#Karen Balkin

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The Children's Hour (1961) William Wyler

July 2nd 2024

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Audrey Hepburn Summer!

Tonight’s watch: The Children’s Hour (1961) (Photos and trivia from IMDB)

This film adaptation of Lillian Hellman's play was an intense watch, as you see the way a lie from a vindictive, cruel child destroys the life of two people (more if you include all of the supporting characters). The tragedy is how much the accusation of being lesbian hits home for one of the women. While I knew that it would end tragically (the trailer sort of gives it away), I was still devastated.

The acting is incredible - everyone knocks it out of the park. Even the children: Karen Balkin was terrifying as Mary, the child who perfected the art of bullying and terrorizing other girls before turning to target her teachers. 

On set, the children enjoyed hanging around Shirley MacLaine, thinking her “cool” and “generous”, according to Veronica Cartwright, who played Rosalie. Cartwright won the role after keeping calm during the audition when director William Wyler fired a gun. (She remembers thinking how it wasn’t a wartime film.)

While talking about this film for the documentary, The Celluloid Closet (1995), MacLaine said, “none of us were really aware. We might have been forerunners, but we weren't really, because we didn't do the picture right. We were in the mindset of not understanding what we were basically doing. These days, there would be a tremendous outcry, as well there should be. Why would Martha break down and say, 'Oh my god, what's wrong with me, I'm so polluted, I've ruined you.' She would fight! She would fight for her budding preference. And when you look at it, to have Martha play that scene - and no one questioned it - what that meant, or what the alternatives could have been underneath the dialog, it's mind boggling. The profundity of this subject was not in the lexicon of our rehearsal period. Audrey and I never talked about this. Isn't that amazing. Truly amazing."

At least this movie was able to keep the lesbian plot; the last film adaptation of this play, retitled These Three (1936), changed the lie to be about a heterosexual love affair. Even so, Wyler had to cut scenes that hinted more strongly at a character’s sexuality to get the movie past the censors.

I was able to get a DVD of this movie from the library, but you can also find it on Pluto TV, Roku, Tubi, and Amazon.

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Audrey Hepburn and Karen Balkin in The Children's Hour (1961)

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Vijftig jaar geleden: première van "The children's hour"

Op 19 december 1961 ging “The children’s hour” van William Wyler in première. De film werd uitgebracht als The Loudest Whisper in het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Continue reading Untitled

[itsmyfriendisaac]

The Children’s Hour: at a private school for girls, one bad apple starts rumors that the two owners, Karen & Martha, are more than just friends! Their student body dwindles & they confront the slanderer with a lawsuit, but Martha begins to doubt if her own feelings for Karen have been platonic.

[genevieveetguy]

- We can't go on like this. Everything I say is made to mean something else. - I guess every word has a new meaning. Child, love, friend, woman. There aren't many safe words anymore. Even 'marriage' doesn't have the same meaning anymore. - It does to me, and it should to you, if... - If what?

The Children's Hour, William Wyler (1961)

[365filmsbyauroranocte]

The Children’s Hour (William Wyler, 1961)

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[gatutor]

Karen Balkin-Miriam Hopkins-Audrey Hepburn “La calumnia” (The children´s hour) 1961, de William Wyler.

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Shirley MacLaine, Audrey Hepburn, and Karen Balkin in The Children’s Hour (1961)

[killer-klowns]

La Rumeur / Un médecin quitte le logement de sa fiancée enseignante en faisant tourner deux fois sa voiture autour d’une jardinière.

[womeninmovieswearinghats]

Fay Bainter and Karen Balkin in The Children’s Hour (1961)

Direction: William Wyler

Costumes: Dorothy Jeakins

[byneddiedingo]

