Sound Of Music.
The 40th anniversary edition DVD, featuring commentary by Andrews, Plummer and Wise, will be released Nov. 15 and can be ordered in advance.
Andrews may have seemed like a fresh-scrubbed newcomer when "The Sound of Music" was released in 1965, but she had spent the previous decade as a star onstage in both London and New York. She warmed up in London music halls as a child and teenager before making her Broadway debut in "The Boy Friend" (1954). Two years later she originated the role of Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady," though when the film version was made she famously lost the part to Audrey Hepburn. In a bit of poetic justice, Andrews did "Mary Poppins" instead and won an Oscar competing against Hepburn. She subsequently appeared in musicals, dramas and comedies, notably "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Victor/Victoria" (directed by her husband, Blake Edwards), and is now an occasional screen presence ("The Princess Diaries") and author of children's books.
Q: What comes to mind when you see "The Sound of Music" now?
A: Aside from the movie itself, the extras on the DVD are great. Rehearsal footage that I never knew was being shot, footage of us recording at the prerecord long before we began filming. It's great because I never knew it existed.
Q: You did all of the singing before the shoot?
A: Yes, you always do that with movie musicals. You prerecord and then you lip-synch to playback.
Q: At that point were you pretty comfortable in front of a camera?
A: It was the third movie I'd ever made, but I was in awfully good hands. Robert Wise is a consummate director who has stayed a friend over these many years. He's kind and gentle. I learned a great deal while filming. So yes and no is the answer to that question.
Q: I seem to recall that shooting that legendary opening shot was difficult.
A: A helicopter swoops down through the trees and onto the field. When we rehearsed the shot, the helicopter would take off and the wash from it would knock me down.
Q: How much research did you do about the family?
A: I'd seen the Broadway musical. The musical was based on a book, which became a German movie, which then became a vehicle (by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) for Mary Martin. I basically worked from the script that was taken from the musical.
Q: I guess you could feel that not many people had seen the musical so you didn't have to worry about comparisons.
A: Perhaps she (Martin) wasn't the right age at that time (to play the role onscreen), I don't know quite what. I know I wasn't the first person considered for it. They considered Audrey Hepburn and Doris Day and Grace Kelly. Disney was very kind and allowed them to see footage of "Mary Poppins."
Q: So that hadn't been released yet.
A: I did three films in a row, "Poppins," "The Americanization of Emily" and then "Sound of Music," none of which were released.
Q: Did you feel trapped by the image created by this film?
A: Some people suggested that I was, but I was very fortunate to play other roles. "The Americanization of Emily" and "Torn Curtain" and things like that.
Q: There weren't many movie musical successes after that. Did you feel like you arrived too late?
A: I felt I could have done more. I enjoyed them.
Q: One more thing. I always thought Christopher Plummer was an interesting choice for this movie and gave an interesting performance. Can you tell me why I think that?
A: I think I can. We were all concerned that the movie would be too saccharine. We wanted to add as much astringency to the film as possible, and Chris did that. He was the glue. His contribution to the film was enormous.
Q: I agree.
A: I'm glad you do.