Von trapp family sound of music movie on ABC

“The Sound of Music“, one of my all-time favorite movies, is seeing new life on TV as ABC screens it on 27th December at 7 p.m.
The film opens in the Austrian city of Salzburg in 1938. Maria (Julie Andrews), a young postulant at the Nonnberg Abbey, is a free spirit, seldom on time and constantly trying the patience of the nuns. Doubting her devotion to a life in service to God, the Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) answers a call from Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), a widowed former commander in the Austrian navy who is searching for a new governess for his seven children, and sends Maria out into the world to serve in the position.

Upon arrival at the von Trapp manor, Maria immediately gets into trouble; Captain von Trapp, still stricken with grief over the loss of his wife and not wanting to be reminded of the joy they once had—music is expressly forbidden—has been raising the children according to the principles of military/navy discipline. He demonstrates this through stern discipline with his children—teenaged Liesl (Charmian Carr), reserved Friedrich (Nicholas Hammond), aloof Louisa (Heather Menzies), headstrong Kurt (Duane Chase), sarcastic Brigitta (Angela Cartwright) and the two youngest, Marta (Debbie Turner) and Gretl (Kym Karath). Maria strongly objects to the treatment of the children, such as blowing whistles and issuing orders, while making them wear uniforms.

The children, mischievous and initially hostile to Maria, begin warming to her during a thunderstorm, during which she introduces them to the pleasures of music and singing. Soon, the children—in fresh play clothes made from discarded draperies—begin learning the fundamentals of music and enjoying life beyond the confines of the manor. Maria becomes a strong support for Liesl in particular, who has started coming of age and is enjoying the advances of a bicycle messenger, Rolf (Daniel Truhitte), who encourages her to sneak out and meet him whenever he delivers a telegram to her father. Von Trapp’s attentions are meanwhile focused elsewhere, as he entertains a visit by Baroness Elsa Schraeder (Eleanor Parker), a wealthy socialite from Vienna whom he has begun courting, and their mutual friend, an Austrian businessman and agent, Max Dettweiler (Richard Haydn). When von Trapp discovers his children have been climbing trees on the manor grounds, he confronts Maria and orders her to return to Nonnberg, but his mind is changed when the children perform the title song of the movie, “The Sound of Music,” for the Baroness. With music returned to the von Trapp household, the Captain softens, pleading with Maria to stay, to which she agrees.

Baroness Schraeder, who does not share Maria’s rapport with the children, becomes jealous of Maria’s talents and the effect she has on the Captain. It becomes obvious to her that Maria and the captain have both begun to have feelings for each other. During a grand party at the manor, ostensibly to celebrate Schraeder and von Trapp’s engagement, the Baroness convinces Maria to leave by exploiting her inner conflict about becoming a nun and her discomfort at the captain’s obvious affection towards her. Meanwhile, Max has begun pushing the captain to let the children perform in the forthcoming Salzburg Music Festival.

At Nonnberg, Maria keeps herself in seclusion until the Reverend Mother confronts her, convincing her to “climb ev’ry mountain” to find God’s will for her life and how God “wants her to spend her love.” After hearing that the children came to see her while she was in seclusion, Maria decides to return to the von Trapp family to explore where these feelings will grow, only to discover upon arrival that the Captain and Baroness Schraeder have announced their engagement. She tells Captain von Trapp she has returned, but only until another governess can be located. However, by now, von Trapp has realized the calling of his heart—he breaks the news to the Baroness that he cannot marry her, and she returns to Vienna. Von Trapp finds Maria in a gazebo on the manor grounds, where he confesses he is not able to marry Schraeder because he has fallen in love with Maria. Sometime later, the two finally wed.

As Georg and Maria enjoy their honeymoon, Max begins training the children to perform in the upcoming music festival. Meanwhile, the political situation in Austria takes a turn for the worse, as the Third Reich gains power in Austria as part of the Anschluss. Rolf joins the Nazi Party, subtly warning the von Trapps about the danger they face if they do not comply with new orders, which will call Captain von Trapp back into military service.

Upon his return, the captain, unwilling to serve the Third Reich, delays the matter by insisting to Zeller (Ben Wright), the district Gauleiter (party leader), that he is part of the von Trapp Family Singers group and must appear with them during their performance at the festival. With Georg von Trapp firmly expected to comply with the order, the theatre is heavily guarded during the festival, though not enough to dissuade the attendees from displaying their Austrian pride by singing Edelweiss together.

The von Trapps perform together, winning the first prize award at the Festival. But after they fail to appear for their curtain call to receive it, Zeller sends the military police after them, and a search party is formed to track the family fugitives. Rolf alone discovers the von Trapps hiding in a cemetery at Nonnberg Abbey, and after a brief confrontation with the Captain, alerts his fellow soldiers to their presence. The soldiers give chase as the family flees, but they are unable to pursue the von Trapps, as the Nazis’ vehicles were sabotaged by the nuns at the Abbey. Sometime later, the von Trapps are shown making the journey over the Alps on foot, bound for Switzerland, and freedom. ( WIKI)