It's been a whopping 50 years since The Sound of Music first premiered and captivated audiences across the country. The film itself and the songs will never get old, even though the cast that sang them has long since grown out of their adorable childhood years. But the 1965 film is a perfect snapshot of their talent and childlike cuteness as they played the real-life Von Trapp children. And since no anniversary is complete without a list of some sort, I'm here to bring you a definitive ranking of the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music.
Don't worry, I'm ranking the fictional children, not the real Von Trapp family members. I'm not that cruel. Like Khloe Kardashian once said, "Favorites, favorites. We all have them." And I have a lot of feelings about the Von Trapp kids and which ones are the best. Yes, the collective group makes up a wonderful family. But that doesn't stop me from liking some of the children over the others.
After all, there's only so much screen time to give the children and some captured my attention better than others. I don't hate any of the characters, but there are a few like I like better than the rest. So here's my completely subjective ranking of The Sound of Music children. Here are the seven Von Trapps ranked from worst to best.
#7 - Louisa
Louisa gets basically no screen time or lines. In fact the most she gets to talk is in the beginning of the movie when she's being a brat and trying to play tricks on Maria. Although she gets better throughout the movie, her character is overshadowed by her siblings. No hard feelings, Louisa, but someone had to be last on the list and this time it's you. But if I were ranking movie characters that would make good birds, you'd be right there at the top. Look at these dainty wing flaps!
#6 - Marta
Marta's character suffers a little because she's not young enough to be cute like her little sister Gretl, and yet not old enough to have a personality like her older sister Brigitta. As a result she's just not that memorable. Sorry Marta!
#5 - Friedrich
He first declared himself to be "impossible," but really he was incredibly strong. In his father's absence, Friedrich became a pillar of strength for his siblings with a heart of gold. When he sees his sister Liesl dancing alone and goes to join her, I cry every time.
#4 - Liesl
Although Liesl comes off as bratty at first, the audience soon falls in love with her and her impeccable singing voice. The 16-year-old was certain she didn't need a governess, but she did need a friend and Maria was that for her. While Liesl could be little naive at times (like when she fell for Rolf who later turned into a Nazi), her heart was in the right place, and she was always there for her family.
#3 - Brigitta
She was the most sincere of the children, and I automatically liked her when I saw her nose buried in a book during the family line-up. She's a smart girl after my own literary heart, and she was super sweet to Maria even correcting her sister Louisa when she tried to play a trick on the new governess.
#2 - Kurt
The sassiest of all the Von Trapp children, Kurt desperately wanted to be as cool as his older brother. But he retained a childlike curiosity that was irresistible. "I'm incorrigible!" he announced upon meeting Maria for the first time. "What's incorrigible?" he then asked in a smaller voice. He was such a sweetheart, and he had some serious side-eye. #Respect.
#1 - Gretl
The adorable 5-year-old stole the screen from the very first minute she was introduced. Although the youngest on set, she had a huge personality and a wonderful variety of facial expressions from adorable to angry. Plus she was the first to warm up to Maria, which endeared her to me immediately. "Don't believe a word they say because I like you," she exclaimed to her new governess in her tiny childish voice. She's seriously the sweetest with her chubby cheeks and huge attitude, and I love it.
Images: 20th Century Fox (2); hepburny, kwinslet, kingslayered (2), bdix815, ilikeubuturcrazy, thesoundofgifs (2), yaccbs/Tumblr; christopherplummer
