The Choral

Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) leads a terrific ensemble cast in this funny and moving First World War drama from director Nicholas Hytner and writer Alan Bennett, marking their fourth writer-director collaboration following The Madness of King George, The History Boys, and The Lady in The Van.

1916. As war rages on the Western Front, the Choral Society in Ramsden, Yorkshire has lost most of its men to the army, so its committee decides to recruit local young men to swell their ranks. They must also engage a new chorus master, and despite their suspicions that he has something to hide, their best bet seems to be the driven, uncompromising Dr. Guthrie (Fiennes). As conscription papers begin to arrive, the whole community discovers that the best response to the chaos laying waste to their lives is to make music together.