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The Children's Hour (1961)

Not Rated  |   |  Drama  |  19 December 1961 (USA)
7.8
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Ratings: 7.8/10 from 9,617 users  
Reviews: 106 user | 38 critic

A troublemaking student at a girls' school accuses two teachers of being lesbians.

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(play), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
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Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 1 win & 6 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
...
...
...
Fay Bainter ...
Karen Balkin ...
...
Mimi Gibson ...
Debbie Moldow
Diane Mountford
William Mims ...
Mr. Burton
Sally Brophy ...
Rosalie's Mother (as Sallie Brophy)
...
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Storyline

Karen Wright and Martha Dobie are best friends since college and they own the boarding school Wright and Dobie School for Girls with twenty students. They are working hard as headmistresses and teachers to grow the school and make it profitable. Karen is engaged with the local doctor Joe Cardin, who is the nephew of the powerful and influent Mrs. Amelia Tilford. While the spiteful and liar Mary, who is Amelia's granddaughter and a bad influence to the other girls, is punished by Karen after telling a lie, Martha has an argument with her snoopy aunt Lily Mortar in another room. Lily accuses Martha of being jealous and having an unnatural relationship with Karen. Mary's roommate Rosalie Wells overhears the shouting and tells Mary what Mrs. Mortar had said about her niece. The malicious Mary accuses Karen and Martha of being lesbians to her grandmother and Amelia spreads the gossip to the parents of the students that withdraw them from the school. Karen and Martha lose a lawsuit against ... Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

different . . . See more »

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

19 December 1961 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Infamous!  »

Box Office

Budget:

$3,600,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Cathleen Nesbitt was originally announced to play the grandmother role that went to Fay Bainter. See more »

Goofs

During the first scene you meet James Garner's character speaking to Shirley MacLaine, she finishes drying one older pot, then starts on a new pot. They cut away to a wide shot, and she is still drying the older pot, then, once again, starts on the new pot. See more »

Quotes

Mrs. Amelia Tilford: I don't believe this talk of jealousy between Miss Dobie and Miss Wright.
Mary Tilford: But I didn't say she was jealous of Miss Wright. I said that Mrs. Mortar said that Miss Dobie was jealous of cousin Joe.
See more »

Connections

Version of These Three (1936) See more »

Soundtracks

Loch Lomond
(uncredited)
Traditional Scots-Gaelic song first published in 1841
Included in piano medley
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Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Powerful and dated yet strangely timeless
2 November 2002 | by (Chatham, NY) – See all my reviews

The Children's Hour is a powerful film dealing with the effects of lies and discrimination. Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Hepburn give terrific performances as 2 girl school teachers accused of being lesbians. Their lives are ruined by an obnoxious little girl who spreads lies. The film is dated in that society today wouldn't bat an eyelash over such a sitation (in fact their school today would probably set attendance records) but you can substitute any minority or ethnic group for the 2 lead characters and see how people can suffer at the hand of discrimination. The movie is based upon the Lillian Hellman play and recommended for movie buffs of all ages.


22 of 28 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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I think this movie deserves a remake sklary
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karen's orientation at end thefifties
If you were casting the film now... aktbard
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Remake! Remake! Remake! brownbunny00
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