The Children's Hour

Released Dec 19, 1961

1h 49m

Drama

LGBTQ+

List

80%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Longtime friends Martha (Shirley MacLaine) and Karen (Audrey Hepburn) run a boarding school for girls. When an unruly child, Mary (Karen Balkin), is punished for lying, she concocts a story that Karen and Martha are having a lesbian relationship. When the story spreads, parents withdraw their children from the school. The women's lawsuit for libel hits many snags when they lack witnesses to speak for them. All the stress adversely affects Karen's engagement to Joe Cardin (James Garner).

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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 out of 5 stars

01/17/24

Full Review

ed m

Great cast, but the topic is very dated.

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 out of 5 stars

04/07/23

Full Review

Bounce B

This movie was absolutely devastating. I bawled my eyes out at the end. 😁 10/10

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/05/23

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 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 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

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William Wyler

Director

Audrey Hepburn

Karen Wright

Shirley MacLaine

Martha Dobie

James Garner

Doctor Joe Cardin

Miriam Hopkins

Mrs. Lily Mortar

Fay Bainter

Mrs. Amelia Tilford

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Joe Muldoon

Battle Royale With Cheese

The Children’s Hour is a biting (though somewhat muted) condemnation of the corrosive natures of homophobia and hatred, and its all-too-inevitable conclusion seals it as a crushing –and necessary– piece of cinema.

Feb 28, 2023

Full Review

Janet Graves

Photoplay

Audrey and Shirley manage to give emotional scenes shattering impact, but they're operating against handicaps.

Nov 18, 2020

Full Review

Alison Hunter

ONE

The beautiful black-and-white photography, the score, the impeccable acting and, above all... that master director, William Wyler -- all combine to make a film classic. And when you've seen it, you've seen a landmark in homophile history.

May 18, 2020

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Heavy-handed and can't shake its languor.

Rated: C+

Aug 29, 2014

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Though well-acted by Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Hepburn, this second version of Lillian Hellman's play about the malice of lies is not as powerful as the first, in 1936, also helmed by William Wyler.

Rated: B+

Aug 9, 2010

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 4/5

Jul 5, 2005

Full Review

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Synopsis

Longtime friends Martha (Shirley MacLaine) and Karen (Audrey Hepburn) run a boarding school for girls. When an unruly child, Mary (Karen Balkin), is punished for lying, she concocts a story that Karen and Martha are having a lesbian relationship. When the story spreads, parents withdraw their children from the school. The women's lawsuit for libel hits many snags when they lack witnesses to speak for them. All the stress adversely affects Karen's engagement to Joe Cardin (James Garner).

Director: William Wyler
Screenwriter: John Michael Hayes, Lillian Hellman
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: United Artists, Worldwide Media, Mirisch Company
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 1961, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 49m

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