Christopher Plummer: "If I slow down now, I'll die"
It won best picture and is still one of the most beloved movies of all time. With its stunning scenery, charming story and memorable songs, "The Sound of Music" has warmed the hearts of viewers for years.But its star Christopher Plummer hasn't always been as fond of the 1965 big-screen musical, which is celebrating its 50-year anniversary this month.Plummer played Captain Georg von Trapp, a retired Austrian naval officer raising his seven children alone using a military-style discipline following the death of his wife. That's until Maria (Julie Andrews) comes along. After leaving an Austrian convent to become the kids' governess, she reintroduces music to the family, which softens up an otherwise hardened man.36PhotosChristopher PlummerThe Oscar-winning Canadian actor has gone from "The Sound of Music" to "Beginners" and "Dragon Tattoo"Thanks to the songs "Edelweiss," "My Favorite Things," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "Do-Re-Mi," the movie has held a firm place in history -- and continues to live on with annual television airings, sing-a-long events and more.Lady Gaga recently brought the musical's songs to life with her Feb. 22 Oscars performance, which received rave reviews and became the Academy Awards' top social moment. It even got a big thumbs up from Andrews, who greeted the singer onstage, saying, "Dear Lady Gaga, thank you for that wonderful tribute. It really warmed my heart."But if you ask Plummer, he's tired of talking a film that debuted a half-century ago. "One doesn't go on and on talking about other movies forever and ever," he said. "You make them, you love doing them. You even may respect them, but you forget about them because life goes on and you've got other things to do. And every so often this thing raises its head...I'm so sick of hearing my own voice talking about it." Still, he graciously took some time out to speak to CBS News about it. During the chat, Plummer said he doesn't hate the movie -- he never did. "I just didn't particularly think my role was the most exciting thing I've ever had in my life," he said. "I had been spoiled -- I already played Hamlet and all those great parts in the theater in England and Canada and New York. And then suddenly to be faced with Captain Von Trapp, it didn't sort of hold a candle somehow," he continued laughing. "But I thought I would be a good boy and take my medicine. And besides 'I'd like to be in musical...It would give me an idea of what it's like to be in one.' So, for all those reasons I went ahead."Plummer admits that he was sort of the "bad boy" on-set -- and looking back, he thinks that was a positive thing."It was good to see someone who was irreverent on the set. There were so many nuns around it was frightening. I didn't know who to be more afraid of -- the Nazis or the nuns!" Plummer said with a chuckle.In all seriousness, Plummer said he has many fond memories from that time and that there were many "pluses" to the film.The kids were sweet, he says. And so was Eleanor Parker, the actress who played Elsa von Schraeder, Captain Von Trapp's love interest from Vienna."I had a great crush on her," revealed Plummer. He called director Robert Wise "a tremendously skilled director and real gentleman -- a rare thing in our business." And then there was the beautiful countryside. "How could you go wrong?" said Plummer about the film, which shot on location in Salzburg, Austria.One drawback? Plummer put on a lot of weight, so much so that they had to adjust his wardrobe."When I came back from our days off in Vienna -- where I had a ball -- Robert Wise, said, 'You look like Orson Welles. We gotta redo your costume.'" Another plus? Julie Andrews, of course. "I love Julie," said Plummer. "I thought she was absolutely smashing in it. I think it's the best thing she's ever done. She's at her most natural...She stripped all of her layers away and made herself vulnerable and real. And it's hard to be vulnerable and real -- and be a singer, too...I was absolutely filled with admiration for her." Plummer, 85, and Andrews, 79, have stayed in touch over the years, appearing in the 2001 CBS TV film, "On Golden Pond," for example. They're expected to reunite later this month for a special anniversary event, too.Plummer, meanwhile, remembers the exact moment when he finally came to peace with the film. It happened in 2008 when he was forced to watch it "at some children's party which I couldn't get out of." He hadn't seen it ages and was pleasantly surprised.