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THE CHORUS (LES CHORISTES)

"Changing Lives Through Music"

What You Need To Know:

THE CHOURS is a French movie that takes place in a Dickens-like boarding school for young delinquents in the 1940s. Teachers shout at students and send the bad ones to a damp, windowless cell. A down-on-his-luck music composer applies for a job at the school as a last resort. His outsider’s perspective brings humanity and care to the children, which they need and desire. The new teacher forms a choir and shows the students how to sing. Their activity curtails many of the discipline problems and gives them a sense of accomplishment. A call for compassion, this movie also demonstrates the power of art.

Good acting makes THE CHORUS engaging. Reportedly, the children performed all of their own singing, and those scenes are impressive. Please note that the choir sings only secular songs. Admittedly, music as the balm that soothes the students’ lives is clichéd, but the happy ending makes up for this. THE CHORUS is not perfect, but it is a nice tale of compassion and reaching out to the unfortunate and disaffected. It contains, however, a smattering of foul language and a worldview that says only human fellowship can make people happy.

Content:

(HH, BB, L, V, S, D, M) Humanist worldview in which only people can make people happy, with strong moral overtones that encourage understanding, patience, care for children, and adoption; eight obscenities; brief violence with glass breaking and falling into man’s eye, disobedient children kept in cell-like room, and principal slaps disobedient student; no sex scenes but some sexual references; no nudity; no alcohol; underage smoking; and, cruel disciplinary tactics rebuked, children misbehave and stealing.

More Detail:

A French movie, THE CHORUS takes place in a Dickens-like boarding school for young delinquents in the 1940s. Teachers in the school shout at students and send the bad ones to a damp, windowless cell.

A down-on-his-luck music composer applies for a job at the school as a last resort. His outsider’s perspective brings the humanity and care to the children that they need and desire. The new teacher forms a choir and shows the students how to sing. Their activity curtails many of the discipline problems and gives them a newfound sense of accomplishment. Not only a call for compassion, this movie is also a demonstration of the power of art.

Good acting makes THE CHORUS engaging. Especially excellent are Gérard Jugnot, who plays the teacher and composer, and the young actor Jean-Baptiste Maunier. Reportedly, the children in the film performed all of their own singing, and those scenes are impressive. Note, however, that the choir sings only secular songs.

Admittedly, casting music as the balm that soothes the students’ lives is clichéd, but the warm, happy ending makes up for this. THE CHORUS is nowhere near perfect, but it is a nice tale of compassion and reaching out to the unfortunate and disaffected. It contains, however, a smattering of foul language and a humanist worldview that says only human fellowship can make people happy.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.