The Children's Hour (film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Children's Hour (released as The Loudest Whisper in the United Kingdom) is a 1961 American drama film directed by William Wyler. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes is based on the 1934 play of the same title by Lillian Hellman. The film stars Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner and Fay Bainter (in her final film role).
Plot
Former college classmates Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine) and Karen Wright (Audrey Hepburn) open a private school for girls. Martha's Aunt Lily (Miriam Hopkins), an aging actress, lives and teaches elocution at the school. After an engagement of two years to Joe Cardin (James Garner), a reputable obstetrician, Karen finally agrees to set a wedding date, although Martha expresses concern that Karen’s marriage to Joe will lead to Karen leaving the school. Joe is related to the influential Amelia Tilford (Fay Bainter), whose granddaughter Mary (Karen Balkin) is a student at the school. Mary is a spoiled, conniving child who bullies her classmates, particularly Rosalie Wells (Veronica Cartwright), whom she blackmails when she discovers her in possession of a student's missing bracelet.
When Mary is caught in a lie, Karen punishes her by refusing to let her attend the weekend's boat races. Mary fakes a fainting spell to get out of trouble, and so Karen calls Joe to perform a check-up on Mary. Aunt Lily hovers over Joe, and when Joe kicks her out of the room, she complains to Martha about it. Martha is apathetic to Aunt Lily’s complaints and instead tells her Aunt Lily that she wants her to leave the school. Aunt Lily remarks that Martha is always in a bad mood when Joe is in the house and implies that Martha is obsessed with Karen, which upsets Martha. Two of Mary’s roommates overhear this conversation and relay it back to Mary. Mary runs away to her grandmother’s house and unsuccessfully tries to convince her grandmother to let her stay home and not return to school. On the ride back, Mary tells her grandmother that Karen and Martha are always punishing her because of the things she knows. She whispers something in her grandmother’s ear. Her grandmother goes into the school alone, where she runs into Aunt Lily, who is leaving the school, and asks Aunt Lily to clarify her comments about Martha and Karen’s relationship. Aunt Lily remarks that Martha’s fixation with Karen is “unnatural.” Horrified, Mary’s grandmother leaves the school, tells Mary she does not have to return, and notifies the other parents about what she has learned.
Karen learns that the story is from a father of a departing student and confronts Amelia about Mary accusing Martha and Karen of being lovers. Mary is foiled at convincing others that she personally saw the interactions between Martha and Karen. Mary coerces Rosalie to corroborate her story. Joe is frustrated by the situation, saying that he has finished cleaning up his grandmother's home, and maintains his engagement to Karen and his friendship with Martha. The two women intend to file a suit of libel and slander against Mrs. Tilford.
A few months later, Martha and Karen are isolated at the school, having lost all of their students and ruined their reputations after losing the lawsuit. Aunt Lily returns, and Martha confronts her about the fact that Aunt Lily refused to testify on behalf of Martha and Karen. Joe refuses to sever ties with Karen and Martha, still wanting to marry Karen, and loses his job as a result. He comes to the school and tells Karen and Martha that he found a job in a rural area, insisting that Martha come with him and Karen.
Karen attempts to embrace Joe, but he turns away from her, which results in an argument. Karen insists that Joe tell her whether he believes that there was a relationship between her and Martha. Joe hesitates before telling Karen that he believes it's untrue. She then says that nothing ever happened and that she could not continue with the engagement knowing that he doubted her, and calls off the engagement.
Rosalie's mother (Sally Brophy) discovers a cache of items among her daughter's belongings, including the bracelet inscribed to Helen Burton. Mrs. Wells takes her daughter to Mrs. Tilford who, while walking over to meet her granddaughter, Mary, on the stairs collapses on the floor.
Karen tells Martha that Joe will not come back. Martha is distraught at Karen's cryptic explanation and urges her to not let Joe go. Karen, however, wants to leave town with Martha the next day. She believes they can go where they will not be recognized and can start a new life, but Martha does not. As Martha tries to talk herself into believing she and Karen are just good friends, she realizes that she does truly love Karen. While Karen does not believe her, tries to dissuade her and maintains her own heterosexuality, Martha comes to believe she has loved Karen ever since they met and that she was simply unaware of the true nature of her feelings. Despite Karen's assurances to the contrary, Martha feels responsible for ruining both their lives and is appalled by her feelings towards Karen.
Mrs. Tilford visits the two teachers. She has learned about the falsehood perpetrated by her; the court proceedings will be reversed and the award for damages settled. Karen refuses Mrs. Tilford's gesture.
Martha no longer wants to continue with the conversation. She goes upstairs to her bedroom, and Karen follows her, once again telling her that she plans to leave the school and start over somewhere, and hopes that Martha will come with her. Karen leaves her for a walk on the school grounds. Aunt Lily asks Karen about the whereabouts of Martha as her door is locked. Karen breaks loose the door's slide lock with a candleholder and discovers Martha has hanged herself in her room. After Martha's funeral, Karen walks away alone, while Joe watches her from the distance.
Cast
- Audrey Hepburn as Karen Wright
- Shirley MacLaine as Martha Dobie
- James Garner as Dr. Joseph "Joe" Cardin
- Miriam Hopkins as Lily Mortar, Martha's aunt she nicknames "the duchess"
- Fay Bainter as Mrs. Amelia Tilford
- Karen Balkin as Mary Tilford, Amelia's granddaughter
- Veronica Cartwright as Rosalie Wells
- Mimi Gibson as Evelyn
- William Mims as Mr. Burton
- Sally Brophy as Mrs. Wells, Rosalie's mother
- Hope Summers as Agatha
