Having finished "Regretting You" where I was (uncomfortably) the oldest person in the screening, I walked straight into "The Choral" where I was (comfortably) the youngest person in the room. I think I appreciated aspect of the film, more than actually loving it.
During the first World War, with many of the men away at the front, the Northern Mill town of Ramsden are looking to revamp their choral society. Led by the Alderman and mill owner Bernard Duxbury (Roger Allam), the committee pick Dr Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes). Though talented and driven, Guthrie is a controversial choice as he's recently lived and worked in Germany, and his appreciation for the musical maestros of the country remains, despite the wartime opposition.
Within the scope of what I've written above there are dozens of smaller stories, some about class and respectability, some about love and fidelity in a time of shifting associations, some about loss, xenophobia, homophobia, the desire to get to the war and prove yourself, the hypocrisy of those who control it, the painful realities of who comes back and who never will. If anything, there is perhaps too much going on, too many little stories to service. Some are hinted at but never really explored, some filter out. It might have benefited more from being a Sunday evening BBC series, than a two-hour film.
The performances are never less than excellent though, as is the historical recreation - though finding a town like Saltaire to film in probably does most of that work.
I had no regrets whilst watching the film, though I doubt I'll plan to revisit it again any time soon.
