WHO: Captain Von Trapp
FROM: The Sound of Music
Looking Back, 1966 ~ “The Sound of Music” (Photo credit: e r j k p r u n c z y k)
By: Rodgers and Hammerstein
WHEN: Broadway debut — 1959, Movie — 1965
PROS: Honorable, Strong, Patriotic, the Captain can sing and looks great in a uniform. Under his rock hard outer shell he’s really a loving, kind man. (and he’s rich and handsome which a hero of a musical ought to be be if possible.)
Christopher Plummer at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
CONS: He’s an emotionally detached, elitist snob with awkward social skills.
BEST SHINING MOMENT: Singing Edelweiss at the Salzburg Music Festival.
LEAST SHINING MOMENT: Whistling for his children as if they were part of a Pavolovian experiment.
WHY I CHOOSE THE CAPTAIN: Lets face it, Captain Von Trapp is the the Mr. Darcy of the Musical world. He starts off aloof and disagreeable –the antithesis to our plucky warm, loveable Maria/Lizzie. He is so wrapped up in the constraints of upper crust Austrian / Regency Society that he is practically mummified. He is as surprised as any one else when a scrappy, country flower of a girl helps him unwind and find his voice again.
ritaLOVEStoWRITE 
October 13th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
I love this movie, but Meet Me in St. Louis is by far my favorite musical. The parents are so great–grumpy, lovable father and serene, secure mother. My father used to get teary-eyed (and he never got teary-eyed) watching Judy Garland sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
I LOVE writing about detached male snobs! The main character in my second book is one and he makes me laugh so much–though he wouldn’t think any of it is funny!
Watching my kids sing Edelweiss at a school concert really tugged my heartstrings. I’d forgotten how handsome Christopher Plummer was.
October 13th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
Both Edelweiss and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas get me teary eyed too. Ahh the power of song.