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The Children's Hour [1961]
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the childrens hour
Review date: 2008-06-09 Rating: 10 out of 10
i first saw this film on tv (well the last halfhour)and decided i had to see it from the begining it is very well acted by all.The story is about two friends who run a boarding school then a little girl spreads a nasty rumour that the women are lesbians and the parents remove the children from the school as their world falls apart one of the women realises her true feelings for the other this ends up a sad but thought provoking story.This is well worth seeing especially for maclaine's portrail of martha.
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Reviews
the lies we tell....
Review date: 2008-01-20 Rating: 8 out of 10
A brilliant but lesser known/talked about Hepburn movie that I decided to watch after lots of deliberation. I'm glad I did get it as I was surprised to find she was joined by James Garner as well as Shirley Mclaine. The three of them come together to make 'The Children's Hour' an interesting movie that unveils the far reaching effects of gossip, especially the malicious type.
Hepburn (Karen) and Mclaine (Martha) play two life-long friends who have started up an all girls boarding school which is just starting to find its feet. Unfortunately, one of their problem children comes up with a plan to get out of the school for good. She tells her grandmother that the two teachers have an 'unnatural' relationship and she has seen and heard things in the night. All of this is complete rubbish of course but because of half-truths, plain lies and words taken out of context the news of their affair soon travels through to all the other parents and soon the school is empty.
Karen and Martha's life falls apart compltely as they can't even leave the house without being harassed which soon takes a toll on all those involved. The ending is very sad and made me cry but also serves to highlight the point of the movie and is well chosen and filmed.
Quite different from Audrey Hepburn's most famous romantic comedy type stuff but well worth watching.
Fascinating
Review date: 2006-11-13 Rating: 10 out of 10
This is a superb film where two teachers suspected of having a lesbian relationship loose everything, made in 1961 when censorship prevented any overt reference to the subject matter.
But that is what makes the wonderfully subtle screenplay realised in the superbly understated performances by Hepburn and MacLaine so effective, the censor restraints somehow make the plot more involving, it leaves so much to the imagination of the viewer.
Another unusual aspect of the film is the casting of children in the role of villains, 12 year old Karen Balkin gives a fine child performance as the malicious Mary Tilford whose lies are responsible for all the teachers' problems.
But as in real life nothing is exactly what it seems, and the subtle plot reveals deeper layers of suppressed emotion as it unfolds.
William Wyler filmed this controversial 1934 Hellman play twice, once in 1936 as "These Three" with Miriam Hopkins (the Aunt in this version) as Martha and Merle Oberon as Karen. In 1936 the lesbian aspects had to be replaced with a heterosexual triangle.
The 1961 version is a truly fascinating film gaining strength from the constraints of its time.
one of Hollywoods' best
Review date: 2004-08-16 Rating: 8 out of 10
Audrey Hepburn and Shirly Maclaine have done it again. The film is based on the play by Lillian Hellman and the film was also made before in the thirties with Miriam Hpkins who also co-stars in this film. Titled 'these three' it did recieve more success and this film has been put down quite a lot. Halliwels onle gave it one star which is a big disapointment.
I think the story of this film was exelent and all the actors were at thier best. The story was all about how two women Karen Wright (Hepburn) and Martha Dobie(Maclaine)own an exclusive girls school which is closed after a rumour is spread of the women having a lesbian relationship. The story ends in a dramatic way and makes you think of the consoquensis of rumours.
This film is another Hollywood great in exellent condition, a defenite two thumbs up.
Hepburn and McLaine at their best
Review date: 2004-07-17 Rating: 8 out of 10
William Wyler had made film version of this story in 1936, but then he had to give in to the censors in some things. In 1961, enjoying a bit more freedom he decided to keep closer to Lilian Hellman's original. Although there is an outdated prespective on homosexuality in it, there was something about this film that made me really like it and it's still a powerful testemony of how mean gossip can ruin someone's life. Two friends (Audrey Hepburn and Shirley McLaine) have a girls' school and everything seems finally to be fine, when one of the girls accuses them of being lesbians. And every parent soon starts taking their children out of the school. The two actresses are great, and so are Miriam Hopkins and Fay Bainter.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Fay Bainter
James Garner
Shirley MacLaine
Miriam Hopkins
Audrey Hepburn
Creators:
Audrey Hepburn (Primary Contributor)
Shirley MacLaine (Primary Contributor)
Franz Planer (Cinematographer)
William Wyler (Producer)
Robert Swink (Editor)
Robert Wyler (Producer)
John Michael Hayes (Writer)
Lillian Hellman (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070021424
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2004-07-05
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 104 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1961-12-19
Language: English (Original Language)