An unruly student at a private all-girls boarding school scandalously accuses the two women who run it of having a romantic relationship.
Directed by William Wyler
suicide
falsely accused
female friendship
girls' boarding school
based on play or musical
teacher
lesbian relationship
black and white
lgbt
rumor
libel suit
depressed woman
queer
girls' school
devastating
Rank
#2 in 1961·#113 overall
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
4.2 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Shirley MacLaine
Martha Dobie
Audrey Hepburn
Karen Wright
James Garner
Joe Cardin
Miriam Hopkins
Lily Mortar
Fay Bainter
Amelia Tilford
Karen Balkin
Mary Tilford
Veronica Cartwright
Rosalie Wells
Sally Brophy
Mrs. Wells
Mimi Gibson
Evelyn
Hope Summers
Agatha
Jered Barclay
Grocery Boy (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
Funeral Assistant (uncredited)
Crew
William Wyler
Director
John Michael Hayes
Screenplay
Alex North
Original Music Composer
Walter Mirisch
Executive Producer
William Wyler
Producer
Robert Wyler
Associate Producer
Hal Ashby
Assistant Editor
Alex North
Conductor
Lillian Hellman
Theatre Play
Lillian Hellman
Adaptation
Dorothy Jeakins
Costume Design
Popular Reviews
1075 reviews
Hendra Syahnanda
9.0★ · 04/10/26
Rest in peace Martha Dobie you would find Mulholland Drive resonating with you.
Rest in peace Martha Dobie you would find Mulholland Drive resonating with you.
2
M
6.0★ · 01/31/26
watching a movie where a character commits suicide isn’t helping my depressed ass get any better idk why I’m doing this to myself
watching a movie where a character commits suicide isn’t helping my depressed ass get any better idk why I’m doing this to myself
1
david
9.0★ · 10/20/25
this is actual proof that children are evil and that this mary bitch needs to get her fucking no good 8 years old bitch ass beaten so bad that she loses her complete sense of touch
this is actual proof that children are evil and that this mary bitch needs to get her fucking no good 8 years old bitch ass beaten so bad that she loses her complete sense of touch
1
Brendon
10.0★ · 06/12/25
I'm not for violence against children, but I can make acceptions.An incredible movie. Even from a first viewing, I can say that The Children's Hour is one of my favorite movies; easily top 50. A movie that greatly adapts the stage play to the screen with fully realized environments, with fantastic sets and evocative framing that creates electrifying tension and lyricism. Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, and James Garner deliver some of the most committed performances I've seen from the 1960s, with MacLaine delivering a new favorite performance of mine. This was a beautifully written and directed movie with great plotting that greatly adapts to the play while also being a breakthrough in LGBTQ+ cinema. I can't recommend this enough.
I'm not for violence against children, but I can make acceptions.An incredible movie. Even from a first viewing, I can say that The Children's Hour is one of my favorite movies; easily top 50. A movie that greatly adapts the stage play to the screen with fully realized environments, with fantastic sets and evocative framing that creates electrifying tension and lyricism. Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, and James Garner deliver some of the most committed performances I've seen from the 1960s, with MacLaine delivering a new favorite performance of mine. This was a beautifully written and directed movie with great plotting that greatly adapts to the play while also being a breakthrough in LGBTQ+ cinema. I can't recommend this enough.
