The Children's Hour

SYNOPSIS

Recently engaged Karen Wright and her friend from college Martha Dobie have been running the Wright-Dobie School For Girls for some years now. But they have had troubles disciplining young Mary Tilford. Mary, angry at the way she has been treated, tells her influential grandmother a secret. Amelia Tilford then spreads the rumor to the other parents at the school, who then remove their children from the school.  Karen, Karen's fiancé Joe, and Martha, unaware of why their pupils are leaving, finally approach Mrs. Tilford. She reveals that Mary spied on her teachers and found them kissing. This leads Karen and Martha to sue Mrs. Tilford, but they lose the case due to lack of evidence, specifically the testimony of Martha's aunt, Lily Mortar. After they close the school Karen and Martha try to regain a normal life, but it is impossible. While sitting around and chatting, Martha reveals her secret: although she never acted on her feelings, she has always been attracted to Karen, beyond friendship. This is too much for Martha. She goes to her room and then commits suicide by gunshot. 

TRANSLATION NOTES
These Three

When The Children's Hour opened on Broadway in 1934, it was well-received by the critics. It was difficult to find actors in New York due to the subject matter, banned in Chicago, Boston, and London, but was allowed in France and was very successful there. The title was changed to The Innocents and French critics applauded it. But, the Pulitzer Prize committee refused to consider The Children's Hour for its award.

To capitalize on the success of the stage play, the rights to it were bought and changed into a movie. But due to the Production Code of the time, the gossip which is spread about the teachers of play concerns an implied ménage a trois, rather than a lesbian relationship.  Martha falls in love with Joe, instead of Karen. But, this revision was created by Lillian Hellman herself. According to her autobiographical works, she was happy with the film and felt that the malicious result of the false accusation and gossip was the central issue of the story rather than the nature of the gossip.

PRODUCTION NOTES

TRANSLATION NOTES
The Children's Hour

In 1952, Lillian Hellman was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which led to the financing of a revival the same year. The themes of secrets and lies and malice and persecution struck a high chord, playing against the backdrop of McCarthyism. The play was still well received and considered even more appropriated due to the current political climate.

1962 saw the release of a more faithful version of The Children's Hour on the Silver Screen. Although some events not show in the play are featured in the film and sometimes switched in chronological order for dramatic purposes, the main plotlines are clearly visible. Audrey Hepburn plays the innocent Karen Wright, and Shirley MacLaine portrays the doommed Martha Dobie, who kills herself by hanging. Due to the controversial subject matter, this version is considered a direct challenge to the Hays Code, which resulted in the revision of the code to permit "tasteful treatments of homosexual themes."