The Sound of Music is a cherished classic that, upon release in 1965, quickly became a household favorite. It is based on Maria von Trapp’s real-life memoir and tells the tale of a nun-turned-governess who changes the lives of the von Trapp family during pre-World War II Austria.
Although it’s adored by fans worldwide, the film has sparked controversy over the years because of how it changed the real story. Regardless, people keep rerunning it as it echoes across generations.
What were the controversies surrounding the ‘The Sound of Music’ movie?
While real events inspire the film, the actual story of the von Trapp family is quite different. Maria did not arrive in 1938 or as a governess for all the kids. She came in 1926 to help tutor one child recovering from an illness. The film portrays her falling deeply in love with Captain von Trapp; however, their marriage was, in truth, more about her love for the children.
In reality, they left by train, openly, under the pretense of a singing tour instead of escaping. Also, instead of seven children, there were ten with different names. The von Trapps were already a musical family before Maria arrived, but she did help to fine-tune their singing.
‘The Sound of Music’ cast now
Although, It’s been years since the film premiered, and most of the cast are now established actors, while some have opted for life outside of Hollywood. Julie Andrews, who played Maria, has attained Hollywood legend and continues to charm audiences as the narrator of Netflix’s Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte. Christopher Plummer, the dashing Captain von Trapp, had a long and impressive career until he passed away in 2021 at 91. He died after a bad fall that led to severe head trauma.
Nicholas Hammond became Spider-Man on TV, while Angela Cartwright starred in more hit shows like Lost In Space and High School USA. Liesl’s Charmian Carr left acting soon after she became famous but sadly passed away in 2016. Duane Chase also left the acting industry for a quieter life as a geologist.