The History of Sound: Oliver Hermanus’s delicate, touching drama follows two men, both music students in the World War I era, as they meet and start a friendship that is as much about music as it is about their attraction to each other. Acting is superb: Paul Mescal plays the broody singer from the deep American South in a very contained performance, one that doesn’t need high notes to convey emotion; he also has a nice singing voice, appropriate for the musical material. Josh O’Connor, as the brighter and more sophisticated composer, is equally touching, and they share great chemistry when together. Chris Cooper plays Mescal’s character a few decades older, in yet another great, touching performance. Cinematographer Alexander Dynan’s framing is exquisite, as is his lighting; editor Chris Wyatt gives the film a contemplative pace, but the beauty of the words and emotions suggests it was the right choice. Composer Oliver Coates’s musical score is rooted in American Folk music, and it is a beauty.