Overview
A heartwarming tale of love and resilience set against the backdrop of a changing world.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- uplifting
- warm
- nostalgic
- family movie night
- holiday viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly recognize the film's vocal performances, songs, visual scale, and popular appeal while remaining divided over its sentimental, idealized tone and length.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Maria's songs reshape the von Trapp household, express romantic feeling, and accompany the family's response to political danger.
The governess's bond with the children and Captain von Trapp's family loyalty become inseparable from opposition to German control of Austria.
The Austrian Alps, sweeping outdoor compositions, and saturated musical tableaux give the family story an unusually grand visual scale.
Maria succeeds where previous governesses failed by replacing Captain von Trapp's strict discipline with kindness, games, and singing.
Films like The Sound of Music, and why
Fiddler on the Roof
shared family musical format, romantic warmth, memorable songs, and resistance to authoritarian power
Mary Poppins
shared sweeping period musical style, family-centered romance, and emotionally uplifting songs
South Pacific
shared wartime romance, musical spectacle, and personal choices shaped by political upheaval
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Wise
- Release Date
- 1965-03-29
- Runtime
- 174 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (3749)
Cast
- Julie Andrews
- Christopher Plummer
- Eleanor Parker
- Charmian Carr
- Nicholas Hammond
- Heather Menzies
- Angela Cartwright
- Debbie Turner
- Kym Karath
- Duane Chase
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Sound of Music about?
- A spirited postulant brings music and affection to a rigid Austrian household just as fascism threatens to tear the family apart.
- What is The Sound of Music like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Sound of Music as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Sound of Music violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Sound of Music.
- What did critics think of The Sound of Music?
- Critics broadly recognize the film's vocal performances, songs, visual scale, and popular appeal while remaining divided over its sentimental, idealized tone and length.
- Which films are like The Sound of Music?
- Films with a similar feel include Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Poppins, and South Pacific.
- How long is The Sound of Music?
- The Sound of Music runs 174 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Sound of Music?
- In United States, The Sound of Music streams on Disney Plus.
