It has been 60 years since Julie Andrews brought the real-life story of Maria von Trapp to the big screen in The Sound of Music, released in March 1965. This classic tale based on real people and events has endured and become a beloved musical for generations.
It also goes right to the question of vocation, one facing every young person -- and not-so-young person -- trying to figure out what God wants for his or her life.
What Is the Story of The Sound of Music?
The Sound of Music has a score by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, inspired by the 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp.
Postulant Maria (Julie Andrews) is a free spirit who has a hard time conforming to the life with the Catholic nuns and her fellow postulants and novices at Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg, Austria, in the 1930s.
Seeing her soaring spirit, the Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) assigns her the job of being the governess to the seven motherless von Trapp children, whose widowed father, Capt. Georg Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), is a strict disciplinarian.
Madeleine Teahan wrote in The Catholic Herald:
The film opens with Maria, a hopeless novice, fumbling through faith. (Plenty of Catholics will empathise with her habit of being "always late for chapel".) She is guided by the firm motherly hand of the Reverend Mother, who sends her away to take a break from convent life and serve as the governess of an aloof widower's seven children.
As Maria reluctantly sets off on her journey, she utters the most memorable line in the film: "When the Lord closes a door; somewhere he opens a window.”
Once she arrives at the von Trapp house, Maria realizes God had sent her there to help the children prepare for a potential new mother -- an elegant baroness (Eleanor Parker) -- and introduce some light and love into the house.
As Maria brings music and joy to the children, Captain von Trapp, who originally fought her at every turn, begins to loosen up, Soon the house is filled with plenty of songs and and fun, a sharp contrast to the way it was before Maria arrived.
When Maria develops conflicting (and mutual) feelings for Captain von Trapp, she returns to the Abbey to take her vows, hoping becoming a Bride of Christ will overshadow her feelings for the captain.
Teahan continued in her article:
This scene offers one of the best ever film lessons on the meaning of Catholic vocation. And if that isn't enough, the exchange culminates with the ultimate belter, Climb Ev'ry Mountain.
Often ridiculed as a series of platitudes warbled by an elderly nun, this anthem contains a wealth of Catholic wisdom. Through song, the Reverend Mother implores Maria to follow her dream, But she adds a crucial caveat that the goal must be be…
"A dream that will need
"All the love you can give,
"Every day of your life
For as long as you live."
Thus, Maria returns to the von Trapp family and marries Captain von Trapp in a lavish church wedding (filmed at Basilika St. Michael in the Austrian town of Mondsee) that is one of the most remembered and classic wedding scenes in movie history.
The story takes place at the start of World War II, and eventually the Nazis arrive and insist Captain Von Trapp join them, something he did not want to do. The story ends with the whole family escaping to freedom.
A World War II Story With Timeless Themes
Reflecting on when he first saw the film with his Catholic school class, Brian Caulfield wrote in National Catholic Register:
Seeing The Sound of Music with the sisters and my schoolmates was a life-changing experience. It is still my favorite movie, which I have watched dozens of times.
When Mother Superior tells Maria that the monastery walls were not built to hide from the world, I get a sense of the courage and commitment involved in discerning a religious vocation. When Maria and Capt. von Trapp stand at night by the pond, the scene illuminates the chaste, delicate and awakening nature of love and the trust and sacrifice it requires.
When the captain pulls down the Nazi flag from his home after returning from his honeymoon, I know in my bones there is evil in the world that attacks even the innocence of children - and that good men and women must stand against it regardless of the cost.
In the Substack article "100 Catholic Movies Every Catholic Should See" Colleen Delafleur wrote:
Perhaps one of the biggest lessons that Maria teaches us is the one that she learns herself throughout the movie, and that is to life life to the fullest. In the gospel of John, chapter 10 verse 10, Christ says, “I came so that you might have life and have it to the full.”
Restoring The Sound of Music for Its 60th Anniversary
The Sound of Music is about love, faith, and family. To commemorate this milestone 60th anniversary studio 20th Century Fox is releasing a 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray edition later this year (a 4K restoration was released a few years ago).
From Playbill.com:
Screenings of the restored Rodgers and Hammerstein classic will also be presented globally. Dates will be announced at a later time.
The Walt Disney Film Restoration team worked for nine months to digitally enhance the film, cleaning up dirt, warping, and film grain issues to deliver the film with both enhanced visual and audio.
“This enhanced version of The Sound of Music is a testament to the enduring power of this iconic masterpiece. As we enter the 60th year, the restoration will safeguard our beloved classic for generations to come,” states Imogen Lloyd Webber, who oversees the Rodgers & Hammerstein brand as EVP Marketing and Communications for Concord Theatricals and Originals.
With memorable songs, scenes, and the enthusiasm of a spirited young wanna-be nun, The Sound of Music is a treasure for generations to enjoy.
The real von Trapps emigrated to America and continue to perform as a family. Learn more about their lives here, in an article at the U.S. National Archives.
Image: Julie Andrews as Maria von Trapp from the Sound of Music, Madame Tussauds wax museum in Vienna/Shutterstock
Francine Brokaw is a longtime journalist whose articles have been published in national and international publications. She is accredited by the MPAA and is a long-standing member of the Television Critics Association. She also hosts Beyond the Red Carpet on YouTube.
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