The Children's Hour

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Jeff M This is a splendid, virtually flawless cinematic adaptation of Lillian Hellman's play, which was first produced 90 years ago this year. Although the specific subject matter may inevitably feel dated, one can argue if it's as dated as it should be by now. The overall theme of the destruction that can result from slander and gossip is obviously as relevant today as ever - throw in social media and, with a tweak here and there, this could have been made today. Mary Tilford is the vilest child in cinema history - she makes Rhoda from THE BAD SEED look like Shirley Temple. I won't detail the horrible thoughts I had about this child, but they weren't pretty. Both leading ladies are outstanding, and it's a bit puzzling that at least one of them were not among the five Oscar nominations this received. The only acting nomination was a richly deserved nod for Fay Bainter as Mary's grandmother who sets the wheels in motion. It's a tribute to the skills of legendary director Wyler that the drama is so intense, it almost begins to feel like a suspense film. One can sense that this was originally a play, but it doesn't feel stagy at all. The adapted screenplay couldn't be improved upon, and even the minor characters feel fleshed out and crucial to the goings-on. And what a rare treat to see a cast almost entirely female, with the exception of a never-better Garner. I could continue my praise, but I'd rather sit in a dark room and enjoy a few more evil thoughts about Mary Tilford. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/17/24 Full Review ed m Great cast, but the topic is very dated. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/30/23 Full Review Nizar N Engaging story, with a lesson behind it to be learned. The cast display the emotional elements meticulously. It's a dark movie without it being a thriller or anything of the sort, and this is mainly because it's realistic. Some criticize how some of its views are outdated, but are they really? In other words, those things in the plot still happen in the real world, and in many places around the world, but the only difference is that Hollywood doesn't portray them anymore. This is how courageous this movie was, back then and even now. The Children's Hour is a brave piece that gets the viewer poignantly captivated, especially in the ending. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/07/23 Full Review JJJJJJ J A good drama with ideas and messages that are still relevant to this day. The plot for this film is engaging enough and it does do some interesting things with it. The main problem for me is that about 3/5 of the way through it begins to drag on. You know the a specific event is going to happen and to some extent you are waiting for that resolution and the film just seems to drag on instead of getting to it. Once a film loses your engagement I think it is hard to get back on, but I did for the end and it was okay. The acting was in my opinion all very good with Hepburn and the girls mom (Fay Bainter) being stand out performances. I think the second is one of the many reasons I liked this film so much. This film could easily have just been about the two women their love, and the struggles that come along with it but Fay adds depth to the main plot. I really enjoyed this movie and would recommend it to any fan of classic movies and drama films in general. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Audience Member 20% rating ... I had trouble getting into this film. Just wasn't for me. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member It's a nice story and for the most part a great movie. It was progressive for its time but it's still a movie of its time in many aspects. All the hesitation and peripheral/ roundabout manner of exploring lesbian love is a bit boring seen from today. And it's by far the least interesting aspect of the movie. Having said that, the hesitation in the movie may capture the hesitation of the characters and their own process of self discovery. And perhaps the lack of assertiveness of the movie (in addressing the topic) parallels the characters' lack of assertiveness and certainty about their feelings. The script is really great in all that brings up about homosexuality. The aunt, for example, is an interesting character, and surely one too familiar to many gay people. The person who first suspects that her niece is gay but instead of helping her, uses that information as she sees fit. Willing to overlook when it's convenient, using it as a shot when threatened. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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