''Perfect Harmony'' is a 1991 American

historical drama film A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction such as c ...

produced by

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

that is set during the Civil Rights Movement. The story highlights the racial tensions of African American people and Caucasian people within a South Carolina town and its private school. The production was filmed at

Berry College Berry College is a private university in the Mount Berry community adjacent to Rome, Georgia. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Berry College was founded on values based on Christian principles in 1 ...

, and is noted for its soundtrack which featured classical choir pieces. It was released on

VHS VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s. Ma ...

and later on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

Plot

In 1959, a new teacher named Derek Sanders becomes the new choirmaster for Blanton Academy, a prestigious but all-white private school in South Carolina. Mr. Sanders tries to reduce some of the prejudice and hostility of some of the students in his choir. Paul, a bully who feels he should be lead boy, is the worst offender. Taylor Bradshaw, on the other hand, is impressed by the music of Landy Allen, an African-American boy and grandson of Zeke, the school caretaker. Taylor begins to explore the music and lives of the African-American people who live in Rivertown, despite knowing that it could get him expelled or rejected. Sanders is also impressed by Landy's abilities and attempts to get him involved with the choir. A tragedy in the community brings the race issue to a head.

Cast

Justin Whalin Justin Garrett Whalin (born September 6, 1974) is an American drama teacher, administrator, and former actor. He portrayed the teenage Andy Barclay in ''Child's Play 3'', Ridley Freeborn in ''Dungeons & Dragons'', and Jimmy Olsen in the American ...

- Taylor Bradshaw *

Eugene Byrd Eugene Byrd (born August 28, 1975) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Wink in ''8 Mile (film), 8 Mile'' and List of Bones characters#Clark Edison, Dr. Clark Edison on the Fox Broadcasting Company, FOX series ''Bones (TV series ...

- Landy Allen *

Darren McGavin Darren McGavin (born William Lyle Richardson; May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor. McGavin began his career working as a set painter for Columbia Pictures. In 1954, he originated roles in Broadway productions of '' My Three ...

- Mr. Hobbs *

Peter Scolari Peter Thomas Scolari (September 12, 1955 – October 22, 2021) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Henry Desmond in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC sitcom ''Bosom Buddies'' (1980–1982) and Michael Harris on the C ...

- Mr. Derek Sanders, the Choirmaster *

Catherine Mary Stewart Catherine Mary Stewart (; born 22 April 1959) is a Canadian actress. Her film roles include '' The Apple'', '' Night of the Comet'', '' The Last Starfighter'' and ''Weekend at Bernie's''. She was also the original Kayla Brady in ''Days of Our L ...

- Miss Hobbs, Mr. Hobbs' daughter. *

Moses Gunn Moses Gunn (October 2, 1929 – December 16, 1993) was an American actor of stage and screen. An Obie Award-winning stage player, he is an alumnus of the Negro Ensemble Company. His 1962 off-Broadway debut was in Jean Genet's ''The Blacks,'' and ...

- Zeke, the campus caretaker *

David Faustino David Anthony Faustino (; born March 3, 1974) is an American actor who played Bud Bundy on the Fox sitcom '' Married... with Children''. He has also voiced animated characters for Nickelodeon, including Mako on ''The Legend of Korra'' and Heli ...

- Paul *

Casey Ellison Casey Ellison (born March 2, 1976, in the United States) is a former American actor who is famous for his role as Allen Anderson on the NBC sitcom ''Punky Brewster''. In 1986, he left the show and never appeared in the new 2021 revival. Career ...

- Orville *

Richie Havens Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk music, folk, soul music, soul (both of which he frequently cover song, covered), and rhythm and b ...

- Scrapper Johnson *

Cleavon Little Cleavon Jake Little (June 1, 1939 – October 22, 1992) was an American stage, film and television actor. He began his career in the late 1960s on the stage. In 1970, he starred in the Broadway production of '' Purlie'', for which he earned both ...

- Pastor Clarence Johnson * Jeff Cohen - Ward *

Devin Ratray Devin D. Ratray (born January 11, 1977) is an American actor. He began his career as a child actor, making his film debut in '' Where Are the Children?'' (1986) before a main role as Gus Stafford on the CBS sitcom '' Heartland'' (1989). Ratray h ...

- Shelby *Wallace K. Wilkinson - Mayor Macy *

Dan Biggers Daniel Upshaw Biggers (January 18, 1931–December 5, 2011) was an American college official and actor best known for his role as Dr. Frank Robb on the television series '' In the Heat of the Night''. Life and career Biggers was born in Newton ...

- Doctor

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack includes "All We Like Sheep" and

Hallelujah chorus ''Messiah'' ( HWV 56), the English-language oratorio composed by George Frideric Handel in 1741, is structured in three parts. This listing covers Part II in a table and comments on individual movements, reflecting the relation of the musical se ...

from

Handel's Messiah ''Messiah'' ( HWV 56) is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel. The text was compiled from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter by Charles Jennens. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 ...

, Franz Schubert's Ständchen in D Major and

Schwanengesang ''Schwanengesang'' (Swan Song), 957, is a collection of 14 songs written by Franz Schubert at the end of his life and published posthumously: # Liebesbotschaft (text: Ludwig Rellstab) # Kriegers Ahnung (Rellstab) # Frühlingssehnsucht (Rellst ...

, and Mozart's

Laudate Dominum Psalm 117 is the 117th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people." In Latin, it is known as . Consisting of only two verses, Psalm 117 is the short ...

, as well as Vollendet ist das große Werk from Haydn's Creation. In addition to the classical music featured in the film, it also features prominent spirituals such as ''

I Shall Not Be Moved "I Shall Not Be Moved" ( Roud 9134), also known as "We Shall Not Be Moved", is an African-American slave spiritual, hymn, and protest song dating to the early 19th century American south. It was likely originally sung at revivalist camp-meeti ...

'' and ''Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name''

External links

*
Review of the film
* 1991 films 1991 drama films 1991 television films Films scored by Billy Goldenberg Films set in South Carolina Films set in 1959 Civil rights movement in film Disney Channel original films American drama television films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films {{1990s-US-drama-film-stub