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Ralph Fiennes and Pals Hit the High Notes in The Choral
Set in 1916, the film explores how war and societal tensions impact a Yorkshire choral society, with many men conscripted and whispers about the chorus master's background.
- Ralph Fiennes headlines The Choral as Dr Henry Guthrie, a chorus master in Ramsden, Yorkshire, in 1916; the Alan Bennett-written film recently screened at the BFI London Film Festival.
- Faced with a depleted choir, the committee must recruit a new music director as conscription in 1916 has called half the townsmen to fight, endangering the Ramsden Choral Society’s concert.
- Controversy follows Guthrie, who is gay and recently returned from Germany, fueling whispers among choral gatekeepers as he avoids German composers and suggests reworking The Dream of Gerontius by Elgar alongside George Fenton’s score.
- Critics note the film's tonal balance, praising Fiennes’s performance and its shift from laugh-out-loud comedy to poignant drama, calling it a crowd-pleaser with a sharp edge.
- This reunion between Alan Bennett and Nicholas Hytner marks their fourth film collaboration and portrays 1916’s impact on small communities affected by World War I.
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Robert Emms on Starring in ‘The Choral,’ Opposite Ralph Fiennes, and His ‘Andor’ Experience
The actor also discusses 'Bad Apples,' the hitman film he just shot with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Benedict Cumberbatch, and why he likes that 'Andor' "doesn't shy away from political things."
·Los Angeles, United States
Read Full ArticleRalph Fiennes and pals hit the high notes in The Choral
Lovers of old-school quality, rejoice - director Nicholas Hytner, writer Alan Bennett, and leading man Ralph Fiennes have just the film for you. It will leave you with a song in your heart and, probably, a lump in your throat.
·Ireland
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left1Leaning Right2Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
14%
C 57%
R 29%
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