THE Sound of Music is one of the greatest movies of all time. The film, which was released in 1965, was the biggest box-office hit of the year. It starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in the lead roles. The movie swept away the major awards at the Oscars and Golden Globes including the top honours for Best Picture, Director, Actress and Music.
The film is based on a memoir, ‘The Story of the Trapp Family Singers’ by Maria von Trapp. It is a heart-warming story about an Austrian governess who falls in love with a naval captain with seven children and how the family escapes the Nazis as the Second World War looms large on the horizon.
The movie was largely shot in Salzburg, Austria, against the breathtaking backdrop of the Alps. Though the movie is not popular among the native Austrians, the city draws millions of tourists from around the world who want to see the filming locations.
Did You Know?
- The real Maria von Trapp appears as a peasant woman in a scene in the ‘I Have Confidence’ song. While filming the song, Julie Andrews tripped while walking. Though it was an accident, the director liked it so much he kept it in the movie.
- The child actor who played Marta, the sixth child, had many loose teeth during filming. When they fell out, they were replaced with false teeth!
- When the film was released in South Korea, it did roaring business. One theatre owner in Seoul figured out a way to squeeze in maximum number of shows by cutting out all the songs!