agatha was quiet, intro spected almost inhible itted person.we saw the film and the song and dance routine that leisel and the telegraph boy do, we rolled in the aisles at the agatha. >> reporter: holding the family tail together was maria, the nun in training turned baroness von trapp who wrote the story of the trap family singers, and passed away in 1987. >> my mother loved austria. for a long time she'd go back in april, and fly back and she'd say "i'm glass to be back here, now i can breathe." in europe she felt oppressed by the centuries of history, tradition, class differences, but here she felt able to spread her wings. >> maria's book was made into a german film, the story rights going to the produces, who sold them for the broadway play, "the sound of music." and later the beloved movie. as a result the family von trapp has indirectly cashed in on their name. in its own way, a hollywood ending. except this fairytale is strong. >> why do americans love this story line so much? >> it's a masterpiece of movie making. it deals with themes