Movie Musicals Quiz: The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is one of the most loved movie musicals of all time and has fans in every part of the world. This Sound of Music quiz page is for those of you who have loved this wonderful film ever since it was first shown almost 50 (can you believe it?) years ago. But it is also for newer fans of the musical of all ages.

What makes The Sound of Music so popular and so enduring? It could be the sparkling personality and golden voice of Julie Andrews in the role of Maria von Trapp. It could be the handsome Christopher Plummer or the adorable cast of children. The soundtrack crammed with songs we all know and love is undoubtedly a huge attraction. And of course many of us love the gorgeous scenery of the Austrian Alps and Salzberg.

Whatever its secret, The Sound of Music is a movie musical classic. So join me and test your knowledge of The Sound of Music characters and plot.

Before there was The Sound of Music, there was a real life Captain von Trapp and his children. He was a distinguished naval officer. Today Austria is landlocked but this was not always the case. Before Austria took part in the First World War, the country had a sea coast.

The real Maria von Trapp did start life as a governess, though just for the eldest von Trapp daughter, whose name was also Maria. The Captain already had 7 children, though the eldest was a boy and not Liesel. When the couple married, they had a further 3 children.

It was Maria's idea for the family to sing together to raise badly needed funds. They did not leave Austria in quite the difficult circumstances shown in the film and were able to cross the border into Italy by train, and from there went to America.

The dramatisation of their story, which Maria von Trapp shared in her book Maria, My Own Story, first appeared in 1953 as a stage musical. Maria was played by Mary Martin, a popular stage and screen actress who had starred in the stage musicals 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'South Pacific'. The music and lyrics came from the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein who had together also written 'Oklahoma!', 'The King and I', 'Carousel', and 'South Pacific'.

When director Robert Wise brought The Sound of Music to the screen he was taking a risk. The golden era of movie musicals seemed to be over. Julie Andrews was not the star she is today, in fact her first big movie success 'Mary Poppins' was yet to be released. Christopher Plummer was unenthusiastic about the project, famously being quoted as calling it 'the sound of mucus'.

However, when the movie was released in March 1965 the public fell in love with it. Audiences went on to embrace The Sound of Music around the world, although it was never popular in Austria. The movie saved the 20th Century Fox studio and (taking inflation into account) is to date the third highest grossing film of all time. In recent (2011) polls the public continue to vote it as the best movie musical.

An enchanting performance by the great-grandchildren of Captain von Trapp (and the grandchildren of the younger von Trapp son). The von Trapp children have released a number of albums. Their names are Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and Justin.

Here they sing a Christmas carol followed by Do-Re-Mi.

The Sound of Music movie trivia

The actors who played Friedrich and Rolfe had their hair bleached for their roles. Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich) also grew so much that Chamian Carr (Liesel) had to stand on a box when next to him.

The actress playing Marta was missing her front teeth and they had to be added in. This is why she has a slight lisp.

You can see the real Maria von Trapp in Salzberg when Julie Andrews is singing 'I Have Confidence'.

Liza Minnelli auditioned for Liesel and Kurt Russell was considered for one of the boys.

The Sound of Music cast trivia

Julie Andrews won an Oscar for Mary Poppins and was nominated for her role in The Sound of Music but lost out to Julie Christie.

Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich) went on to play Spider-Man in the 1970s TV series. He is still a TV actor today.

Christopher Plummer will be appearing in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in 2011. He has a fondness for playing bad guys.

Eleanor Parker, who played the Baroness, has been married 4 times. Christopher Plummer has been married 3 times. Julie Andrews has been married twice.

Charmian Carr was a close friend of Michael Jackson.

If your copy of The Sound of Music on DVD or (gasp) video is getting worn out or you want to treat yourself to a new copy, take a look at how good the movie looks on Blu-ray in a set that is packed with extras.

This limited edition set comes in a beautiful presentation box and also includes a DVD full of special feature documentaries, the soundtrack on CD, a music box, a book all about The Sound of Music, and a certificate.

The Sound of Music is a musical that is cheerful and uplifting, but the plot is not all sugar-sweet. The dark undercurrents arise from the threat to Austria, the Captain's beloved homeland, with the rise of the German Nazi party. Hitler was Austrian by birth and it was always part of his master plan to join Austria with Germany. The political events threaten to tear apart the von Trapp family, with the Captain receiving orders from Berlin to join the German Navy.

On a personal level, Maria and Liesel must both cope with the pain of love lost. Maria also must choose between a life of religious devotion or a life as a wife and mother.

Music is the driving force that brings the family back together and gives them the strength to face and overcome all the challenges that face them. The children and their father are reunited by the title song, The Sound of Music, and celebrate their new happiness as a family with The Lonely Goatherd.

Maria befriends the children with My Favorite Things, and helps them to rediscover fun and joy by teaching them to sing Do-Re-Mi.

Edelweiss is Captain von Trapp's 'love song' to his homeland, Austria. Maria's own love of Austria and the Alps is expressed by The Sound of Music.

The Captain and Maria share a personal love song in Something Good, while Liesel and Rolf have a more light-hearted love song in Sixteen Going On Seventeen.

Climb Ev'ry Mountain, sung by the Mother Abbess, is a song of encouragement in times of trouble. I Have Confidence is Maria's own personal pick-me-up song.

Reunited in a TV studio for the 40th anniversary of The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews and the children: Charmian Carr (Liesel), Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich), Heather Menzies-Urich (Louisa), Duane Chase (Kurt), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Debbie Turner (Marta) and Kym Karath (Gretl).

The actors talk about some of their The Sound of Music experiences and give an informal rendition of 'Edelweiss'.