Tom Santopietro's "The Sound of Music Story"

Tom Santopietro is the author of The Importance of Being Barbra, Considering Doris Day (a New York Times Editor’s Choice), Sinatra in Hollywood, and The Godfather Effect: Changing Hollywood, America, and Me. He has worked for the past twenty years in New York theater as a manager of more than two dozen Broadway shows.

Here he dreamcasts an adaptation of his new book, The Sound of Music Story: How A Beguiling Young Novice, A Handsome Austrian Captain, and Ten Singing Von Trapp Children Inspired the Most Beloved Film of All Time:

Since my book The Sound of Music Story concerns the making of The Sound of Music, the opportunity to cast other actors to portray Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, and Robert Wise seems like a lot of fun--- a great hall of mirrors project. So:

Julie Andrews: Keira Knightley or Carey Mulligan

Christopher Plummer: Benedict Cumberbatch

Eleanor Parker: Cate Blanchett

Peggy Wood: Marion Cotillard (because I think she can play any role, any time, anywhere, so I’d have to have her in the movie; for me she’s the most versatile actress working in films today)

Director Robert Wise: Tom Wilkinson

Screenwriter Ernest Lehman: Martin Freeman

Studio head Richard Zanuck: Bob Odenkirk

The 7 von Trapp Children: Any children who have never appeared on reality television, never watched reality television, and don’t care about reality television. Seven non-show biz children.

The real Maria von Trapp- who makes a cameo appearance during “I Have Confidence”: Tyne Daly

I’d really like to hear what ideas other people have…

Learn more about the book and author at Tom Santopietro's website.

The Page 99 Test: The Godfather Effect.

Writers Read: Tom Santopietro.

The Page 99 Test: The Sound of Music Story.

--Marshal Zeringue