A film where the lie from a child could ruin the lives of the two women who manage her boarding school, The Children’s Hour is an emotional ride that I didn’t expect.
I am always here for it when a movie builds. When you start with some introductions, some exposition, and, at some point, you find yourself so wrapped up in the subject matter and the characters that you aren’t quite sure how you got there. That is exactly what happened to me with this movie.
The Children’s Hour is about Karen and Martha, two friends who run and live in a boarding school for girls. Karen is engaged to the local doctor, Joe, and Martha’s Aunt Lily also lives and works at the school. While all of the students are adolescents and get into some trouble here and there, one of the girls, Mary, is adept at lying, sneaking around, and looking for attention. When she tells a big lie to her grandmother, it threatens the livelihood of the women and the future of the school.
This movie left me feeling like I got kicked in the gut. It is great, so don’t get me wrong, but I’ve had to sit with it for a bit so that I could eventually write this. Much like The Hunt (2012 – which you have to watch, it’s an excellent film), the entire turmoil begins with a lie from a child. We want to believe children when they say things, but in this particular case, Mary is extremely badly behaved.
There is a scene in which Mary lies about flowers and has a quiet confrontation with Karen over whether she is telling the truth. Karen knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is lying, but Mary holds her gaze defiantly. It’s a deeply unsettling moment that makes you realize that some people – child or not – are excellently manipulative. They will die on that hill no matter what you say.
Based on a 1934 play of the same name, most of the film is steeped in conversation and interactions between people. Not much happens, although the visuals are captivating and the cinematography is lovely.
Shirley MacLaine, Audrey Hepburn, and James Garner are all excellent, as is Karen Balkin, who plays Mary. Because it is such a script dependent piece, I am grateful for the incredibly strong cast, as I truly took to each one of them. You want them all to be happy and to be able to continue doing what they love.
I highly recommend The Children’s Hour, as it is a movie that is ahead of its time in representation and one that needs to be watched. I am surprised that I haven’t heard much more about it other than the initial recommendation that I received, so I am happy to be able to share it with you. Watch it.
Runtime: 108 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: Not rated (but I would say between PG and PG-13 for the depth of story)
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? No, but I was emotional
My Rating: 4.25/5 Stars
Available: Free on Tubi, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I am always here for it when a movie builds. When you start with some introductions, some exposition, and, at some point, you find yourself so wrapped up in the subject matter and the characters that you aren’t quite sure how you got there. That is exactly what happened to me with this movie.
