Der Nachtigallenkäfig

This movie features a bunch of children locked up in a reform school under a nasty headmaster's thumb;then comes a very nice human supervisor played by Noël-Noël .And presto ,the naughty brats become angels with golden voices who set up a choir ,and the distinguished old ladies who visit the school are on cloud nine ,well,you get the picture.

First thing to bear in mind is that these children were professional singers:all of them were part of "les petits chanteurs à la croix de bois" (the little singers with the wooden cross),so do not be fooled,the supervisor is not in any way responsible for their prowesses. Well the plot is not unlike "going my way" ,except that the main actor is not a singer like Bing Crosby.This mushy weepie ,which seems sometimes unbearable -but not more than,say,"dead poets society"-,is typical Occupation cinema ,the likes of "le voile bleu".It's a return to good old morality:individuality is condemned,everyone must be part of the group,the choir becoming a transparent metaphor .The ending in the church is almost sirkesque.

Remade (or almost) as "les choristes"