Haul out the Kleenex: Paul Mescal is in love again in a movie, and that never ends well. Mescal’s next foray into tragic romance will be hand in hand with Josh O’Connor. The Oliver Hermanus–directed film The History of Sound follows two students at Boston Conservatory pre–World War I, who fall in love and travel the backcountry of Maine, recording the music of rural countrymen. “I remember reading this for the first time on Christmas 2020, and I was so new to the industry that I was like, ‘I love this script and it’s going to happen in four months and I’m ready,’” Mescal told Vulture at Cannes this year. “Slowly, that time became five years.” Well, five years later, the slow, musical romance is finally coming to theaters. Below, find everything you need to know about this contender for most longing per minute this year.
What’s in the trailer?
The musical Mescal shows off his impressive pipes, singing some old folk songs in the film’s first trailer, released on July 24. The trailer shows scenes of the two lovers sleeping together, traversing Maine together, then cuts to Josh O’Connor dressed in military garb. “Don’t die,” cautions Mescal. Okay, so there’s gonna be some wet eyes in the audience. Mescal clearly has a wife and kid in at least one scene — please don’t say this movie ends with Mescal smelling O’Connor’s clothing in his old closet at his parents’ house.
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Who’s in the cast?
Mescal and O’Connor star as the music students and lovers Lionel and David, respectively. They’re joined by Adaptation’s Chris Cooper as Older Lionel, which is great except for the fact that there’s no Older David in the cast. Third Watch’s Molly Price and Once Upon a Time’s Raphael Sbarge play Lionel’s parents, while the pretty, young women are The Boys in the Boat’s Hadley Robinson and Dune: Prophecy’s Emma Canning.
When’s the release date?
The History of Sound premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and arrives in theaters on September 12. Hopefully Letterboxd is ready for some very weepy (and sexually active) reviews.
