Film Trivia
Some fun tidbits from interviews with the cast of The Sound of Music over the years!
Rumors and Truths
While shooting on a very cold day in the Alps, a kind farmer offered the cast some schnapps to help ward off the chill (which led to later rumors that Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer were both a bit tipsy during some scenes).
Andrews and Plummer, far from not getting along on set, got along well, and the only reason they didn't spend more time together was because Andrews had a new baby girl to look after and Plummer was not on set in Austria quite as much as she was.
Facts from Dame Julie
Andrews admits she wasn't quite as knowledgable about shooting films before getting into The Sound of Music, but she remarks that that helped her performance be more "innocent," more authentic perhaps.
She couldn't get her head around the lyrics of "I Have Confidence," and so she played it "mad with fear" and "nerves", which actually worked well for her character's struggles at that point in the film.
She greatly enjoyed working with Plummer, finding him "dear", and they established a friendship that continues to this day, with both of them speaking highly of the other.
She theorizes that without Plummer's more acerbic performance as the Captain, The Sound of Music could have easily flopped for being too sweet.
She thoroughly enjoyed Lady Gaga's Sound of Music medley at the 2015 Oscars, and was deeply touched by her attention to detail and hard work.
Secrets from the Making of the Film
The studio actually thought the film would be a flop because it went so badly over budget (mostly because Salzburg is in one of the rainiest parts of Austria). The rain clouds did provide some of the most beautiful natural backgrounds for outdoor scenes, however.
The opening scene with Maria spinning in the field and singing was a disaster several times over, because the downdrafts from the helicopter (out of which the cameraman hung precariously) kept throwing Andrews to the ground.
Kym Karath, who played Gretl, was 5 years old at the time of filming and could not swim. This proved almost disastrous during one scene where the children fall out of a boat. Andrews was supposed to fall forward out of the boat and catch Karath, but instead, the boat tipped her backward, and Karath went under a couple of times, swallowing quite a bit of water before one of the older children got to her. Luckily all was well in the end!
The real Maria von Trapp appears as an extra in the background of the "I Have Confidence" scene. (She also greatly approved of Andrews' tomboyish portrayal of her character in the film!)
Critical Reception
Andrews notes that the success of the film was indeed unexpected, but in her estimation, the film has held up well due to great initial sound quality as well as a strong story, beautiful music, and excellent lyrics.
Lots of critics initially said The Sound of Music was "saccharine" and was "just a love story," but it became popular because it was so well-done and such a BIG story.
Movie musicals like The Sound of Music are super expensive to make, but Dame Julie hopes they will return. She sees how Hollywood is changing to support all different types of filmmaking, and musicals are enjoying quite a comeback on stages like Broadway.
The Biggest Change
Christopher Plummer remembers that on the film's opening night, most of the guys from the set went to a bar and got drunk--he wasn't too keen on The Sound of Music at first, even referring to it as "The Sound of Mucus." After the film became a success, however, Plummer grew to enjoy the publicity and remark fondly on his time spent in filming.