The first time I saw this movie I was 12 years old. It was a lazy afternoon and I was channel surfing. If you’ve watched “The Children’s Hour” then you can imagine the impact this film had on me, not only because of my tender age but also because I was becoming aware at that age (experiencing my first HUGE crush) that I was “different” from the other girls. The movie stayed with me for days.

Based on Lillian Hellman’s smash Broadway play, “The Children’s Hour”, was first adapted to film in 1936 in a movie called “These Three”. However, due to the censors, the topic of lesbianism was eliminated and the script rewritten. Even the 1961 film version that we’re discussing is not entirely faithful to the play; however, the essential story is. Interestingly enough, the play was inspired by the Scotch Verdict of 1810 wherein two headmistresses in Edinburgh were accused by a student of engaging in lesbian conduct in front of their students.





Karen Wright (Audrey Hepburn) and Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine) are college friends who have opened a small boarding school for girls. This joint venture appears to be a success and the women are beginning to see the economic fruits of their labor. To add to Karen’s happiness she is engaged to the handsome and charming Dr. Joe Cardin (James Garner). The women work as both headmistresses, and teachers with the assistance of Martha’s aunt, Lily Mortar (Miriam Hopkins), a former Broadway actress. But all is not well at Wright and Dobie School for Girls. The granddaughter of powerful and influential Mrs. Amelia Tilford (Fay Bainter), Mary (Karen Balkin) is a spiteful and compulsive liar who is always causing mischief. Naturally, the headmistresses have to discipline her.

One night, two other girls eavesdrop on an argument between Martha and her aunt. They are arguing over Martha’s unfriendly attitude to Dr. Cardin and her aunt tells her that such jealousy and possessiveness towards Karen is unnatural. When Mary forces one of the girls to tell her about the argument they overheard, the malicious Mary takes this along with a chaste kiss she once witnessed between the two teachers and concocts a lie. Although the word “lesbian” is never once used in the film it’s clear that’s what Mary is accusing the two women of to her grandmother. The horrified Mrs. Tilford proceeds to call all the girl’s parents who remove their daughters from the school overnight. Karen and Martha are bewildered as to what’s going on and can’t get any of the parents to offer an explanation, until they finally force it out of one father. The women are stunned as is Dr. Cardin, who also happens to be Mrs. Tilford’s nephew. The women launch a libel suit against Mrs. Tilford, but when Martha’s aunt, Lily, refuses to appear in court as a character witness, the women not only lose the lawsuit, but are also financially and socially ruined as now the entire town knows and believes them to be lovers.



This situation forces Martha to confront her real feelings about Karen as well as her own identity….both of which she has no idea how to deal with; as Martha confesses to Karen, “There’s always been something wrong …. but I never knew what it was until all this happened …”. Shirley MacLaine’s heartbreaking performance deserved an Oscar! In fact The Children’s Hour was nominated for several Oscars which makes me wonder why it’s not a better known movie. It’s not just a classic LGBT film, it is a classic of great cinema! Run to see it!

To View The Children’s Hour on Amazon Instant Video or to order your own copy click on one of the corresponding links below.