"The Sound of Music" on ABC now

A doe.

Needs a remake!

lol, R2.

He's hot.

I love Sound of Music.

I've always thought that these are some of the most beautiful lyrics in existence.

My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds

that rise from the lake to the trees

My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies

from a church on a breeze

To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls over

stones on its way

[quote]Needs a remake!

My live version was superior to the original in every way!

I noticed you stopped before the stupid “lark who is learning to pray” line

Oh, it's the Goatherd. I like this number - the one girl has a very good voice.

I cried like a baby when Christopher Plummer died in February. To this day I still don’t understand it. It’s my favorite movie of all time.

The kids aren't really controlling the puppets are they?

It's fun to know that ABC still owns the rights to show this on TV. I think that it and NBC with their licensed annual showings of "It's A Wonderful Life" are pretty much the last vestiges of old-school network annual special old film airings (?), like first NBC and then CBS did every year till a couple of decades ago with "The Wizard Of Oz."

If they do a remake, they should get a real Austrian who doesn't need to be dubbed to play Captain Von Trapp.

I watched some of it on Disney+ and could swear that the opening footage of Maria in the Alps was much longer than I remembered. What a gorgeous sequence either way.

Needs a remake with a real Austrian playing Maria.

R12 And The Ten Commandments every Easter/Passover. I doubt ABC/Disney will ever stop showing The Sound Of Music now that they own it.

Julie Andrews tells a good story about filming that opening scene. Absolute hell with the helicopter kicking up wind and dirt. She said they had to walk up the mountain to get to the meadow. So many takes.

Be careful what you wish for R13. Schwarzenegger is available.

Great movie.

Dame Judi

I've probably got every format of the home video release, and could watch it anytime. But I still take the time to watch it when it's broadcast each year. Brings back a lot of warm memories of times that were simpler, safer, and less worrisome.

Why did Max call out the family's name during the awards knowing they were trying to escape?

If he had been caught doing otherwise, r22, he would have faced severe punishment. He gave them as much time as he could.

The remake must have Brüno Gehard as Max.

Christopher Plummer at peak hotness

This part scared me as a kid.

There should be a gay porn parody of Rolf and the Captain.

It shouldn't be a parody.

Seeing that Judi Dench clip gave me an idea. In the remake all the Von Trapp kids should have that disease that makes you age. They can be played by muffled aged and senior actors.

Max was an idiot. He should have gone with them.

Have it on telly in background with sound down, only turn it up for two scenes.

This one...

And this...

Andrews has also said that getting that opening shot from the helicopter was a nightmare to film. When the helicopter flew in close enough to get to her close up as she broke into the opening bars of the title song, the winds from the top prop knocked her over more than once.

Díxit Dóminus Dómino méo, séde a déxtris méis Donec pónam inímicos túos, scabéllum pédum tuórum Gloria Patri et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto Sicut érat in princípo, et nunc et, sémper, et in saécula saéculorum, Amen Rex admirablilis et triumphator nobilis Dulcedo ineffabilis, ineffabilis Totus desiderabilis, totus desiderabilis Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Alleluia, alleluia

R21- WW2 era was simpler and safer??

R35 like's to WW herself. Begone frau.

The Climb Every Mountain scene in the monastery was filmed in shadows and from behind because Peggy Wood couldn't match her lips to the singer who was dubbing her. She had been an operetta star in her youth and it was hoped she could do most of her own singing but it didn't work out due to her age.

Likewise, director Robert Wise ended up shooting much of the Something Good scene in the gazebo in shadows because Andrews and Plummer had trouble controlling their laughter at the awful dialog and that terrible song while trying to play the scene straight.

I am one of the very few people who thinks that An Ordinary Couple from the stage show, the number Something Good replaced in the film, is a much better song.

Was Maria an orphan? Hatched from an egg? Why did the Captain have to ask Mother Superior for Maria's hand in marriage? Why didn't Maria's father (or brother, or uncle) walk her down the aisle at her wedding?

This has been bothering me for 56 years.

Here's another omission from the stage show I hate:

The Mother Superior went to the construction site next to the convent and sought out the Foreman. Once found she began to dress him down for the loud, foul language being used on the site, and express her umbrage that she and the Sisters were being exposed to these crudities.

The Foreman stood his ground and told the Mother Superior that while he sympathized, he was not running a finishing school and that all he required of the men working for him was a good day's work for a good day's pay. He told her he was not going to speak to the men, and advised her to remember that construction workers were hard-working laborers who "call a spade a spade."

The Mother Superior drew herself to her full height and exclaimed, "No, they don't! They call it a fucking shovel!"

"Don't tell the Captain about this....."

