Perfect Harmony

The song goes that I'd love to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. Unfortunately, in the area of racism and segregation, perfect harmony has yet to be achieved.

This film takes place in a South Carolina elite private school for boys in 1959, when segregation was the in-thing down south. The school supposedly prepares boys to take their place in the world-a world where they will continue to practice segregation.

The best performance in the film is given by Darren McGavin, the headmaster, who epitomizes the old southern tradition of bigotry. His daughter conveys an absolutely phony southern accent and her attempt to emulate Scarlett O'Hara is outlandish at best.

You would certainly think that the conflict between the new choirmaster and McGavin would come to the front due to the former's liberal ideas but this really doesn't happen. By the way, who was that brat of a young Klansman who attacks our white hero, Taylor, so viciously? We never find this out.

The film also deals with the coming friendship of Taylor and a black child, an orphaned grandson of the handyman, played nicely by the usually reliable Moses Gunn. Miscast in the film is Cleavon Little, as the town preacher. His call for justice is made in a voice that sounds too familiar from "Blazing Saddles" in 1974.

It has to be said that the boys exhibit beautiful choir singing.

Paul, the promising student, is consumed by hatred. We see his typical rebelliousness due to being insecure, parents who never come to visit and his trend to sneaking a smoke in private areas.

The film should be praised for its attempt to wipe out bigotry. Unfortunately, this problem is too big to be conveyed in 1:33 minutes.

Nice TV movie I first saw in high school, about (summary thanks to an IMDb member), a new choirmaster who tries to reduce some of the prejudice and hostility of some of the students. Paul, a bully who feels he should be lead choir person, is the villain who torments a newcomer. However, fellow student Taylor Bradshaw is impressed by the music of newcomer Landy, the grandson of Zeke, the school caretaker. Zeke joins in some of the activities of the black community known as River Town. Sanders is also impressed by Landy's abilities and attempts to get him involved with the choir.

It's a good movie that gives the message of friendship, acceptance and courage, and it also gives a message about prejudice and overcoming adversity.

Overall, not a masterpiece due to somewhat plot, but it's a nice film for everyone nonetheless.

Grade B-

Perfect harmony is really a movie that u didn't really realize that u were going to watch it someday....

When it was the first time i ever saw the movie i first thought "this movie is really cool" after that.. i heard them sing and that caught my attention real fast! As soon as i saw that i also thought how could they sing that high?? that was really amazing to me b/c i never actually seen a movie with singing that i was actually interested in and it had a very catchy story as well. Taylor (justin whalin) and Landy where really great friends and they didn't care at all that they were two different colors.

Paul seemed like he really hated landy and didn't get to know him from the inside first b4 actually being bad to him. un like Taylor, Taylor saw inside of landy and not the outside. He really treated him like a family member or even like a brother.

Perfect harmony was my favorite movie. And i give that movie a 10. I watched that movie about 14 times in three days b/c i loved it so much. I recommend this movie to everyone that is into that kind of music like classic like and is interested in movies that happened in the olden days like around 1959. So other then that i give Perfect Harmony a 10!

I've loved this movie since I was a kid and saw it for the first time.

I'd watch it every day, then sing myself to sleep with the songs I learned from it, whether they were in English or Latin (jibberish when I'd sing them). This is a great movie for musicians, a great movie to take to school, full of awesome music and lots of eye-openers. Music is as prominent a character as Taylor and Landy in this movie and the different types of music and where they are played in the movie represent the issue of racism, but not as directly as the storyline in the movie.

Most people who watch it with friends will tear it apart because it's a little predictable and there are some cheesy parts, but those are inevitable in any movie. Watch it and you'll end up loving it too.

It's not a waste of your time, just watch it and you won't regret it.

Perfect Harmony is one of those perfect films that you occasionally come across by accident.

As a former teacher and a lover of Chorale music, especially boys choirs, I watched the film basically because of the choir. I thought that the film would be very much like Disney's 1960's film Almost Angeles, spotlighting the Weinersangerknaben (Vienna Boys Choir), long on music but very short on story line.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find a very believable, moralistic story with a deep meaning to me. As a very conservative person, I have a very liberal streak when it comes to social issues. Especially race relations.

Justin Whalin was a standout, as were most of the other young actors. I was disappointed with Darin McGavin's performance as I feel that racist tendencies are very deep rooted. Darin just seem to be too shallow in his beliefs.

Overall I can honestly say that this was one of the movies that really stand out in my mind, especially as this post is being made in December 2004, several years after seeing the movie.