The Story of the von Trapp Family Singers: The Truth Behind the Classic

I grew up in a religious family that faithfully adhered to the Biblical admonition to keep the Sabbath Day holy. This gave us certain restrictions: no watching TV, no working, no playing noisily, no shopping, etc. Since we five children became easily bored, our father generously consented to let us watch two videos on Sundays: It's A Wonderful Life and The Sound of Music. Usually we were so bored that we watched both of them every week. This is how I came to know and love the von Trapp family. I grew up with the movie version of Maria von Trapp, so when I saw her book, The Story of the von Trapp Family Singers, I picked it up and eagerly began to read.

Because I had seen the movie so many times, I naively believed every minute detail. Thus, I was somewhat shocked to find out that although the movie was based on a true story, it was very loosely based in fact. The children weren't named Liesl, Friedrich, Kurt, Louisa, etc., the captain wasn't as cold as he seemed, the children's governesses weren't driven away because of their naughtiness, and Maria von Trapp wasn't young and pretty like Julie Andrews. The love story, however, is true.

The movie ends when the von Trapp family heads for the mountains in order to escape Austria and the Nazis. Maria's book continues the saga. Despite the movie's drama and excitement, it is this part of their lives which most interests me. Maria writes about coming to America and the adjustments her family had to make. She laughs at the grammatical errors she made, looks back on periods of hardship and poverty, fondly remembers learning how to be a Vermont dairy farmer, and recalls her own incredible faith in God. Her story is fascinating and very charming. It is like reading her journal, like knowing her personally. The role Julie Andrews played showed only one facet of a truly complex and engaging personality.

Besides providing the reader with a glimpse into her own personality, Maria von Trapp also explains what happened to her family after leaving Austria. This "where are they now" is interesting, although completely out of date now. Still, reading her book is like finding the missing reel to The Sound of Music. Finally, we can find out how the characters in the classic story fared in real life. Although the true story is a bit different from the movie version, it is safe to say that the reality is more fascinating than the film.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic