The Sound of Music (1965)

A woman leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a Naval officer widower.

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Howard Lindsay (book), Russel Crouse (book),

Stars:

Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker

Won 5 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julie Andrews	...	Maria
Christopher Plummer	...	Captain Von Trapp
Eleanor Parker	...	The Baroness
Richard Haydn	...	Max Detweiler
Peggy Wood	...	Mother Abbess
Charmian Carr	...	Liesl
Heather Menzies-Urich	...	Louisa (as Heather Menzies)
Nicholas Hammond	...	Friedrich
Duane Chase	...	Kurt
Angela Cartwright	...	Brigitta
Debbie Turner	...	Marta
Kym Karath	...	Gretl
Anna Lee	...	Sister Margaretta
Portia Nelson	...	Sister Berthe
Ben Wright	...	Herr Zeller

Storyline

In 1930's Austria, a young woman named Maria is failing miserably in her attempts to become a nun. When the Navy captain Georg Von Trapp writes to the convent asking for a governess that can handle his seven mischievous children, Maria is given the job. The Captain's wife is dead, and he is often away, and runs the household as strictly as he does the ships he sails on. The children are unhappy and resentful of the governesses that their father keeps hiring, and have managed to run each of them off one by one. When Maria arrives, she is initially met with the same hostility, but her kindness, understanding, and sense of fun soon draws them to her and brings some much-needed joy into all their lives -- including the Captain's. Eventually he and Maria find themselves falling in love, even though Georg is already engaged to a Baroness and Maria is still a postulant. The romance makes them both start questioning the decisions they have made. Their personal conflicts soon become ...

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Plot Keywords:

children | governess | austria | love | nun | 

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Taglines:

RADIANCE THAT FLOODS THE SCREEN...AND WARMS THE HEART!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Family | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 1965 (UK)

Also Known As:

Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music

Filming Locations:

Schloss Leopoldskron, Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

Box Office

Budget:

$8,200,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$163,214,286 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Robert Wise Productions, Argyle Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

174 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Mono (Westrex Recording System) (35 mm prints) Stereo (some 35 mm prints) DTS 70 mm (70mm re-release)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After multiple directors had turned down the film, William Wyler finally agreed to take it on. Wyler at the time was suffering from a loss of hearing and was highly sceptical about making a film about music, thinking he was the wrong man for the job. He was slightly appeased in his decision after seeing the Broadway production.

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Goofs

When Maria first leaves the convent, one of the bars in the iron gate is visibly cut away to make room for the camera.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Maria: [singing] The hills are alive with the sound of music / With songs they have sung for a thousand years. / The hills fill my heart with the sound of music. / My heart wants to sing every song it hears.

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Crazy Credits

The 20th Century Fox logo is played in complete silence.

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Connections

Referenced in The Adjuster (1991)

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Soundtracks

"The Lonely Goatherd"
(1959) (uncredited)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Sung by Julie Andrews, Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies-Urich,
Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Kym Karath
With the puppets of Bil Baird and Cora Baird

User Reviews

My favourite movie of all time!

Watching my Mother dancing and singing to the songs of "The Sound of Music" at the age of five was incredibly disturbing. It was seven years before anyone was able to sit me down in front of the T.V to the musical during the annual telecast in Sydney. Almost to my horror, I was falling in love with the musical. More than two years later, not a single movie has been able to pass it in my favourite movies stakes.

I have made judgemental mistakes with great movies. Greats like "Casablanca", "The African Queen" and "The Wizard of Oz" have originally also been frowned upon.

"The Sound of Music" expanded my horizons on the movie world. I eventually went on to view non-musical classics as a result of this single movie, and now old classic movies have become a genuine passion.

Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote their greatest work in the form of their last musical, despite the fact it was "Carousel" that was their favourite. Although the changes made from the original stage production have now been evident in the arrival of the excellent musical currently playing in Sydney, much have been for the better. Throughout their career, the duo created immortal musicals, but in story, song and film, "The Sound of Music" surpasses "The King and I", "Oklahoma!", "Carousel" and "South Pacific" in all aspects.

We all know the story. We know of at least one of the immortal songs from the musical, "The Sound of Music", "My Favourite Things", "Do-Re-Mi" or "Edelweiss". Julie Andrews was believable and unforgettable as the sweet, outspoken novice nun turned governess, who should have taken out the oscar that year. Christopher Plummer was dashing as the Captain, and the supporting cast was one of the best I have ever seen. Fond memories have been remembered from some of the unforgettable sequences of this film that deservedly made it the best picture of 1965.

Yes, there are sugary elements in the movie that cannot be denied. But this movie has never been reliant upon sex, violence or drugs to make it one of the best things to come out of Hollywood. It can be appreciated truly for what it is, pure art, talent and spirit. It is not a real perception of the world nowadays, but for all the joy it brings, who cares?

It was the last movie I expected to love as a fourteen year old. It was also the first movie I watched in seven years that could manage to make me shed tears, and view it in loving admiration which cannot be equalled.

"Singin' In the Rain" is the only other contender to the title of "The greatest movie ever made". Whatever its flaws, "The Sound of Music" is one of the worlds best loved treasures which keeps bringing generations of viewers to its attention.

Rating: 10/10