jhkp There's probably a reason Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine didn't make many heavy dramas. In fact once or twice while watching The Children's Hour, it occurred to me how much I would have enjoyed seeing them and co-star James Garner in a romantic comedy.Because despite their talent (and Oscar nominations), at this point, Audrey and Shirley were not necessarily known for their brilliance at drama. It's interesting William Wyler gave them a chance to do something utterly serious, but in my opinion they tend to lack that essential electricity that makes watching fine dramatic actors such a thrilling experience. They weren't without dramatic chops, but picture, for five seconds, Claire Bloom and Julie Harris in the female leads, and maybe you can understand the point I'm trying to make.Otherwise, add me to the chorus of those who think These Three (also directed by William Wyler) is the better of the two films. The two little girls in the first film, Bonita Granville and Marcia Mae Jones, are MILES above the girls in this one, Karen Balkin and Veronica Cartwright. I have no idea how the same director could have cast the remake so poorly. The one performer who comes off well is Miriam Hopkins (who played MacLaine's part in the original - brilliantly), as the self-centered actress aunt of MacLaine's character. I didn't even care for Fay Bainter (who I think got an Oscar nomination), and not just because Alma Kruger in These Three is so much better. Maybe it's having to react to the little girl (whose lies and histrionics wouldn't fool anyone over the age of six), but maybe it's also Miss Bainter. She's believable enough but almost too stern by half. She could be a general in the WACS.I also felt that the New England setting - at least I think it was supposed to be New England - was poorly realized, in what was obviously a southern California location (the San Fernando valley, I think).

totalwonder Lillian Hellman is an American Icon. A woman ahead of her time, in every department. Her women are never easy to read but they are real. From the icy Regina in "The Little Foxes" to the sisters of "Toys In The Attic" - Jane Fonda played her, brilliantly, in "Julia", Here, her women walked a slightly edgier plane."The Children's Hours" was a big Broadway success and William Wyler, one of the best, directed the film version as "These Three" in the 1930's, washing away any reference to homosexuality. I think that may be one of the reasons why he remade it in 1961 under its original title "The Children's Hour" Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Fay Bainter and Miriam Hopkins who also was in the original in Shirley MacLaine's part. The film is compelling and looks wonderful and I think it's more a document of its day by one of the most courageous writers of her day. The strange thing here is that the women are the ones who remain firmly in their day, they show us the outrage from their perspective and that's why it feels "dated" They would behave very differently today but not the rich southerners. I believe, they would also remove their children from the school. just like they did then. The oppressed have move on but the oppressors, have diminished in numbers, but they havent changed much. A fascinating film.

GholamSlayer It would be so much easier to write this movie off as a dated movie, that things like that wouldn't happen anymore, but there are still far too many documented cases like what happened to Shirley Maclaine's character to write this movie off in that way. Everyone's reaction came across as "the homosexuals corrupt children", that they are insidious in nature, leading back to homosexuality being a choice. The main characters fought that, if passively, in the implication that Shirley Maclaine had no choice in the matter, as to who she loved. I hold very strongly that the mentality that society pushed at that time, and some still hold onto now, leads to the outcome of the movie. All I've been trying to say is that the movie is still incredibly pertinent after over 50 years, and I would love to see a time when this movie could be written off as just an historical piece.

Gideon24 1961's The Children's Hour is the second film of Lillian Hellman's play about how gossip and rumor can destroy lives.The play first came to the screen in 1936 as These Three, but this version is a little more faithful to the original play, though still slightly watered down for 1961 movie audiences.This is the story of Karen Wright (Audrey Hepburn) and Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine), two teachers who run a private girls' school. Tension between the ladies rises when Karen becomes engaged to a handsome doctor (James Garner) and Martha doesn't take the news very well. After eavesdropping on a conversation between Karen and Martha, a vicious student named Mary (Karen Balkin) starts a rumor that Karen and Martha are lovers, a rumor that reaches Mary's wealthy grandmother (Fay Bainter), a major benefactress of the school who makes sure that the women lose their jobs, even though there is no truth to the rumors. Things get even stickier when it is revealed that Martha really is a lesbian and really in love with Karen, though Karen does not return her feelings. The conflicted feelings of Karen, her fiancée's confusion and Martha's pain of living with this secret all combine to make for riveting drama.The stars are wonderful, with a particularly brilliant turn from MacLaine, who I think was robbed of an Oscar nomination for her performance as Martha. MacLaine is absolutely devastating throughout, especially in the scene where she confesses her true feelings to Karen. MacLaine ripped my guts out in this film and her performance alone makes the film worth watching. It should also be mentioned that Miriam Hopkins, who plays Lily Mortar, played one of the leads in These Three.A surprisingly adult drama that will wreak havoc on your emotions, due to the disturbing story and haunting performances.