Sound, or in fact, music, is central to director Oliver Hermanus’ film, “The History of Sound,” playing at the M.V. Film Center on Sunday, Nov. 23. The story was adapted from a short story written by screenwriter Ben Shattuck, who will participate in a discussion following the screening.
The film takes place against the backdrop of WWI, centering around the love affair between the shy, retiring Lionel (Paul Mescal) and outgoing, confident David (Josh O’Connor). Despite their different temperaments, they are bound together by a shared passion for the soulful folk music that pervades the film. The soundtrack is as much a character as the two men themselves. The narrative unfolds slowly, exuding a quiet, contemplative pace. “The History of Sound” is primarily shot in a brown-to-beige palette, which enhances the story’s overall subdued tone and creates a sense of a specific time and place.
The film opens in rural Kentucky with a voice-over in which Lionel tells us he could see music, starting in childhood. “My father said it was a gift from God, how I could see music, how I could name the note my mother coughed every morning, what the dog across the field was barking … My father could play a B minor, and my mouth went bitter.”
Lionel’s talent eventually lifts him out of poverty in rural Kentucky when his music teacher secures a scholarship that enables him to attend the elite Boston Conservatory. There, in a smoky bar, Lionel meets David, who is singing folk songs he learned at his father’s knee. The two strike up a relationship, and we feel the intensity of the connection most during the musical moments.
Soon, David heads off to war, with Lionel telling him, “Write. Send chocolate. Don’t die.” Upon his return two years later, Lionel joins him on his summer sojourn through the impoverished back roads of Maine to record local American folk music on wax cylinders for posterity. The cylinders serve not only as a record of the music they capture, but also, metaphorically, as a reflection of the history of their relationship. Interestingly, although the men are also recording sound, the dialogue throughout is relatively sparse compared to the lyrics of the stirring ballads.
The summer of love eventually ends. However, as the film continues to unfold at a steady pace, we follow the legacy of their love affair as it reverberates through their lives.
“The History of Sound” screens at the M.V. Film Center on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 4 pm. For information and tickets, visit mvfilmsociety.com.