Audrey Hepburn, James Garner, and Shirley MacLaine in The Children's Hour (William Wyler, 1961) Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Miriam Hopkins, Fay Bainter, Karen Balkin, Veronica Cartwright, Mimi Gibson, Debbie Moldow, Diane Mountford, William Mims, Sally Brophy, Hope Summers. Screenplay: John Michael Hayes, Lillian Hellman, based on a play by Hellman. Cinematography: Franz Planer. Art direction: Fernando Carrere. Film editing: Robert Swink. Music: Alex North. Time has not been kind to Lillian Hellman's The Children's Hour, either the play or the second film adaptation. It had been filmed once before, also under the direction of William Wyler, as These Three, in 1936, only two years after it had become a Broadway sensation. At that time, the central accusation that the two schoolmistresses, Karen and Martha, were lesbians had to be changed to a heterosexual moral transgression -- that both were lovers of the same man, Dr. Joe Cardin. Despite this bowdlerization, there are many who think that the earlier movie is the better one, largely because it puts the emphasis on what Hellman said was the play's theme: "the power of a lie." In our contemporary climate, the idea that Karen and Martha might be lovers has much less power to shock, so that to our eyes, the furor that arises from a child's confused and devious accusation seems excessive. But perhaps more to the point is an artistic one: In today's LGBT community the idea that a work of fiction dealing with non-heterosexual relationships has to end in the death of one or more of its supposed transgressors has been labeled a "kill the queers syndrome." Even more recent films such as Boys Don't Cry (Kimberly Peirce, 1999) and Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005), though praised for dealing candidly with transgender characters and gay relationships, have been faulted for too easily resolving their plots by having their central characters murdered by bigots. The Children's Hour falls more blatantly into this trap with Martha's suicide, which seems not to come out of anything integral to the character but instead out of the need for a dramatic conclusion to the play and film. It's a film with good performances, though its actors sometimes have to struggle against their star personae. James Garner was so familiar as a smart aleck on the TV series Maverick that he feels a little miscast as Dr. Cardin, Karen's fiancé, who is unable to convince her that he may indeed have believed in the rumor about her relationship with Martha. Audrey Hepburn, too, carries the aura of winsome romantic comedy heroine into her performance as Karen, but is more successful at overcoming the image. Of the three leads, Shirley MacLaine is the most successful, since she doesn't have to deal with a too-precisely established screen persona, and she brings real depth to Martha's conflicts, including her simmering resentment of Karen's supposed abandonment of their plans in order to marry Joe, and her anguished recognition of her possibly repressed lesbianism. But the real standouts in the cast are the supporting players, Miriam Hopkins (who had played Martha in These Three) as the flibbertigibbet Aunt Lily and Fay Bainter, Oscar-nominated for her role as Amelia Tilford, whose credulity when her niece tells her the lie about Karen and Martha brings about the crisis. Wyler's direction is, as always, precise and professional, and the art direction of Fernando Carrere and the cinematography of Franz Planer make the primary setting, the girls school, follow the film's changes in mood, from innocent to grim.

[lesbiancolumbo]

Putting this one on the baggage carousel for when you feel like airing out the old inbox. Consider, if you will, an Old Hollywood cast list for Pale Fire. Submitted for your approval, my contemporary cast list:

Jared Harris - John Shade

Alfred Molina - Charles Kinbote (but only because PSH is unavailable)

Isabella Rossellini - Sybil Shade

Anaïs Reboux - Hazel Shade

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos or Catherine Breillat (but only because Krzysztof Kieślowski is unavailable)

but now that we’ve got that out of the way.

pale fire is something i’m admittedly not an expert on. it took me forever to read and i am still kinda parsing through what the fuck i read, and that was months ago. but! submitted for YOUR approval, old hollywood pale fire.

Trevor Howard - John Shade

Claude Rains - Charles Kinbote

(I am almost mad that he died soon after PF was published because I think he would be brilliant? Like, he could 100% pull Kinbote off.)

Ingrid Bergman - Sybil Shade (i cheated here, but when you’re right you’re right)

Karen Balkin - Hazel Shade (but like, when she’s age appropriate)

directed by Frank Borzage or Fritz Lang

[lastset99]

Where Is She Today? Age Height & Instagram

Where Is She Today? Age Height & Instagram

Actress Karen Balkin doesn’t have a dedicated Wikipedia biography, but here’s everything you can know about her. Karen Balkin is an American actress best known for her roles in The Children’s Hour, Our Time and Hennessey. Although she has had a decent career and acting accolades, she has not had a recorded performance since 1974. In fact, her last film came in 1974 when she appeared in Our Time…

[movieswithkevin27]

