Alan Bennett’s ‘The Choral,’ directed by Nicholas Hytner and produced by Sony Pictures Classics, feels like a return to the kind of storytelling that values people, community, and quiet rebellion over spectacle. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Amara Okereke, Jacob Dudman, Oliver Briscombe, and Robert Emms, the film brings together a cast that balances subtle emotion with natural performances. What makes this story special is how it looks at war not through the trenches but through music, and how it shows that art can help us hold on to humanity when everything else feels uncertain. Set in the Yorkshire countryside during World War I, The Choral reminds us that beauty and creation still matter even when the world is breaking apart.
This film also marks Alan Bennett’s first original screenplay in over four decades, making it a significant return for the veteran writer. Bennett, known for The Madness of King George and The History Boys, once again teams up with Nicholas Hytner, his long-time collaborator from both stage and screen. Together, they create a story that feels intimate yet universal. Their shared background in theater gives The Choral a stage-like rhythm, where small gestures and quiet exchanges mean more than grand speeches. The film’s restrained tone, combined with George Fenton’s score and Mike Eley’s warm cinematography, creates an atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and alive.
Unspoken Truths and Silent Grief as Dr. Guthrie’s Struggle Between Art and Duty
Set in 1916 in the fictional Yorkshire mill town of Ramsden, the film follows Dr. Henry Guthrie, played by Ralph Fiennes, a choirmaster whose passion for music clashes with the rising tide of patriotism during World War I. Guthrie believes that art matters more than unquestioning loyalty to the crown, and his irritation when his choir sings “God Save the King” with more confidence than Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius says a lot about him. He is cultured, strict, and clearly out of place among the simple townsfolk. Yet we come to see that his pursuit of beauty is his own quiet act of resistance.
Fiennes gives Guthrie a sense of restraint and bittersweetness that feels deeply human. We sense his loneliness and unspoken grief, especially since his personal identity is implied but never directly addressed. His friendship with the pianist Horner, played by Robert Emms, carries a subtle tenderness that exists on the edges of a society that would not allow them to be honest about who they are. Guthrie’s presence challenges the village’s idea of what a respectable man should be, yet his musical discipline slowly brings them together.
The young choir members, mostly boys about to face the horrors of war, add another layer to the story. Lofty, the postboy who delivers tragic telegrams, and Ellis, his cheeky friend, represent that fragile line between youth and duty. Their flirtations and naive desires feel heartbreakingly honest, especially when we remember that they may not live long enough to grow up. Mary, played by Amara Okereke, stands out as a symbol of purity and restraint, while Bella and Clyde show the toll war takes on love and the body.
The Dream of Gerontius and the Search for Meaning in The Choral
What makes The Choral so affecting is how it moves between humor, longing, and quiet sorrow. We watch a community trying to stay whole while sending its sons to die. Guthrie’s attempt to stage Elgar’s oratorio with a depleted, out-of-tune choir becomes a reflection of everyone’s struggle to find order, meaning, and even beauty in a world falling apart.
Visually, the film is stunning without feeling artificial. Cinematographer Mike Eley captures the golden light and open hills of Yorkshire, which contrast sharply with the emotional heaviness of the story. The music, especially Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, becomes a kind of prayer for everyone who has lost something.
While some critics have said that the script feels uneven, the film’s sincerity outweighs its flaws. It reminds us that art, like faith, can hold us together when the world tries to pull us apart. Through Guthrie’s stern yet compassionate eyes, we see how music becomes a bridge between people, between generations, and between life and death. Ultimately, The Choral is not about victory or defeat but about how we find harmony in the midst of grief.
