The Sound of Music (1965)

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Howard Lindsay (book) and
Russel Crouse (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 March 1965 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Family | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

...the more you see it, the more it becomes one of your favorite things!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Children | Governess | Austria | Love | Nun

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

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
Daniel Truhitte	...	Rolfe
Norma Varden	...	Frau Schmidt
Gilchrist Stuart	...	Franz (as Gil Stuart)
Marni Nixon	...	Sister Sophia
Evadne Baker	...	Sister Bernice
Doris Lloyd	...	Baroness Ebberfeld
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gertrude Astor	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Alan Callow	...	Nazi (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Doreen Tryden	...	Sister Agatha (uncredited)
Maria von Trapp	...	Extra during 'I Have Confidence' number (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Wise

Writing credits
Howard Lindsay		(book of stage musical) and
Russel Crouse		(book of stage musical)
Ernest Lehman		(screenplay)
Maria von Trapp		book "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" (uncredited)

Produced by
Saul Chaplin	....	associate producer
Robert Wise	....	producer
Peter Levathes	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Richard D. Zanuck	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Irwin Kostal		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ted D. McCord		(director of photography) (as Ted McCord)

Film Editing by
William Reynolds		(film editor)

Casting by
Lee Wallace		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Boris Leven

Set Decoration by
Ruby R. Levitt		(set decorations) (as Ruby Levitt)
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Margaret Donovan	....	hair stylist
Ben Nye	....	makeup
Willard Buell	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Ray Forman	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Saul Wurtzel	....	unit production manager
Pia Arnold	....	assistant production manager: Bavaria (uncredited)
Laci von Ronay	....	assistant production manager: Austria (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ridgeway Callow	....	assistant director
Richard Lang	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Maurice Zuberano	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Don B. Greenwood	....	second unit property master
Glenn 'Skippy' Delfino	....	property master (uncredited)
Al Gaynor	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Ben Greenberg	....	second assistant property master (uncredited)
Leon Harris	....	art illustrator (uncredited)
Ed Jones	....	property master (uncredited)
Harry Kemm	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Paul Vale	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Corcoran	....	sound recording supervisor
Bernard Freericks	....	sound
Fred Hynes	....	sound recording supervisor
Murray Spivack	....	sound
Orrick Barrett	....	boom operator (uncredited)
William Buffinger	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Jesse Long	....	cable operator (uncredited)
Don Stern	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
L.B. Abbott	....	special photographic effects
Emil Kosa Jr.	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Beeson	....	additional photography
Frank Bez	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Jack Brown	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Jack Dimmack	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
Walter Fitchman	....	key grip (uncredited)
Dave Friedman	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Douglas Kirkland	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Paul Lockwood	....	camera operator (uncredited)
James Mitchell	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Fred Richter	....	best boy (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Roger Shearman	....	camera technician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Josephine Brown	....	costumer: women (uncredited)
Dick James	....	costumer: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mark Griffith	....	digital intermediate colorist (2010 digital restoration)
Larry Allen	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Oscar Hammerstein II	....	lyrics by: 1959
Oscar Hammerstein II	....	music and lyrics by: stage musical
Irwin Kostal	....	music arranger
Irwin Kostal	....	music conductor
Irwin Kostal	....	music supervisor
Robert Mayer	....	music editor
Richard Rodgers	....	music and lyrics by: stage musical
Richard Rodgers	....	music by: 1959
Richard Rodgers	....	words and music by: additional
Robert Tucker	....	vocal supervision
Margery McKay	....	singing voice: Peggy Wood (uncredited)
John Norman	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)
Neely Plumb	....	music producer (uncredited)
Douglas O. Williams	....	music recordist (uncredited)

Other crew
Bil Baird	....	puppeteer
Cora Baird	....	puppeteer
Marc Breaux	....	choreographer
Richard Halliday	....	originally produced on the stage by
Oscar Hammerstein II	....	originally produced on the stage by
Leland Hayward	....	originally produced on the stage by
Pamela Matthews	....	dialogue coach (as Pamela Danova)
Richard Rodgers	....	originally produced on the stage by
Dee Dee Wood	....	choreographer
Maurice Zuberano	....	second unit supervision
Alan Callow	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Darleen Carr	....	additional voice (uncredited)
Gilbert Chomat	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Uta Herzog	....	publicity assistant (uncredited)
Mike Kaplan	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Frances Klamt	....	location teacher (uncredited)
Ralph M. Leo	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Betty Levin	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Howard Liebling	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Harper MacKay	....	rehearsal accompanist (uncredited)
Lynn McKee	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Jean Seaman	....	studio teacher (uncredited)
Carol Shapiro	....	publicity assistant (uncredited)
Larri Thomas	....	stand-in: Julie Andrews (uncredited)

