The Sound of Music (1965)

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

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

Release Date:

29 March 1965 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Family | Musical

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 a Naval officer widower.

Plot Keywords:

Children | Governess | Austria | Nun | Convent

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 10 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	...	Louisa
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)
Bill Lee	...	Captain von Trapp (singing voice) (uncredited)
Margery McKay	...	Mother Abbess (singing voice) (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	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) &
Russel Crouse		(book)
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)

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

Film Editing by
William Reynolds

Casting by
Lee Wallace		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Boris Leven

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

Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins

Makeup Department
Margaret Donovan	....	hair stylist
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
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 photographer
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
Larry Allen	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Irwin Kostal	....	conductor
Irwin Kostal	....	music arranger
Irwin Kostal	....	music supervisor
Robert Mayer	....	music editor
Robert Tucker	....	vocal supervisor
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	....	producer: original stage production
Oscar Hammerstein II	....	producer: original stage production
Leland Hayward	....	producer: original stage production
Pamela Matthews	....	dialogue coach (as Pamela Danova)
Richard Rodgers	....	producer: original stage production
Dee Dee Wood	....	choreographer
Maurice Zuberano	....	second unit supervisor
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 (for)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (presented by)
• Argyle Enterprises

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Park Circus (2007) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Centfox (1965) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (Argentina)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Magnetic Video (USA) (VHS)
• Magnetic Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• American Optical Company  development of Todd-AO
• BMG/RCA Victor Records  soundtrack released by (original LP and all CD editions) (uncredited)
• Fersenreitschule, Salzburg  theater (uncredited)
• Magna Corporation  development of Todd-AO

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:

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 rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | Brazil:Livre | 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)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Robert Wise Productions

Trivia:

Four other children were brought in to augment the singing of the seven von Trapp children - to produce a better, fuller, more polished sound. Among the four "extra singers" was the younger sister of Charmian Carr (Liesl), Darleen Carr.

Goofs:

Continuity: Prior to singing "Edelweiss" in the drawing room, when Maria first offers the Captain the guitar, he is holding a glass of port in his right hand, he begins to raise his left hand to gesture. The scene cuts to a wider shot and the glass is in his left hand as he raises his right to gesture.

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 "Gilmore Girls: Lorelai? Lorelai? (#7.20)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Something Good

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