The Children’s Hour

The power of suspicion is undeniable. One allegation, no matter how unfounded it may be, could render one's life work destroyed. If spread around, believed, and acted upon, these suspicions could have very real impacts that leave a person isolated and feeling as though they are without a home. Some people truly do have dirty laundry to air out, but many do not and are subjected to this treatment. This is what occurs in The Children's Hour. Running a school together, Karen Wright (Audrey Hepburn) and Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine) are passionate about teaching and are great friends with one another. However, after young student Mary (Karen Balkin) overhears a pair of conversations, reads a book about sex, and is punished by Karen for lying, things change rapidly. Accusing the pair of teachers of lesbianism - in spite of Karen being recently engaged - and backing it up with information she learned from her book and the blackmail of another student to support her statements, Mary's allegation leads to the rapid demise of the school. Tragic, solemn, and heart-wrenching to watch, The Children's Hour is a masterful turn that shows both the power of suspicion, the horror of homophobia, and the tragic reveal of a secret a person sometimes even keeps from themselves.

Thematically, The Children's Hour shares a lot of ground with Atonement. Both films are about the lies of a young girl who acts of immaturity in lying about the behavior, which has a profound impact on those she lied about. Yet, The Children's Hour has a different kick to it: lesbianism. In 1961, lesbianism was obviously not accepted and was subject to "gay panic". The mere hint somebody could be gay saw the whole community shun them and warn other communities about their sexuality. Though the women in The Children's Hour are not actually acting on it or actually both lesbians (or so they think), the world's reaction to their possible relationship feels similar to Carol. In that film, both women are persecuted for the presumption of their lesbianism long before they actually do anything with one another (not that it was justified). In The Children's Hour, Wyler provides the chilling impact such a rumor can have on one's life. Not only do they lose their livelihood, but they live in constant fear with people welcoming themselves in just in the off-chance they are sleeping with one another (men want to get a look, essentially) or with cars ominously rolling past the front of their home. For both Karen and Martha, life has not just demonstrably changed, but it has become scary. They are no longer welcome in their community and, given the fact word has spread so much, they can never have their life back. There is no bandaid for the pain they have suffered. Whether they are lesbians or not, the film makes it clear that this is something experienced by people all across the country. The witch hunt that is "gay panic" or any similar fear has led to people being ostracized and rejected for something out of their control. Even if they were lesbians, it has no baring on their abilities as teachers. Yet, out of misplaced and homophobic fear for the children, parents take their kids out of the school in droves. A chilling display of the homophobia of the time, The Children's Hour paints a greatly sympathetic portrayal of those accused of homosexuality and the trauma they experience (especially when this gossip is true), which was one of the few sympathetic and honest looks from their perspective.

The Children's Hour was originally a play and it certainly feels that way, yet it is never stagey. Rather, it is definitively a film, but one that relies upon characters, acting, and dialogue, more than flashy directing or manipulative tension. Yet, Wyler nonetheless allows his presence to be felt. This is especially prevalent in the scene in which Mary and her blackmailed friend are interrogated by the adults as to what they truly saw. With the camera set up in various places of the room, Wyler gets high and tight on the young girls and on the glaring eyes of Mary as she lies and manipulates to get her way. Using medium shots of the adults, Wyler's focus on the girls feels representative of their power. In this situation, what they say will determine the rest of Martha and Karen's lives. Thus, it is what they say that will truly matter and, as such, it takes up the entirety of the frame.

The scene itself is also the embodiment of the strong acting in the film with Wyler opting to use no score in the scene. Rather, it is the dialogue and acting that is able to take center stage. As Karen, Martha, and Karen's fiance Joe (James Garner) argue with Mary's grandmother Mrs. Tilford (Fay Bainter) that she has it all wrong, the entire room is filled with phenomenal actors. In particular, Hepburn and MacLaine earn their billing as the film's leads in this scene with their impassioned defense of their actions. A truly thrilling moment in the film, the shift in power can be felt dramatically as these two schoolteachers rapidly lose their control of the situation and the feeling of oncoming dread that they will be ostracized permeates the air. A suffocating and truly thrilling moment, it is a scene in which the tension never needs to be injected through artificial means. Rather, it is the passion, the anger, and the bitter lies, that sell this tension, which makes it so effective and impactful on the audience.

