The Sound of Music poster

The Sound of Music

1965172 minutesG
5.6
Arcplot Score
📝 Unconventional
Unverified
8.1IMDb
🍅 83%Rotten Tomatoes
Ⓜ️ 63/100Metacritic
🎬 7.7TMDb
📊 6.9Popularity
🏆Won 5 Oscars. 19 wins & 13 nominations total
Directed by: Robert Wise
In 1930's Austria, a young woman named Maria (Dame Julie Andrews) is failing miserably in her attempts to become a nun. When Navy Captain Georg Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) writes to the convent asking for a governess that can handle his seven mischievous children, Maria is given the job. The Captain's wife is dead, and he is often away, and runs the household as strictly as he does the ships he sails on. The children are unhappy and resentful of the governesses that their father keeps hiring, and have managed to run each of them off one by one. When Maria arrives, she is initially met with the same hostility, but her kindness, understanding, and sense of fun soon draws them to her and brings some much-needed joy into all their lives - including the Captain's. Eventually he and Maria find themselves falling in love, even though the Captain is already engaged to a Baroness named Elsa and Maria is still a postulant. The romance makes them both start questioning the decisions they have made. Their personal conflicts soon become overshadowed, however, by world events. Austria is about to come under the control of Germany, and the Captain may soon find himself drafted into the German Navy and forced to fight against his own country.

Box Office

Budget:$8.2M
Revenue:$286.2M
Profit:$278.0M

Arcplot Score Breakdown

Beat Timing Precision6.2/10
Emotional Arc Impact5.5/10
Thematic Consistency5/10
Overall Score5.6/10

Beat Sheet

15 plot points

The Sound of Music Arcplot
1
Opening Image
1 min
2
Theme Stated
12 min
3
Set-Up
25 min
4
Catalyst
38 min
5
Debate
50 min
6
Break Into Two
62 min
7
B Story
80 min
8
Fun and Games
95 min
9
Midpoint
105 min
10
Bad Guys Close In
130 min
11
All Is Lost
145 min
12
Dark Night of the Soul
155 min
13
Break Into Three
160 min
14
Finale
168 min
15
Final Image
172 min

Emotional Arc

+100-10

Plot Points

#1

Opening Image

1 min

Austrian Alps. Maria singing on mountain; free-spirited and joyful tone; isolated life.

#2

Theme Stated

12 min

Music and love bring people together; theme of family, courage, joy.

#3

Set-Up

25 min

Maria joins Von Trapp household as governess; children unruly; initial conflicts and character introductions.

#4

Catalyst

38 min

Maria inspires children through music; establishes change and emotional stakes.

#5

Debate

50 min

Can Maria and children overcome obstacles? Will Captain Von Trapp accept love? Doubts and internal conflict.

#6

Break Into Two

62 min

Maria fully engages with children; family unity growing; adventure and joy in music.

#7

B Story

80 min

Romantic development between Maria and Captain; emotional stakes deepen.

#8

Fun and Games

95 min

Musical numbers, outdoor play, bonding, humor, whimsical sequences; charm and entertainment.

#9

Midpoint

105 min

Captain accepts love; tension with Nazis escalates; false victory emotionally, stakes rising politically.

#10

Bad Guys Close In

130 min

Nazi threat grows; family and personal danger increases; escape must be planned.

#11

All Is Lost

145 min

Escape seems impossible; emotional despair; highest tension.

#12

Dark Night of the Soul

155 min

Maria reflects on courage, love, family; resolves to act.

#13

Break Into Three

160 min

Family executes escape plan; unity and bravery; action and suspense combined.

#14

Finale

168 min

Escape successful; family together; freedom and love prevail.

#15

Final Image

172 min

Alps sunset; Maria and family safe; musical reprise; joy and harmony restored.