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I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

"The Children's Hour" is a wonderful film. It's story is timeless, having to do with the power of lies and with society's preoccupation with rumors and scandal.A hateful young girl is responsible for unloosing the lie that destroys reputations and lives (reminiscent of "The Bad Seed" and "The Crucible"). One can never predict all the consequences of a lie. In the film, a private school's reputation is built on propriety, meaning it depends on the approval of the surrounding society, which is always a shaky situation. Such reputations are often the altars upon which the reputations of individuals are sacrificed.Based upon a play by Lillian Hellman, "The Children's Hour" reveals the destructive nature of society. It is a story that could have been written by William Inge, who was very aware of the phenomenon. The three leads are played by Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, and James Garner. This is terrific casting and director William Wyler finds the best in all of them. Hepburn's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was released the same year. MacLaine's "The Apartment" was released the year before.The young actress who plays Mary, the accuser, is perfect for her role. And young Veronica Cartwright shows her dramatic skills as well.The script is brilliant and not limited by its era, as has been suggested. In fact, placing the story in the early sixties makes the story more effective, by focusing on innuendo and whispers.

THE Children's's HOUR is a quite nervous and tense romantic drama, which is mainly focused on the love between two women.The two former college classmates, Martha and Karen open a private school for girls. Martha's aunt, an aging and silly actress, lives and teaches elocution at the school. There is also Karen's fiancé, a distinguished and pleasant doctor. There is a lot of girls in their school, including Mary, a spoiled, conniving child who bullies her classmates. Mary is a pathological liar and her teachers punish her very often. However, the mean spirited girl has prepared her revenge. She whispers to her wealthy grandmother, that her teacher are actually lovers...The collapse of social norms is so obvious in this film. It is absurd in this case. A condemnation by a society is somewhat vague and unconvincing. It is based on a vicious whisper of a little girl and emotional nebulous by an old woman. We saw only a strong emotional destruction of the character in the second part of the film. The truth is not part of the plot. It is the result of a conscience, which is not completely clear. Despite illogicality, love between two young women has emerged in the forefront. Characterization is very solid, but acting is not at a high level. Shirley MacLaine as Martha Dobie is an emotionally sensitive woman. She has, with her friend, created a beautiful world, which, practically overnight, begins to crumble. That lesbian love in her character is, after her recognition, presented as a terrible truth and the cause of their life problems. It is tendentious access to a sensitive issue. Audrey Hepburn as Karen Wright is lost between two worlds. I think that she would accept a "horrible truth" as a sincere feeling which is not maliciouslyTheir support are Miriam Hopkins (Lily Mortar), Martha's aunt has offered, perhaps, the worst performance of her career, James Garner ( Dr. Joseph "Joe" Cardin) could not come to the fore and Fay Bainter (Mrs. Amelia Tilford) as an evil old woman with very "imaginative" conscience.A very bold theme is destroyed by an inconclusive background.

