The Children's Hour (1961)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Lillian Hellman (play)
John Michael Hayes (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

19 December 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

One of Broadway's greatest hits...becomes powerful, adult screen drama!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

School | Girl | Lesbian | Teacher | Lie

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Audrey Hepburn	...	Karen Wright
Shirley MacLaine	...	Martha Dobie
James Garner	...	Dr. Joe Cardin
Miriam Hopkins	...	Mrs. Lily Mortar
Fay Bainter	...	Mrs. Amelia Tilford
Karen Balkin	...	Mary Tilford
Veronica Cartwright	...	Rosalie Wells
Mimi Gibson	...	Evelyn
Debbie Moldow
Diane Mountford
William Mims	...	Mr. Burton
Sally Brophy	...	Rosalie's Mother (as Sallie Brophy)
Hope Summers	...	Agatha (Tilford's maid)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jered Barclay	...	Grocery Boy (uncredited)
Florence MacMichael	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Parent on Visitor's Day (uncredited)
Ed Prentiss	...	Head of Hospital (uncredited)

Directed by
William Wyler

Writing credits
Lillian Hellman		(play)
John Michael Hayes		(screenplay)
Lillian Hellman		(adaptation)

Produced by
Robert Wyler	....	associate producer
William Wyler	....	producer
Walter Mirisch	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Franz Planer		(director of photography) (as Franz F. Planer)

Film Editing by
Robert Swink

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Fernando Carrere

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins

Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist
Frank McCoy	....	makeup artist
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Allen K. Wood	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert E. Relyea	....	assistant director
Jerome M. Siegel	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Frank Agnone	....	property

Sound Department
Don Hall	....	sound editor (as Don Hall Jr.)
Fred Lau	....	sound
Buddy Myers	....	sound re-recordist
Gordon Sawyer	....	sound (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Willoughby	....	special still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Irene Caine	....	wardrobe
Bert Henrikson	....	wardrobe
Ruth Stella	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Hal Ashby	....	assistant film editor (as Wm. Hal Ashby)

Music Department
Richard C. Harris	....	music editor
Alex North	....	conductor
Alex North	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Urban Thielmann	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)

Other crew
Leon Charles	....	dialogue coach
John Franco	....	script supervisor
Clarence Marks	....	assistant to producer
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)
Jean-Étienne Siry	....	poster designer (french version) (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The (presents) (as The Mirisch Company)

Distributors

• United Artists (1961) (USA) (theatrical) (as United Artists An MGM Company)
• United Artists (1962) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Seven Films (2011) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)

Also Known As:

"The Loudest Whisper" - UK
"Infam" - Austria, West Germany
"A Infame Mentira" - Portugal (imdb display title)
"A gyerekek órája" - Hungary
"Huhu" - Finland
"Infâmia" - Brazil
"L'hora dels nens" - Spain (Catalan title)
"Løgnen" - Norway (imdb display title)
"La calumnia" - Spain
"La mentira infame" - Peru (imdb display title)
"La rumeur" - France
"Niewiniatka" - Poland (imdb display title)
"Oi psithyroi" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Quelle due" - Italy
"Sladder" - Denmark
"Tehlikeli fisilti" - Turkey (Turkish title)
"Végzetes rágalom" - Hungary (alternative title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) (re-rated) | West Germany:16 (f) (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (video rating) (2004) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #20107)

Filming Locations:

Shadow Ranch, Vanowen Street, West Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

The Broadway production of "The Children's Hour" by Lillian Hellman opened at the Maxine Elliott's Theatre on November 20, 1934 and ran for 691 performances.

Goofs:

Continuity: At 1:11:05, Martha's hands change position on the mantle.

Quotes:

Martha:There's always been something wrong. Always, just as long as I can remember. But I never knew what it was until all this happened.
Karen:Stop it Martha! Stop this crazy talk!
Martha:You're afraid of hearing it, but I'm more afraid that you.
Karen:I won't listen to you!
Martha:No! You've got to know. I've got to tell you. I can't keep it to myself any longer. I'm guilty!
Karen:You're guilty of nothing!
Martha:I've been telling myself that since the night I heard the child say it. I lie in bed night after night praying that it isn't true. But I know about it now. It's there. I don't know how, I don't know why. But I did love you! I do love you! I resented your plans to marry. Maybe because I wanted you. Maybe I've wanted you all these years. I couldn't call it by name before, but maybe it's been there since I first knew you.
Karen:But it's not the truth, not a word of it is true! We've never thought of each other that way.
Martha:No, of course you didn't. But who's to say I didn't. I'd never felt that way about anybody before you. I've never loved a man. I never knew why before, maybe it's that.
Karen:You're tired and worn out.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in One Nation Under God (1993)

Powerful and dated yet strangely timeless

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.