Thanks
George Hurdalek	....	acknowledgment: with the partial use of ideas by (as Georg Hurdalek)

Production Companies

• Robert Wise Productions (as A Robert Wise Production of Rodger and Hammerstein's)
• Argyle Enterprises (as Argyle Enterprises, Inc.)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Centfox (1965) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (2012) (Australia) (theatrical) (4K Digital Release)
• Fox Films - Europa Vision (1985) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Fox Films (1965) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Fox Films (1965) (Finland) (theatrical)
• MGM-Fox Films (1973) (Argentina) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Park Circus (2007) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (Brazil) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (laserdisc)
• CBS/Fox (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• FS Film Oy (2002) (2006) (Finland) (DVD) (both 2-disc editions)
• FS Film Oy (2010) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Fox Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (1997) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2003) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV)
• Showtime (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• TV3 (1986) (1987) (Finland) (TV)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1996) (1998) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• American Optical Company  developed by: Todd-AO
• BMG/RCA Victor Records  soundtrack released by (original LP and all CD editions) (uncredited)
• Crest Digital  restoration work (uncredited)
• Felsenreitschule  theater (uncredited)
• Magna Corporation  developed by: Todd-AO
• Mi Casa Multimedia  mix and master 5.1 and 7.1 DVD/BD (uncredited)
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recording (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title)

Runtime:

174 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

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)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Norway:7 (original rating) | Norway:A (DVD rating) | Peru:PT | Singapore:G | South Korea:All | Sweden:11 | Sweden:Btl (re-release) | UK:U | USA:G (re-rating) (1969) | Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Iceland:L | Ireland:G | Spain:T | Germany:6 | West Germany:6 | Malaysia:U (DVD) | USA:Approved (certificate #20734) (original release) | Canada:G (video rating) | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Schloss Leopoldskron, Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

Company:

Robert Wise Productions

Trivia:

When the film was released in South Korea, it did so much business that some theaters were showing it four and five times a day. One theater owner in Seoul tried to figure out a way to be able to show it even more often, in order to bring in more customers. So he cut out all the musical numbers.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Maria is singing "My Favorite Things" to the children the first time, during the first verse and chorus, one of the girls, Marta, is seen miming the words to herself - especially the last line of the chorus, "... so bad!"

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Being Human: The Ties That Blind (#2.7)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

My Favorite Things

The perfect film musical......

This film is a triumph in all departments. Every aspect, from the cinematography to the acting, the sets to the costumes, the music, choreography, script, is top notch. While the film is family friendly and has a sweet story, it is constantly amazing the way people attack it as saccharine and sugary. This can certainly be said of the stage show, but the movie version has been carefully produced to provide a more well-rounded vision. Ernest Lehman worked wonders with the underdeveloped and unremarkable dialogue of the play. He inserted so many moments of wit, humor, romance and poignancy that are nowhere in sight in the original. the art directors purposefully chose muted settings and colors. Each of the actors bent over backwards to provide a brilliant performance. Andrews is already down in history for the performance of a lifetime (and a voice to match), but Plummer is not to be forgotten. Not only is he regal and handsome, but his decision to play the Captain as a complex, sophisticated man with a sly dose of sarcasm was wonderful. His steely, stern persona is eventually melted down by the irrepressible Andrews to great effect. Every supporting performance is also delivered with the right amount of appeal, humor or menace as called for in the script. However, the one that takes the cake....that amazes each time, is the slinky, catty, toweringly glamorous Parker as Baroness Schraeder. Wisely, her songs were cut, further separating her from all the glee around her, so that she could whip out such zingers as "Why didn't you tell me....to bring along my harmonica?" or when she's told that Andrews may not make a great nun, "If you need anything, I'd be happy to help you." The character is given a much more polished and integral position in the film versus the stage and virtually every line of her dialogue (unlike in the play) is a howler. Though Wood was lovely in her role as the Mother Abbess, it was Parker who should have gotten an Oscar nod....and WON! Every expression, every syllable, every glance belies the decades of experience Parker gained as a leading lady during the 40's and 50's. Her clothes by Dorothy Jeakins are awe-inspiring. This type of film-making is GONE. The location photography, the simplicity of story and design, the sheer good-spiritedness of it all...they just can't do this anymore. Thankfully, there's this flawless gem to turn to when one just want to feel good. But saccharine? No..... Compare this to other beloved musicals with their garish colors and sugary story lines ("Seven Brides...", "Singin' in the Rain", "...Molly Brown", "The Music Man", to name just a few...) They are all highly enjoyable, but are hardly less sweet than this! Just one word.....Nazis!! Though virtually everyone knows the outcome, there is still genuine suspense at the climax of "The Sound of Music". The film has it all.