The Children's Hour

There's always been something wrong. Always, just as long as I can remember.

The Children's Hour is a 1961 film about a troublemaking student at a girls' school who accuses two teachers of being lesbians.

Directed by William Wyler. Written by John Michael Hayes, based on the 1934 play by Lillian Hellman.

Dialogue

Martha: There's always been something wrong. Always, just as long as I can remember. But I never knew what it was until all this happened.

Karen: Stop it Martha! Stop this crazy talk!

Martha: You're afraid of hearing it, but I'm more afraid that you.

Karen: I won't listen to you!

Martha: No! You've got to know. I've got to tell you. I can't keep it to myself any longer. I'm guilty!

Karen: You're guilty of nothing!

Martha: I've been telling myself that since the night I heard the child say it. I lie in bed night after night praying that it isn't true. But I know about it now. It's there. I don't know how, I don't know why. But I did love you! I do love you! I resented your plans to marry. Maybe because I wanted you. Maybe I've wanted you all these years. I couldn't call it by name before, but maybe it's been there since I first knew you.

Karen: But it's not the truth, not a word of it is true! We've never thought of each other that way.

Martha: No, of course you didn't. But who's to say I didn't. I'd never felt that way about anybody before you. I've never loved a man. I never knew why before, maybe it's that.

Karen: You're tired and worn out.

Martha: It's funny. It's all mixed up. There's something in you, and you don't know anything about it because you don't know it's there. And then suddenly, one night a little girl gets bored and tells a lie, and there, for the first time, you see it. Then you say to yourself, did she see it? Did she sense it?

Karen: But you know it could have been any lie. She was looking for anything to...

Martha: But why this lie? She found the lie with the ounce of truth. Don't you see? I can't stand to have you touch me! I can't stand to have you look at me! Oh, it's all my fault. I have ruined your life and I have ruined my own. I swear I didn't know it! I didn't mean it! Oh, I feel so damn sick and dirty I can't stand it anymore!

Karen: All this isn't true. You've never said it; we'll forget it by tomorrow.

Martha: Tomorrow? That's a funny word. Karen, we would have had to invent a new language, as children do, without words like tomorrow.

---

Mrs. Lily Mortar : God will punish you.

Martha: He's doing all right.

Cast

• Shirley MacLaine - Martha Dobie
• Audrey Hepburn - Karen Wright
• James Garner - Dr. Joe Cardin
• Miriam Hopkins - Lily Mortar
• Fay Bainter - Amelia Tilford
• Karen Balkin - Mary Tilford
• Veronica Cartwright - Rosalie Wells
• Mimi Gibson - Evelyn
• William Mims - Mr. Burton
• Sally Brophy - Rosalie's mother
• Hope Summers - Agatha

External links

• The Children's Hour quotes at the Internet Movie Database