A charming film for the whole family about a school for unruly children in post-war France and the man who makes his way into his students’ hearts through music. Incorporating elements from many other teacher-student films (Heaven Help Us, Mr. Holland’s Opus, Dead Poets Society, etc.), The Chorus stands above those because it is able to be endearing without being too corny and hokey. As with many other teacher-student films, there always is a hard-nosed disciplinarian…and that is the case here, with the school being run by an evil headmaster. When the new prefect, Mr. Mathieu, arrives on the scene, he and the headmaster immediately clash but the prefect hangs on and helps the children reform with the help of his musical background. Sounds corny, I know…but the script takes its time and doesn’t ever force anything onto the audience. None of the emotions the children feel towards Mathieu and vice versa seem strained or unnatural. And the way the story is book-ended by present-day scenes only adds to the film’s charm, especially with the way the ending comes together and pleasantly surprises.
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