I just watched the scene where they were reunited in the church, and sang that hymn so beautifully. I know the plot vaguely, but don't understand why the people in the church seemed uncomfortable and embarrassed that the three monks were singing. Does anyone know?
I believe the people are more bewildered than embarrassed. Imagine being in a church singing a hymn and suddenly there are three people completely taking over, especially since these monks weren't sitting with the Jesuit monks at the front, nor would the Jesuits be heard singing like this.
shareThey are confused because the harmonization the monks are singing is not what is in their hymnbooks, so how can they sing along? Of course, this is the movies, so the volume of the monk's voices is greatly amplified above the congregation's singing, much more than it would normally be. They are also singing a very Lutheran hymn that probably wouldn't be in the Catholic hymnal - again it is the movies. The fact that it is a Protestant hymn fits with the antipathy the leader of the seminary has towards this "heretic" order he is trying to shut down.
shareIt's a protestant song? I didn't know that, I imagined Catholic songs to be old fashioned like that but Protestant songs to be modern.
shareIs there a soundtrack with the singers from this film singing this song? I agree it was really beautiful, how they took their turn one by one and the build up was really something.
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