The same can be said for a scene in which Karen and Joe argue. Having previously agreed to marry one another, Joe vehemently defends his fiance against all comers. He even loses his job because he refuses to dump her. Faithful, honest, and loving, Joe is a man who stands with those he trusts and, in this film, he trusts Karen. Yet, that bit of doubt has begun to creep into his mind. Karen senses it and feels the distance between them. The audience even feels this doubt and wonders if we truly know everything, as is the case in the 2008 film Doubt where a Priest is accused of molesting a young boy. That film never says whether or not he did, but similarly shows the fall-out of the accusation and the impact it has on his life. This doubt can color one's opinion of a person, no matter how times they argue that there is no doubt. Joe even tries to convince himself that there is no doubt of Karen's faithfulness to him. A truly powerful scene in which they discuss whether or not there is any doubt and how to cope with this, Hepburn and Garner truly make it something special. With tremendous romantic chemistry between the two, they play off one another perfectly with great honesty, drama, and emotion, in each of their words. It is a scene that nails the feeling of doubt or knowing that your significant other is somehow doubtful about you. Emotionally stirring, this a moment that truly stands tall in the film, even if it is a rather brief one.

Similarly, the scene that follows it is the one in which Martha considers whether she does in fact love Karen or not. Always believing she just loved her as a friend, Martha spills her soul, confronts her own sexuality, and wonders how long it had been hidden with herself. A raw, honest, and emotional scene, Wyler places MacLaine on the left side of the screen with her back to the camera. Resting on an armrest, she buries her head in the couch as she wails away, struggling to get the words out and hardly believing what she is saying herself. Hepburn, meanwhile, sits quietly on the right side of the frame. In a way, it is as she always knew how Martha felt, while also simultaneously taking time to process how she feels about Martha and where she is in terms of sexuality. It is a solemn, powerful, and resonant moment, that rises on both actor's skills. Though MacLaine takes center stage, the silence of Hepburn speaks volumes, even if it is just from her stage persona and natural draw. The two sitting there in an open and solemn moment between two old friends is one of the most powerful moments in the film, though I likely sound like a broken record saying that at this point.

SPOILERS The climax of the film is more violent and from classic plot-based tension, but it is a chilling realization of what having one's life ruined can do. For Martha, her life had been irrevocably changed and her secret from herself was now out in the open. The audience knows what is to come next and Martha does as well. As Karen walks slowly out to the road to take in the fresh air, we know it for certain when Martha's aunt comes running out of the house asking where Martha was. As Karen races back to the home to see if there is still time, Wyler cuts frantically. It is a moment that is hard to describe, but essentially, Wyler places Hepburn at slightly left of center with a somewhat tight close-up and, seconds later, she moves to the right of center in a tighter close-up before Wyler cuts back to where she is slightly left of center. Frenetic and pulse pounding in large part to the disorienting technique utilized by Wyler, the tense race to the home and to open Martha's door is met with a solemn image that underscores so many of the film's powerful themes. In essence, it is a moment that shows that it not just a film about the power of lies. It is a film about homosexuality and the feeling one feels when they are ostracized for feeling a way they have no control over. Feeling alone, outed, and destitute, Martha's plight is one that far too many have been allowed to face through society's unwillingness to overcome its prejudice. A tragic and moving final image, the look of pain on Karen's face and the ominous shadows from Martha's body leave the audience shocked and deeply shaken. END SPOILERS

An acting showcase, The Children's Hour is a powerful exploration of prejudice, the spread of rumors, and homophobia. Demonstrating the level to which the surrounding community had contempt for homosexuality and the damage it could do to one's life if there was even a rumor they were gay, The Children's Hour tells a chilling story elevated by the fantastic acting of its cast. Led by Shirley MacLaine, Audrey Hepburn, and James Garner, the trio nail their respective roles and lend the film great gravitas and staying power. As an adaptation of a play, director William Wyler relies upon the skills often must rely upon the dialogue to truly make the film thrilling and gripping, which this cast does with incredible ease. With natural, raw, and honest, performances, it is often the actors who make The Children's Hour such a brilliant film. The follow-up to Wyler's expansive epic Ben-Hur, the intimate, quiet, and dialogue-driven nature of this film makes it seem like an odd follow-up on-the-surface. Yet, for a filmmaker as talented as Wyler, he is able to demonstrate his great range and skill level in making this quiet character film be as gripping, thrilling, and powerful as Ben-Hur.