In 1920s New England, two young men fall in love as they collect folk songs from working-class people and preserve them.
They (usually) don’t make them like this anymore. The History Of Sound, directed by Living’s Oliver Hermanus, spans most of the 20th century, its prologue set in 1910 and epilogue in 1980. But even for a period drama it’s decidedly, almost defiantly old-fashioned. Those hoping to see scene after scene of it-boys Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor in the throes of passion will be rather disappointed; this is a much subtler and more sedate affair, reminiscent of Merchant-Ivory or the films of Terence Davies. Adapted from his own short stories by Ben Shattuck, what…