"No.....no.....I wouldn't think of it!"

It always makes me laugh when people sing "The Lonely Goatherd" and say "Go Turd...." HAHAHAHA....

Same with "Beadee and the Beast" and "Wooden Tit Be Loverly"......

[quote]Likewise, director Robert Wise ended up shooting much of the Something Good scene in the gazebo in shadows because Andrews and Plummer had trouble controlling their laughter at the awful dialog and that terrible song while trying to play the scene straight.

Julie has talked about this in a few interviews. What set them off (and why they couldn't reign it in) were the moaning & groaning sounds emanating from the klieg lights above the gazebo....which seemed to punctuate certain lines of dialogue, and felt like a commentary on their acting. (tells the story at 3:55)

Edit: "....why they couldn't REIN it in."

The real family...

I’ve posted this before, but even as a kid I thought the nuns were passive aggressive cunts for singing “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?” at Maria’s wedding.

No they aren't, r45, they're joyful that the problem was solved.

Jeakins did such fine work on this.

[quote]It always makes me laugh when people sing "The Lonely Goatherd" and say "Go Turd...." HAHAHAHA....

R41, There is a costume parade/contest prior to Hollywood Bowl's annual Sound of Music Sing-a-Long. It's more entertaining than you'd think. Partly because of hostess Melissa Peterman's running commentary, but also, some of the costumes are pretty creative.

Several years ago, a group of kids came on stage dressed as goats, with this one boy in what almost looked like a monkey costume? It was all-brown, just his face cut out. He curled up in a ball on-stage several feet away from the others --> "The Lonely Goat Turd". 😆

They came in second to "A Long Line of Governesses" (which was truly inspired).

R45

Nuns sang "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria" in beginning of "Sound of Music" because Fräulein Maria was having problems adjusting to monastic life. Mother Abbess rightly answers litany of complaints from her subordinates with "she's a girl'.

More to the point in fiction and real life not everyone is suited for monastic life, this no matter how hard they try to fit in. This usually comes up in nearly all films/plays about nuns/sisters (such as Bells of Saint Mary's" where some young woman bursts out "I want to become a nun"!

Mother Abbess realizes that perhaps God has something else in mind for Fräulein Maria. Hence sends her off to be governess to Von Trapp family.

The "problem" with Maria at beginning of book is solved towards the end. Maria wasn't meant to be in religious life. Mother Abbess's words in this bit of fiction have been repeated by superiors of religious orders for centuries; those walls were not built for hiding, people have to face whatever problems they are having in world.

Mother Abbess, and mistress of postulants along with other sisters are smiling and happy because Fräulein Maria has sorted herself out. She will be far happier as a wife and mother, roles RC church values equally as monastic life.

Maria is the other side the coin of that other great film about religious life; "Nun's Story". Sister Luke never should have entered the convent, but never the less keeps trying and trying to make her own stubborn self will subordinate to Holy Rule. A test she nearly always consistently fails. Even in rare moments where Sister Luke does tackle her pride, self will, etc... it never lasts long.

R38

As was quite common prior at time orphaned young women (especially if impoverished) went into religious life. They may not have had parents, but there could have been grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins... some sort of family. What no one usually wanted was the expense and bother of taking on a single woman.

For Catholic women at that time religious life was one of the few respectable vocations open to them. Working in a shop, laundress, and or any of the other jobs open to women was seen as "low". If Maria had access to money she could have perhaps attended university and became a teacher, or some other profession. Those careers paid barely half of what men made at the time, but would have offered a chance for some sort of independent living.

That being said in many Catholic communities an "independent" or "career" woman was seen as odd. Not exactly something respectable, and there would still be huge pressure upon such a woman to marry.

One also could never figure out how an orphan like Maria managed to fill the pews on family side of that massive church. Once across the railing you see a small group of people on Maria's family side of church. One always assumed those were what family she had (again aunts, cousins, uncles, etc..). Or maybe just friends of Maria's family.

[quote]One also could never figure out how an orphan like Maria managed to fill the pews on family side of that massive church. Once across the railing you see a small group of people on Maria's family side of church.

Max papered the house, r50.

" She was thrilled to be in the movie, but she knew she could no longer sing "Climb Ev'ry Mountain". She was dubbed (for singing) by Margery McKay. In her autobiography, Marni Nixon, who appeared in the film as Sister Sophia, said Peggy especially liked McKay's singing voice because she sounded as Peggy did in her younger days."

Extended version of Climb Every Mountain...

Judge for yourself...

Are there any recordings of the real Von Trapp family?

Of course there is...

Thanks, R56. They really weren't all that great though. Their version was way too fast and their accents are quite prominent.

