Ralph Fiennes is always worth watching, and he heads the cast of The Choral, an absorbing drama directed by the eminent Nicholas Hytner and written by the last living member of Beyond the Fringe, Alan Bennett. Their previous collaborations on stage and screen brought us The Madness of King George and The History Boys. I surveyed the reviews this latest effort has recieved, and a number of critics have damned it with faint praise: too genteel, to predictable they say.
I beg to differ. The harshest word I would use in describing this admittedly old-fashioned movie is “conventional.” Given the cinematic output of 2025 I would welcome more conventional fare like this in the new year.
The backdrop for The Choral is England in 1916. The World War is raging and decimating an entire generation of young men. The town of Ramsden has lost its choirmaster to the Army and his would-be replacement has been working in Germany, of all places. Eventually hired by the committee, he recruits singers from every crevice of the village, welcoming women and teenage boys. He is single-minded in his dedication to producing a concert the town can be proud of.
The Choral may not be exceptional but it is beautifully crafted and performed. The music is glorious. What more could one ask for.
