Les choristes (2004)

Director:

Christophe Barratier

Writers:

Georges Chaperot (1945 story "La Cage aux rossignols") &
René Wheeler (1945 story "La Cage aux rossignols") ...

Release Date:

17 March 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

The new teacher at a severely administered boys' boarding school works to positively effect the students' lives through music.

Plot Keywords:

School | Boarding School | Children | Choir | Supervisor

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Gérard Jugnot	...	Clément Mathieu
François Berléand	...	Rachin
Kad Merad	...	Chabert
Jean-Paul Bonnaire	...	La Père Maxence
Marie Bunel	...	Violette Morhange
Jean-Baptiste Maunier	...	Pierre Morhange
Maxence Perrin	...	Pépinot
Grégory Gatignol	...	Mondain
Thomas Blumenthal	...	Corbin
Cyril Bernicot	...	Le Querrec
Simon Fargeot	...	Boniface
Théodule Carré-Cassaigne	...	Leclerc
Philippe du Janerand	...	Monsieur Langlois
Carole Weiss	...	La Comtesse
Erick Desmarestz	...	Le Docteur Dervaux

Also Known As:

The Chorus (UK) (USA)
Chorists (International: English title)
Die Kinder des Monsieur Mathieu (Germany)
The Choir (International: English title)
The Choir Boys (Singapore: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language/sexual references and violence.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

France | Switzerland | Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | South Korea:All | Sweden:7 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:K-7 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:MG6 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Château de Ravel, Puy-de-Dôme, France

Company:

Vega Film

Trivia:

Inspired by the film La cage aux rossignols (1945).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): During the auditions, Mathieu sends pupils to the right or to the left showing the direction by his hand. One of the boys is sent to the left, but Mathieu's hand shows to the right.

Quotes:

[Arriving at the school, Mathieu sees a small boy waiting by the gate]
Clément Mathieu: What are you doing?
Pépinot enfant: I'm waiting for Saturday. My father is coming to collect me.
Clément Mathieu: But it's not Saturday today.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Un point c'est tout! (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Vois sur ton chemin

Magical

Spoilers

Taking France by storm this summer, Les choristes purportedly led to a surge in applications to join choirs all over the country. The magic is unquestionably in the music, but I'll come to that later.

The success of Les choristes as a film (with or without the divine music) lies in its not trying to be anything more than what it is, a simple tale that opens up to you instead of manipulating you. You'll find neither heart-breaking poignancy nor rousing heroism. Within the short duration of a school term or two he spent with the somewhat notorious boarding school, teacher and musician Clement Mathieu had his modest ambition fulfilled, of having a choir sing the music he wrote, then moved along to a continuously modest life of teaching and music. Talented protégé Pierre Morhange did achieve fame and success, but we have essentially been spared laboured scenes of Titanic struggles or exuberant jubilation. To ensure that I'm not misleading towards the other extreme, let me hasten to add that Les choristes does touch our hearts. It does this gently, sensibly.

But in the end, it's the music. Purely the celestial beauty of the music alone will brings tears to the appreciative audiences' eyes. The story is touching. The character are likable. But the ultimate magic is the choir and boy soprano Jean-Baptiste Maunier chosen from two thousand auditions. Such a magical choice.