R48 I think I would go as "The poor didn't want this one."

What is it you cunt face?

[quote] They really weren't all that great though. Their version was way too fast and their accents are quite prominent.

🙄

R59: Climb every man, search high and low, follow every cum gutter, every path you know! Climb and mount every men, grab every peen, follow every rainbow, 'till you find your dream!

[quote] Why did the Captain have to ask Mother Superior for Maria's hand in marriage? Why didn't Maria's father (or brother, or uncle) walk her down the aisle at her wedding?

As she was a nun, if she had family they had already "given" her away to become a Bride of Christ and the convent was now her family. Therefore, it was up to Christ, through the Mother Superior, to then give her away to the Captain.

Her back story was left out of SOM, but she really didn’t have any family for the Captain to go to…

[quote] Her mother died of pneumonia when she was two. Her father, grief-stricken, left Maria with his cousin (her foster mother) who had cared for Maria's half-brother after his mother died. Maria's father then traveled the world, although Maria would visit him upon occasion at his apartment in Vienna. When she was nine, her father died. Her foster mother's son-in-law, Uncle Franz, then became her guardian. Uncle Franz did not treat Maria well and punished her for things she did not do. (He later was found to be mentally ill.) This changed Maria from the shy child she was and, as a teenager, she became the "class cut-up", figuring she may as well have fun if she was going to get in trouble either way. Despite this change, Maria continued to get good grades. After graduating from high school at 15, Maria ran away. She saved enough money to enter the State Teachers College for Progressive Education in Vienna, where she also received a scholarship. She graduated from there at age 18, in 1923. In 1924, she entered Nonnberg Abbey.

R49. Plus, Sister Luke was a dyke (in real life).

Before the close up cut to Maria in the opening I thought it might be Julie's stand in going into the twirl but I think it's really her. What hurts her descent to the Bank's house in Mary Poppins is it is obviously a double but when it cuts to her at the door it is Andrews. Disney should have had her do the descent. The camera is too close and we can see it is obviously not her. All his leads are on wires in the tea party on the ceiling so why couldn't he do it there? It's not such an enormous height.

R58: One of my all-time favorite costume entries (also in the vein of misheard lyrics) was Mr. T with a slice of Rastfarian toast, jammin' out to some (unheard) reggae as she crossed the stage. So stupid. So funny.

[quote] On the afternoon before the economic summit at Williamsburg in 1983, Jim Baker, then chief of staff, left a briefing book with President Reagan. The next day, Baker found it unopened. "Uncharacteristically, Baker asked Reagan why he hadn't cracked the briefing book. 'Well, Jim, The Sound of Music was on last night,' Reagan said calmly."

[quote] Ronald Reagan was a massive fan of The Sound of Music. Reagan assumed that they had used the Austrian national anthem, “Edelweiss,” to put in The Sound of Music. Of course, not only wasn’t “Edelweiss” the national anthem, it wasn’t even a real Austrian folk song! According to The New York Times, when the Austrian ambassador visited the White House, he was perplexed to hear “Edelweiss” playing.

R67 That is pretty common. I remember having to correct my teacher in 5th grade geography, that "Edelweiss" was NOT the Austrian national anthem.

And Waltzing Matilda isn't the Australian either!!

Is this the same Maria who was in West Side Story? This nun doesn’t look Puerto Rican.

R68 That's ridiculous. Why would they sing their national anthem in a foreign language?

R70 No, Rose, but it is the same Maria from Metropolis.

R62

Fräulein Maria was not yet a professed religious either of eternal vows. Postulants pack up and leave convents, abbeys, etc... all the time either after their year or whatever probation was up, or or something else happened.

More to the point when women and men enter religious orders their superiors are responsible for their health and welfare. This would have been quite true for young women and men barely out of their teens or twenties.

Papers were signed giving the order authority to make decisions such as about medical care and so forth. Same sort of legal arrangements great households who employed vast numbers of young servants had as well.

The order was responsible for Maria, and more to the point Mother Abbess would have to agree to let Maria leave before her period of temporary vows ended. Without those documents Maria couldn't marry for a start because presumably she took a vow of chastity.

R71 The teacher believed "Edelweiss" in the Sound of Music was a translation. She took me to the Principal to complain about me correcting and contradicting her. Then the Principal asked what happened and the teacher told her, the principal busted out laughing and said, "Honey, he isn't the problem."

So many houses of worship from all faiths have banned "Climb Every Mountain". Largely because some frau who *thinks* she can sing gets up in front of congregation and starts clucking away.

Not only can they not sing in proper (or any key). but chord changes aren't managed well either. Final high note? Don't ask....

