Ralph Fiennes in The CHORAL WWI England Finding Solace in Singing

The CHORAL, the 2025 arthouse movie now streaming on Netflix stars Ralph Fiennes. This is a well-intentioned, beautifully shot film about a motley group not engaged in the fighting. Set in Yorkshire, 1916, at a time where innocence still prevailed in bucolic scenes with young men biking and swimming nude in local waterholes. Their innocence abuts impending war which will leave countless countrymen dead or wounded. This is not your American version of Rooney/Garland's "let's put on a show." Still, it begs to be compared while the ravages of war are waging the locals have dedicated themselves to creating a performance of Edward Elgars' "The Dream of Gerontius" for the community. My favorite scene shows the pompous Elgar stopping by to see a rehearsal. Elgar is insulting and dismissive of the shabby production but for one singer. Fiennes is pitch perfect as the talented, combative choral master, Dr Guthrie who scraped together local holdovers who've yet to be called-up, those released from service and even a local prostitute. There's a bunch of old crones whose sniggering expressed their prejudices and those held by many others. Dr Guthrie response to resentments was, "A choral society shouldn't mirror the social order. It should transcend it." There's strong objections to performing music by German composers. Separating the art from the artist becomes extremely contentious and complicated. Guthrie only recently returned from Germany after working there for several years as he confirmed, "Among civilized people who value music and arts above all else." Guthrie's recent time in Germans and alliance with their music causes a lot of dissension. There's even rejection of British composer Elgar's music because he's Catholic. The themes of bigotry resonate fortissmo but seemed somewhat disingenuous regarding color blindness bestowed the female, black soloist. Racial prejudice was prevalent during this era. This aside, the vocalist Mary (Amara Okereke) did "sing like an angel" The cast also included other "British acting royalty": Mark Addy, Roger Allam and Robert Emms. The rehearsing and bonding among the choral was inspiring. The staging of "Gerontius" depictiing war's casualties set against heavenly music was poignant. Dr Guthrie told his peers when confronted about his myopic focus on music at a time of war, "A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful that God has implanted in the human soul". When asked who said it? Dr Guthrie repliesd, "Von Goethe." "For god's sake, man lower your voice!" he was admonished as Von Goethe was German. I also drew a comparison between The CHORAL and GOOD MORNING VIET NAM. Both have heart wrenching scenes of young men smiling and waving going off to battle; perhaps to their deaths. The CHORAL is a charming, thought provoking film which presents mankind's major conundrum - how can man be so barbaric and still able to create and appreciate divine music.