People are voting emotionally.

Absolutely brilliant

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

For years, the Hays Code banned any depiction of or reference to same-sex relationships in movies. Movies would occasionally depict it indirectly - such as in "Ben-Hur" - but it was practically unheard of to see any overt discussion of homosexuality in movies. "The Children's Hour", adapted from Lillian Hellman's play, must've been a shock at the time. Hellman based her play on a case that happened in Scotland in 1809, but I suspect that this sort of thing happened a lot. In the 21st century we're so used to tolerance of LGBT relationships that it comes as a surprise to us that anyone ever found them repulsive (but make no mistake, there are plenty of people who would just love to criminalize any "non-traditional" relationship).As expected, Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine turn in fine performances. The chilling performance comes from Veronica Cartwright ("The Birds" and "Alien") as the girl who spreads the rumor. She seems so innocent, but clearly has a sociopathic side. This is one movie that everyone should see. A sobering reminder of what lying can cause, and a look at how society in general used to view LGBT people.

This is a well done tasteful movie about many issues starting with the rumor mill or gossip that plagues everyone yet all contribute to it one way or another. However, when it gets out of hand, it can destroy. Another issue is the believability of a child and when they say something. If they have never learned to lie then they are beyond reproach. If they did learn to lie what defense do adults have? We all visit with teachers who have to be fit and perfect if for the only reason that they are teaching kids verbally and by example too. There is rush to judgment, doubt and hidden bias at work in this film that when you mix it all together a fine must see movie is upon you. Watch the expressions on the old grandmas face when the kid is whispering in her ear. Priceless! Also watch the little brat kids face too as she acts out quite effectively "if looks could kill" on another little girl. Enjoy James Garner who is as handsome as ever. The film takes the viewer by surprise. You see it starts out rather mundane and slowly surfaces here and there until we are grabbed. Then, it doesn't let go. Stay with it through all this because your emotions will go full cycle and run toward the comeuppance part. Also consider the ending. Was there any truth to all these lies? Does it take one to know one? Enjoy

Due to the various censorship codes that Hollywood adopted to please religious activists, it went from showing films with two men dancing to violin (one of the earliest American films), Tarzan swimming briefly with a naked man, and even the cheesy camp The Search for Beauty which showed men's bare backsides in a locker room briefly and the muscular protagonist (who undresses inside of a towel like one of today's New Prudery locker room wimps) being glanced at while showering (in a low stall) by a young man who smiles a lot after that. None of that is particularly offensive or egregious, in terms of sexual content. But, even hints at homoeroticism were far too much for the morally superior crusaders.That Search of Beauty picture can, of course, hide behind the curtain of Eugenics (more popular in the US than in Europe, arguably, at the time). It has the big floor show that was a fad at the time, as seen in Stalin's favorite film, so it wasn't as cheesy to period audiences. However, the small amount of homoeroticism in this American film was enough to raise the ire of crusaders and Hollywood responded by preempting their attempt at pushing a censorship code by adopting their own. (Ironically, that Stalin favorite propagandizes in favor of the Soviets by opposing American racism. There was absolutely no trace of homoeroticism or appreciation of the male body anywhere in it. But, it has the elaborate '30s floor show.)The point was that the common notion in the viewing public that Hollywood always had "a vendetta against them" as JL Mankiewicz put it, is not true in the big picture. Unfortunately, though, the early years where that vendetta was largely lacking (including in Russia where people like Eisenstein were tremendously influential, despite obvious homoerotic overtones in their films) turned into a very long history of heterosexism and homophobia.That vendetta basically was throwing gays under the bus to grease the profit wheels of the industry. In Russia, it was part of the Stalinist chilling effect on freedom, liberty, and all that — under the familiar guise of family friendliness. That chill has never left.This film's loathsome over-the-top homophobia and heterosexism should be seen by film school students as a case study in how not to turn your film into a soap opera pretending to be depth. Sociology and Social Psychology students might be interested in the artificiality of the script, particularly the extremely over-the-top crying confessional scene between the two women. It's the film equivalent of putting a bar of soap into the viewer's mouth or dragging a puppy through its excrement. But, I suppose a heterosexual viewer might feel better about it. After all, they're not the ones being preached about — how it's necessary for society that they kill themselves over some brat and a bunch of bored and boring busybodies.Pass on this one. You'll find out all you need to know about it if you watch The Celluloid Closet, which documents the corrosive effects of the Hayes Code and other semi-voluntary policies adopted by Hollywood. That film is much more worth one's time (as is the book).Gays, as is so often true, are the canaries in the coal mine of politics. We're easy, soft, targets.

Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Hepburn did such a fabulous job on teaming up together in this film! My, there were such scene's that would honestly shock you, make you angry and even shed a tear a bit, it was so hard to watch at times! It was such a story that you wouldn't even know you were watching it and I'm not making it up here!It does make you realise how back then, there was not even a single word of lesbianism involved that time. It was such a hush hush world back then and I couldn't imagine how it felt for the girls in loving each other very deeply. It was too bad they didn't show of the two teachers kissing, it really was very backward in those days! It would've made a difference to Hollywood and open up a lot more but instead, everything shouldn't be talked about. It was such a disgrace then.I was so upset that Martha killed herself because of the fact, she couldn't have Karen and everyone just isolated them. It was just shocking and upsetting to watch towards the end. Audrey Hepburn with her beautiful black dress, walking away from the crowd at the funeral and grieving over her deceased lover..