The Sound of Music stars Maria, (portrayed by Julie Andrews) an aspiring nun who is sent away by the Mother Abbess to villa because of her free-spiritedness and lively behavior that bother other nuns. She is set to live in the house of retired and widowed Captain Georg von Trapp and work there as the governess of seven children – Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl. The children initially play pranks on Maria but when she pays them with kindness and patience for their deeds, the children start to warm to her.
Maria teaches the children to sing and does fun activities with them. One day, they come back to their house all wet and dirty not knowing that Captain von Trapp has already arrived with Baroness Schraeder and a friend named Max Detweiler. The captain disapproves of the things that Maria teaches his children and when she tries to advise him on spending more time with his children, he tells Maria that she should just go back to the abbey. At that moment, the captain hears something and when he checks it out, he sees that his children are serenading the Baroness. The captain is overjoyed and he starts singing with his children. He also asks for Maria’s forgiveness and tells her to continue her stay in their home.
A grand party at the villa is planned by the Captain and his friends. During the preparation, the Captain shows some affection for Maria that makes the Baroness jealous. This drives the Baroness to convince Maria to go back to the abbey.
Maria leaves to prevent herself from falling for the Captain. This saddens the children and their sadness grows worse when they learn that their father got engaged with the Baroness. Meanwhile, the Mother Abbess learns that Maria has fallen in love with the Captain. She then encourages her to go back to the von Trapps’ home. After returning, Maria finds out about the engagement. Nevertheless, she agrees to stay until a new governess who will take care of the children is found. The Captain cant’ stand his feelings anymore so he breaks off his engagement with the Baroness and marries Maria instead.
During the couple’s honeymoon, the von Trapp children join a competition in the Salzburg Festival. Meanwhile, Austria has been declared to be annex of the Third Reich in Anschluss. The Captain learns about this and he and Maria immediately head back home. When ask to make a report to the Nazis, the Captain decides to get away from his Austria with his family. Before they can leave, German soldiers arrive and inquire about their destination. The Captain tells them that they are on their way to make a performance in the festival. The German soldiers accompany them to the festival and while everyone is busy, the von Trapp family make their escape.
They hide in cemetery crypt of the abbey. When the Nazis come and search for them, the family uses the caretaker’s car to run away. The Nazis try to run after them but their cars are sabotaged by the nuns in the abbey. The movie ends with von Trapp family travelling the mountains leading to Switzerland to start a new life in there.