Fox Broadcasting Company , commonly referred to as Fox , is an American television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, from 2004 to 2009 Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18–49 demographic...
network, again in its heavily-edited 140-minute version. Currently, it airs at
ChristmasChristmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. The nativity of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini...
time on ABC since 2003 and around
EasterEaster is the most important annual religious feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to Christian scripture, Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the third day from his crucifixion...
on its sister cable network,
ABC FamilyABC Family is an American cable television network currently owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a division of The Walt Disney Company. ABC Family offers contemporary and inclusive programming, including series, movies, events, and enhanced ABC encore presentations...
, where its most recent runs have been the full version in a four-hour time slot, complete with the entr'acte. ABC broadcast the movie in HD resolution on December 28, 2008.
In the UK, the first television airing was on
BBC One
, on Christmas Day, 1978 at 4.20pm.
The film has been released on
VHSVideo Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS, was a video tape recording standard developed during the 1970s. It was released to the public during the latter half of the decade. During the late part of the 1970s and the early 1980s it formed one-half of the VHS vs Betamax war, which it...
,
LaserdiscThe Laserdisc is an obsolete home video disc format, and was the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially marketed as Discovision in 1978, the technology was licensed and sold as Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Videodisc, Laservision, Disco-Vision, DiscoVision, and MCA...
, and
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
numerous times. The movie is often included in box sets with other Rodgers & Hammerstein film adaptations. A 40th anniversary DVD, with 'making of' documentaries and special features, was released in 2005.
The Film is going to have a future BLU-RAY DVD release to mark the films 45th anniversay.
Legacy
It has topped numerous lists from the
American Film InstituteThe American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
including:
- 1998 AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies #55
- 2002 AFI's 100 Years…100 Passions #27
- 2004 AFI's 100 Years…100 Songs:
- "The Sound of Music
"The Sound of Music" is the title song from The Sound of Music, composed by Richard Rodgers to lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally sung by Mary Martin in the 1959 stage musical of the same name. It was sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film, with a reprise by the Von Trapp family...
," #10
- "My Favorite Things
"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.- The Sound of Music version :The song was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production, and sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film adaptation.In the musical the lyrics to the...
," #64
- "Do-Re-Mi
"Do-Re-Mi" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Within the story, it is used by Maria to teach the notes of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children who learn to sing for the first time, even though their father has disallowed frivolity after...
," #88
- 2006 AFI's 100 Years…100 Cheers #41
- 2006 AFI's 100 Years of Musicals
Part of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals is a list of the top musicals in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute at the Hollywood Bowl on September 3, 2006...
#4
- 2007 AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) #40
Every year starting in 2005 the
Hollywood BowlThe Hollywood Bowl is a famous modern amphitheatre in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, USA, that is used primarily for music performances...
in
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
holds an annual
Sound of Music sing-a-long, where the film is played with song lyrics underneath the screen. The actors who played the Von Trapp Children in the film along with the real Von Trapp children have made appearances at this event. Called "
The Rocky Horror Picture ShowThe Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 British musical comedy film that parodies science fiction and horror films. Still in limited release 34 years after its premiere, it has the longest-running theatrical release in film history. It gained notoriety as a midnight movie in 1977 when audiences...
on Prozac", this event has sold out every year since its inception.
External links