Today’s movie is a musical with a scene that happens on
November 27. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Maria is a probationary nun at a
convent near Salzburg, Austria in the 1930’s. She is often in trouble because
she does not conform to the expected modes of behavior, preferring to roam the
hills above the city instead of praying in the chapel. The mother superior
decides to send her to be the governess for the widower Captain Von Trapp and
his seven children. The Captain tries to run his house like a navy ship, and is
cold and distant to his progeny. This causes the children to bitterly resent
the succession of governesses sent to take care of them and they play cruel
practical jokes on them. Maria’s refusal to tell their father about the pranks
they play on her and her truly caring attitude win the children over. The
eldest girl Liesl is in love with Rolf, the telegraph delivery boy, who is a
member of the Austrian Nazi Party. When the Captain goes to Vienna, Maria takes
the children on outings into Salzburg and teaches them to sing. When the
Captain returns from Vienna with his enamota, Baroness Schrader and their
friend Max Detweiler, a musical booking agent he is outraged at what Maria has
done and fires her, but relents when he sees that the children have charmed the
Baroness with their singing. The Captain enjoys a musical puppet show put on by
the children, but rejects Max’s idea that they should form a singing group.
After a ball given by the Captain, the Baroness, who has noticed the attraction
between the Captain and Maria, uses subtle psychology to manipulate Maria into
fleeing back to the convent. However, the mother superior tells her she should
return to the Von Trapps and not try to hide from the world in the convent. The
children are very saddened by her departure. The Captain is also, but tries to
hide it and announces his engagement to the Baroness. However, when Maria
returns, the Captain breaks it off with the Baroness. He and Maria finally
express their true feelings for each other and become engaged. On November 27th
the Captain and Maria are married at the Abby Cathedral in Salzburg [2:15:03 to
2:18:52]. While they are on their honeymoon, the Germans annex Austria. The
Captain who is an ardent Austrian nationalist and anti-Nazi gets an invitation
to join the German navy. Taking advantage of the Captain’s absence, Max has
entered the children in the Salzburg Music Festival as a group. When the family
tries to flee they are caught and have to go through with their cover story of
going to perform at the festival. They win first prize, but they have snuck off
to hide in the Abby. Rolf betrays their hiding place, but the nuns help them
evade the Gestapo. The family escapes
across the border to safety.
One of the better musical films.
Entertaining family fare from the Golden Age of Hollywood. The storyline is
good, even though it does take a great many liberties with the actual facts of
the Von Trapp family’s history. As entertainment and not history it is a great
film.
Memories Before and After The
Sound of Music: An Autobiography by Agathe von Trapp (Harper, NY, 2004) at
page 88 gives the date of their wedding
Producer - Robert Wise
Director - Robert Wise
Awards – The movie won the Best
Picture, Best Director, Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing and Best Adapted
Musical Score Oscars. It was also nominated for the Best Actress (Andrews),
Best Supporting Actress (Woods), Best Color Cinematography, Best Color Art
Direction and Best Color Costume Oscars at the 38th Academy
Awards.
Screenplay - Ernest Lehman
Runtime – 2 hours 54 minutes
Released – March 2, 1965
Starring –
Julie Andrews as Maria von Trapp, a free-spirited young
Austrian woman
Christopher Plummer as Captain Georg von Trapp, a veteran
Austrian navy captain
Eleanor Parker as Baroness Elsa von Schrader, the Captain's
lady friend from Vienna
Richard Haydn as Max Detweiler, a good friend of both the
Baroness and the Captain
Charmian Carr as Liesl von Trapp, the first and eldest
child, age sixteen
Nicholas Hammond as Friedrich von Trapp, the second child
and eldest son, age fourteen
Heather Menzies as Louisa von Trapp, the third child, age
thirteen
Duane Chase as Kurt von Trapp, the fourth child and youngest
boy, age eleven
Angela Cartwright as Brigitta von Trapp, the fifth child,
age ten
Debbie Turner as Marta von Trapp, the sixth child, age six
Kym Karath as Gretl von Trapp, the seventh and youngest
child, age five
Peggy Wood as Mother Abbess, the head of Nonnberg Abbey
Anna Lee as Sister Margaretta, a nun who looks fondly on
Maria
Portia Nelson as Sister Berthe, a nun who does not believe
Maria belongs in the abbey
Daniel Truhitte as Rolfe, a messenger who is in love with
Liesl
Ben Wright as Herr Zeller, Gauleiter, an enthusiast for the
Third Reich
Marni Nixon as Sister Sophia, a resident of the convent
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