The sound of music : the making of America's favorite movie

Author:Julia Antopol Hirsch

Summary:When The Sound of Music was released in 1965, it took the world by storm, capturing five Oscars (including Best Picture) and holding the number-one spot box-office record for five years. For millions of viewers, the film is a rare combination of a powerful and moving story, superb music, and breathtaking scenery. This book is not only an unequalled tribute to this beloved movie musical but also the most complete behind-the-scenes account of the creation of this Hollywood classic. Through exclusive, in-depth interviews with Robert Wise, Ernest Lehman, Saul Chaplin, Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Kym Karath, Johannes von Trapp, Richard Zanuck, and dozens of other cast and crew members; over 200 stills from the movie's most memorable scenes; rare snapshots from personal scrapbooks; and papers from the Fox Studio archives, Julia Antopol Hirsch has re-created the magic that is The Sound of Music. Julie Andrews recounts some of her more humorous memories of the filming, from her "first kiss" with Christopher Plummer, when neither of them could stop laughing, to rushing up the mountain for the famous opening scene only to be continually knocked to the ground by the downdraft from the cameraman's helicopter. The book reveals details both fans and film buffs will enjoy, such as the facts that Yul Brynner, Walter Matthau, and Sean Connery were all considered for the role of the Captain (while teenagers Mia Farrow, Sharon Tate, and Richard Dreyfuss auditioned for juvenile roles) and that director/producer Robert Wise, already fielding calls from Fox's Dick Zanuck for being over budget, almost didn't finish the location shoot in Austria because it simply wouldn't stop raining