50 Years Later, The Hills Are Still Alive

Vermont Public | By Ric Cengeri,

Mitch Wertlieb

Published March 16, 2015 at 12:00 PM EDT

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"The Sound of Music" opened in theaters on March 2, 1965.

St. Martin's Press

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Julie Andrews in Salzberg, Austria, during the filming of "The Sound of Music."

The story of the von Trapp family odyssey was first told by Maria von Trapp in the autobiography she wrote in the 1940s. The movie rights were sold to a German film company for about $9,000. It then became a Broadway play starring Mary Martin. And in 1965, the 20th Century Fox film was released.

It opened to some raves and some pans, but eventually it became one of the most beloved musicals of all time.

We discuss some behind-the-scenes stories of the film with Tom Santopietro, author of the new book, The Sound of Music Story. And we hear from Johannes von Trapp about the family's reaction to the movie.

Also on the program, VPR's Bob Kinzel provides a Legislative update.

Broadcast live on Mon., March 16, 2015, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.