British actress and singer Julie Andrews, circa 1965. Behind her is the soundtrack to her recent film 'The Sound of Music'. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Hallmark isn’t the only channel providing Christmas movies for you to enjoy this season. Netflix, Freeform, Lifetime, Disney Plus, and now ABC are also getting in on the holiday spirit. Tonight on Sunday, December 15, ABC is airing the 1965 classic The Sound of Music. Read on to learn about how to watch it online.
If you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream of ABC on your computer, phone, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or other streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming subscription services:
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AT&T TV Now
AT&T TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now) offers six different channel bundles. They range from 45 to 125 live TV channels, and they all include ABC (live in select markets).
Start Your AT&T TV Now Free Trial
Once signed up for AT&T TV Now, you can watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the AT&T TV Now website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, or other compatible streaming device via the AT&T TV app.
If you can’t watch live, AT&T TV Now — no matter what channel package you choose — comes with included cloud DVR.
Hulu With Live TV
ABC (live in select markets) is included in Hulu With Live TV, which comes with 60-plus live TV channels and Hulu’s extensive on-demand library of TV shows and movies.
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show, or other streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which has most new episodes and specials available after they air) and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
YouTube TV
YouTube TV comes with 70-plus live TV channels, including ABC (live in select markets).
Once signed up for YouTube TV, you can then watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the YouTube website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, or other compatible streaming device via the YouTube app.
If you can’t watch live, YouTube TV comes with included DVR.
‘The Sound of Music’ Preview
The Sound of Music airs on Sunday, December 15 at 7 p.m. ET and lasts four hours. The film is an adaptation of the 1959 stage musical of the same name, composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
The story follows Maria (Julie Andrews), a young Austrian woman who is sent to the villa of a retired naval officer (Christopher Plummer) to be governess to his seven children. She eventually marrieds the officer, and together they find a way to survive the loss of their homeland to the Nazis.
The Sound of Music is one of the most commercially-successful films of all time. It was the highest-grossing film of 1965, and it was the first film to gross more than $100 million at the box office. The film was also nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Cinematography, and would go on to win 5; including Best Music, Best Film Editing, and the aforementioned Best Picture.
According to the Telegraph, most of the people involved with the film were reluctant to join. Julie Andrews felt that the role of Maria was too close to her Oscar-winning turn in Mary Poppins (1964), while director Robert Wise had just done West Side Story (1961), and didn’t want to do another lavish musical so soon after. Both expressed relief at having taken the project.
Christopher Plummer was the cast member most adverse to the film. He called it the “sound of mucus,” and admitted that he had to sometimes drink between takes to get through it all. Despite his apprehension, Plummer has warmed to the film in recent years, and appreciates the fact that it has such universal appeal.
“As cynical as I always was about The Sound of Music, I do respect that it is a bit of relief from all the gunfire and car chases you see these days,” he told Vanity Fair. “It’s sort of wonderfully, old-fashionedly universal. It’s got the bad guys and the Alps; it’s got Julie and sentiment in bucketloads. Our director, dear old Bob Wise, did keep it from falling over the edge into a sea of treacle. Nice man. God, what a gent. There are very few of those around anymore in our business.”