The Children's Hour

Based on the 1934 play by Lillian Hellman, The Children's Hour is set at an exclusive girl's school managed by best friends Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine. When student Karen Balkin is punished for one of her many misdeeds, the mean-spirited youngster rushes to her wealthy aunt Fay Bainter, ...more

Apart from their notorious personal relationship, the literary intersection of longtime lovers Lillian Hellman and Dashiell Hammett was a fascinating one. Just as Hammett's bright but brief career was coming to a close, Hellman's was beginning. Interestingly, it was Hammett who gave Hellman the original topic for her first play, 1934's +The Children's Hour, and coached her through the many rewrites. The work dealt with an accusation of lesbianism in a private school for girls, and while ...more