Three Out of Four Stars

I normally don't like black and white movies, but for some reason, late last night I was sucked into AMC. I was flipping the channels at 10:30pm, about to turn it off at any moment as my NyQuil was kicking in. I love "the Quil." Anyway, for some strange reason, I was sucked into the movie, "The Children's Hour" starring Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine and James Garner. The movie is about an all-girls school run by Hepburn and MacLaine, and one of the girls who is very bad starts saying that the teachers are lesbians. Yes, lesbians...I was in shock! I couldn't believe they tackled that topic in 1961 in a black and white film. They never used the world lesbian or homosexual or anything...but it was clear what the accusation had been.

*SPOILER ALERT BELOW*

And so, the teacher's lives are ruined, all the girls leave the school and the teachers never even leave the house anymore. Finally, the fact that the accusation was a lie comes out, but it's too late. MacLaine had moments before admitted to Hepburn that she DOES love her "in that way" and kills herself. Although Hepburn's reputation is restored, it is a sad, sad film.

The movie was very interesting and I stayed up way too late watching it. It gave me a lot to think about - how lies can ruin lives and the stigmas people deal with for being different. I am glad we live in a time now where people wouldn't be ostracized from society for being different. At least, I hope that's how the world is today...but I still think we have a ways to go.

Labels: movies