R75 I've sung it in church, when I was a teen. Not sure if I did it well, but I was asked to sing it a few times, so I must've done alright.

I read last night while the movie was on that the real Maria is nothing like the musical's version of her. She had a hard life and was physically abused and joined the convent to escape an abusive home. When she was assigned to the von Trapp family, the article said, "it was they who softened her, not the other way around."

I found the article after trying to find out what "the problem of Maria" was supposed to have been. That's a major plot hole for me because Julie Andrews seems...practically perfect in every way. She's cheerful, willful, respectful but assertive, pretty and well mannered, she sings, she plays guitar, she sews, she outshines a wealthy and beautiful baroness. What in the hell was the "problem like Maria" the old nun went on about?

I just turned on abc and it isn’t on…

R78 It was last night, Rose.

R70: She showed up at the Sing-a-long!

R80 Is that Barbara Jean from REBA hosting the sing-a-long?

R77

Traits mentioned were all well and good, for a young woman out in the word. However not necessarily what was wanted in a convent or abbey.

"Maria" catalogues the litany of what mistress of the postulants and mistress of novices find lacking in young Sister Maria.

Nearest and easiest way can explain is that like joining the military and some other groups, entering religious life (at least back then) required beating out (if will) individuality. Instead one is supposed to find where and how one fits within the organization.

Again this was the problem with Sister Luke in "Nun's Story". She just could not or will not follow the rule, nor accept fact her superiors knew best (or at least believed they did) in what was good for her.

Yes, Maria was a vivacious, high spirted, cultured and well mannered young lady. Those qualities would make her an excellent wife for some man, but perhaps not bride of Christ.

The DVD commentary is interesting. I don't recall which scene where Maria walks from one room to another, it's mentioned that when Andrews begins the walk from one room it's on location and when she walks through the doorway into the other room it's a soundstage and you definitely can't tell.

[quote] Yes, Maria was a vivacious, high spirted, cultured and well mannered young lady. Those qualities would make her an excellent wife for some man, but perhaps not bride of Christ.

...so convents are harems of slave-brides for Jesus?

Christ, what a monster.

Yep, R81, that's Melissa Peterman. She's hilarious! She's been the hostess for ages. This video refers to the 40th anniversary, so she's been doing it since at least 2005.

R85 She would seem perfect for the role of hosting that. I wonder why she hasn't gotten Reba to surprise and take part.

That is so funny, r80.

I was at the final night of Sing Along SOM at a packed Ziegfeld. It was the most fun I've had at a movie. The entire audience was on a high leaving the theater practically giddy from the pleasure of it all.

I had completely forgotten that they had given us those little party streamer things so at Julie's and Chris's kiss I practically jumped out of my seat when everyone else pulled on them. And when Maria started walking down the aisle at her wedding everyone stood for the processional. It was if we had died and gone to Julie movie musical heaven.

[quote]I am one of the very few people who thinks that An Ordinary Couple from the stage show, the number Something Good replaced in the film, is a much better song.

"An Ordinary Couple" is a dirge. That's the reason you're one of very few people who prefer it.

R79 I am aware it was not currently on. Pointing out the thread title was stupid to say “now” since the shelf life is more than a couple hours on this board.

I have a retarded sister so I know I should explain jokes.

An Ordinary Couple is the worst song in the history of the world. When Rodgers and Hammerstein bombed it was a stink bomb in the boys' lavatory.

If I were Liesl, I would have told my family to have a good life in America and married Rolfe. Even if it meant joining the Bundmaedels or whetever they were called. Anything for a lifetime of that blond dick.

Then the joke would have been on her R92.

Which is why he was NEVER included on any of the reunion specials or even interviewed in the countless documentaries on the film. His role was certainly large enough and impressive enough for people to have an interest in what became of him. And all the other players with any kind of role were dead or like Parker in hiding.

Rolf did look good in the film, but the sad thing is as horrible and as evil as the Nazis were, their uniforms were great. They were probably the best looking military uniforms of the 20th century. Their uniforms made even ugly men look doable. I guess it is because they had designers like Hugo Boss.

Patricia Routledge did a really nice "Climb Ev'ry Mountain."

Nobody gives a shit about Rolf!! He gets some hoots & hollers during "16 going on 17".... but then is soundly boo-ed & hissed at, during the second act.

So does the baroness but that doesn't mean we don't love her!

It's truly a classic ... I treat myself to it once a year around this time. My only gripe is it's so fucking long. The Gazebo scenes (both Liesl&Rolf and Maria&Baron) drags it and could've been cut out.

R15 - Was that Christoph Waltz auditioning for the Austrian tour of Godspell?