Ralph Fiennes Conducts 'The Choral' In Trailer for Heartfelt World War I Drama
Ralph Fiennes in "The Choral"
(Photo: Sony Pictures Classics)
From tortured romantic heroes and monstrously terrifying villains to famous faces from literature and world-weary Catholic cardinals, British actor Ralph Fiennes has already proven that he's a performer who can do anything. (Except, apparently, get appropriately recognized for his work by the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences, which is, I think we can all agree, a crime. Give the man an Oscar, for goodness' sake!) But, not to fear, Fiennes isn't slowing down anytime soon, and his next project seems laser-targeted to not only tug at moviegoers' heartstrings but (one can hope) attract the attention of various cinematic award bodies.
He's leading The Choral, a World War I period piece about the power of both music and community to hold the world together in dark times. Set in 1916 Yorkshire, the film follows the story of the Ramsden Choral Society, which has inexorably lost most of its male members to conscription and the war effort, including their chorus master. The committee in charge is determined to keep the music alive, however, and immediately begins trying to find a way to keep going, from recruiting a crop of teenage boys and girls to sing to tapping a German transplant to lead them. Fiennes plays Dr. Henry Guthrie, a driven, no-nonsense leader whose dedication to music gradually overcomes his new neighbors' suspicions about his ancestry and background.
As you can see from the trailer below, this is precisely the type of story many of us have seen before, the sort of soul-warming comfort food meant to remind us that hope and happiness can still be found in the darkest of times, as long as we remain in community with one another. Nothing about this movie is likely going to surprise you; in fact, the trailer gives away the bulk of its plot. But it's probably also exactly the kind of movie we all desperately need right now.
Here's the film's synopsis.
1916. As war rages on the Western Front, the Choral Society in Ramsden, Yorkshire has lost most of its men to the army. The Choral’s ambitious committee, determined to press ahead, decides to recruit local young males 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 Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes) – driven, uncompromising, and recently returned from a career in Germany. As conscription papers start to arrive, the whole community discovers that the best response to the chaos that is laying waste to their lives is to make music together.
Alongside Fiennes, the film's all-star cast also includes Roger Allam (Endeavour), Mark Addy (The Rig), Alun Armstrong (Tom Jones), Robert Emms (Andor), and Simon Russell Beale (Douglas Is Cancelled).
The film is based on an original screenplay written by Alan Bennett and directed by Nicholas Hytner, an award-winning duo who have formerly collaborated on such projects as The Lady in the Van, The History Boys, and The Madness of King George.
“A new screenplay from Alan Bennett is a major event and The Choral is as affecting and funny as anything he’s written in his long career,” Hytner said when the project was announced.
Hynter is also a producer, alongside Kevin Loader and Damian Jones. Executive producers include Caroline Charles, Eva Yates, Paul Grindey, and Charles Moore.
The Choral will premiere at this year's Toronto International Film Festival and release in the U.K. this November before arriving in select U.S. theaters on December 25, 2025.