This was made in 1961? 1961! Really! Lies, lesbianism, suicide. And it was made in an era when television still insisted that Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore had to sleep in twin beds - even though Rob and Laura Petrie (who they played on "The Dick Van Dyke Show") were married and had a kid! So my first reaction after having seen this movie is simply that it was well ahead of its time - such a mature and powerful movie for its day. The second thing that occurs to me is that it's still a relevant movie. The basic point of the movie is that a school girl's lies destroyed several people's lives. That can still happen. Some people work in fields which leave them very vulnerable to malicious accusations from people looking for revenge for one reason or another. In a society which tends to convict people long before they're put on trial and whether or not they're found guilty, that's a very real issue - and we all know that one story in a newspaper about an accusation becomes the truth for many people, no matter how things turn out in the end. So, yes, this is a powerful movie dealing with important and relevant issues and you cannot help but be fixated with it almost from the moment it starts.William Wyler (who directed this) and John Michael Hayes (who adapted the screenplay from a stage play written by Lillian Hellman) did a marvellous job of building the story. As an aside, I found it fascinating to discover that the stage play was actually based on a real incident involving two female teachers in Scotland in 1809! The movie begins slowly - almost lightly. It's a private boarding school for girls, run by two young women (Karen and Martha, played by Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine respectively) who have known each other and been close friends for many years. There's nothing particularly unusual about it. One of the students (Mary) is trouble - a chronic complainer and liar and bully. Every school has at least one of those. Again - that's not unusual. But after one of her lies, she's punished by Karen, and so she begins to spin her web of lies to gain revenge. She's clearly been reading a book that she's not supposed to be reading at her age that talks about subjects that weren't talked about at the time, and so she gains some ability to describe certain things that she claims to have seen to her grandmother. (That was a whispered conversation between the two that wasn't shared with the viewer, but it was pretty obvious.) Other girls have seen innocent things that can be twisted into something more and a comment overheard is taken out of context. Before you know it Mary has accused Karen and Martha of being lovers (the only thing that makes you realize this was made in the 60's is that the word "lesbian" is never, ever used.) The result is devastating. The story gets spread, parents take their children out of the school, effectively shutting it down, Karen's pending marriage to Joe (James Garner) is suddenly on the rocks and Karen and Martha are the centre of attention of the town - best friends who can't even take a walk together anymore because of what people will think and how people will look at them. All that was powerful enough in itself. But this movie leads up to a spectacular ending in essentially three parts.First is the confrontation between Mary and her grandmother, when Mary is finally forced to confess that everything was a lie and the town starts to realize that these women were innocent and that their lives and their school were destroyed for nothing. But there is something more. Tormented by the whole incident, Martha finally breaks down and confesses to Karen that - while she had never acted on it and nothing had ever happened between them - essentially there was truth to Mary's lie. Martha was in love with Karen. She didn't want to be, the fact that she was made her feel guilty and dirty, but she couldn't deny it anymore. And then, finally, Martha's suicide. Unable to live now that she has had to confront her feelings for Karen, Martha hangs herself. A tragic end to a truly tragic story - except ...There was one final scene. Many of those who had accused Karen and Martha and removed their children from their school came to the graveside service when Martha is being buried. Karen says a final goodbye to her friend - and then marches through the gathered people, her head held high. It seemed to me that she adopted that posture as much for Martha as for herself. To me, Karen had become something of a puzzle; an enigma. Once Martha confessed her love for Karen, not much was said about Karen's response. Clearly, she intended to continue the friendship. She wanted to go away with Martha and start over again. As best friends? As friends who were almost sisters? Or as lovers? I wasn't sure how Karen felt about Martha after Martha opened up to her. But it was clear that Karen intended the relationship to continue - and no matter what her feelings and intentions were that final scene makes a point - there's nothing here to be ashamed about. Karen won't be ashamed - and she won't let Martha die in shame. She walks out proudly and strongly, contemptuous of those gathered in the cemetery, not even giving them the satisfaction of a look in the eyes as she leaves. What a simple and yet powerful scene for Hepburn.I was blown away by this film that was so far ahead of its time, and that stands up very well even today. (10/10)

Karen Wright (Audrey Hepburn) and Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine) are best friends with their own little boarding school Wright and Dobie School for Girls. Karen is engaged to Dr. Joe Cardin (James Garner) who is the nephew of Mrs. Amelia Tilford. Her granddaughter mean girl Mary Tilford goes to the school. She gets punished by Karen for telling a lie and refusing to admit it. Martha feels abandoned by Karen. Martha's argumentative aunt Lily Mortar accuses Martha of having an UNNATURAL relationship with Karen. Mary's roommates eavesdrops on the argument and tells Mary who in turn tells her grandmother Amelia. To avoid going back to school, she adds even more lies. Talkative aunt Mortar is leaving and adds even more fuel to the fire. The gossip quickly spreads to all the parents.The little girl Mary is so deliciously evil. Young Veronica Cartwright plays the other girl who stole a locket and threatened by Mary. The actors are great although the acting gets very melodramatic. It's also very intense. It doesn't let go. Everybody is just so insanely annoying. It's overwrought and proud of it.