Wednesday, November 27, 2013

November 27 - The Sound of Music

This movie has a scene that happens today – November 27. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

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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