History Theatre / TheChildrensHour

!!The play provides examples of:

** [[spoiler:Martha, after realizing she was indeed in love with Karen.]]

!!The 1936 movie adaptation adds examples of:

* BittersweetEnding: The movie ends on a lighter note compared to the play as [[spoiler: Martha lives and Karen and Joe reunite but the reputation of their school remains ruined]].

!!The 1961 movie adaptation adds examples of:

* GetOut: Mrs. Tilford yells this at Karen and Martha when the two come to confront her.

* {{Bowdlerise}}: The film completely changes what happens in the play (replacing the rumors of a lesbian love affair with one about the two women dating the same man). The second film includes a little of this too, though more for simplification reasons instead of censorship.

* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler:Martha]].

* AdaptationDistillation: This adaption still isn't completely true to the play but is still mostly so.

** Though there's still clear {{foreshadowing}} that [[spoiler:Martha]] is a lesbian, several scenes were cut due to fear that the movie wouldn't get through the UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode.

* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Martha, after realizing she was indeed in love with Karen.]]

The original production ran from 1934-1936. In 1934 and 1936 the play was blocked from being played in both Boston and Chicago due to its content. A {{revival}}, directed by Lillian Hellman herself, played from December 1952-May 1953 in the Coronet Theatre. Two other revivals have existed since, a 2008 one in Manchester and a 2011 one in London. In 1971 the BBC produced a radio adaptation of the play for its ''Saturday Night Theatre'' series.

* BuryYourGays: [[spoiler:Martha]], upon realization of her deviating sexual orientation, hangs herself as she [[DrivenToSuicide couldn't live with the truth of it]].

* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: The movie is most well-known for the last twenty minutes [[spoiler:where Martha has an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove before killing herself]].

[[caption-width-right:300:Karen (Merle Oberon) and Martha (Miriam Hopkins) in ''These Three'']]

A classic ([[ValuesDissonance and, at the time, very much controversial]]) 1934 play that was the debut work of Creator/LillianHellman, ''The Children's Hour'' was adapted for the screen twice by director William Wyler. The first version was a bowdlerized adaptation called ''These Three'', starring Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon, and released in 1936. The second version, starring Creator/ShirleyMacLaine and Creator/AudreyHepburn, was subject to less censorship by the time it came out in 1961.

* ClosetKey: Possibly in denial, or confused, about her feelings for several years, it takes a child's MaliciousSlander to make Martha realize that she's gay. It doesn't help her stress and only makes her feel more guilty and terrible.

* AmbiguousEnding: The film ends with [[spoiler:Karen walking away after Martha's funeral, while the others watch her.]] ''What'' exactly does the scene imply is up to interpretation.

* TimeSkip: Instead of showing us the CourtroomDrama where the critical suit for slander was tried, the movie skips a few weeks ahead where we learn that the case was lost because of Martha's aunt not appearing in court.

A classic (and, at the time, very much controversial) 1934 play that was the debut work of Creator/LillianHellman, ''The Children's Hour'' was adapted for the screen twice by director William Wyler. The first version was a bowdlerized adaptation called ''These Three'', starring Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon, and released in 1936. The second version, starring Creator/ShirleyMacLaine and Creator/AudreyHepburn, was subject to less censorship by the time it came out in 1961.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Mary's lie is exposed]], but [[spoiler:Martha is dead]], the school is closed, and [[spoiler:Karen and Joe have broken up.]]

!!The 1936 movie adaptation add examples of:

!!The 1961 movie adaptation add examples of:

* BuryYourGays: [[spoiler:Martha]], upon realization of her deviating sexual orientation, hangs herself as she couldn't live with the truth of it.

[[quoteright:343:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ChildrensHour72dpi_002_5900.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:343:Karen (Creator/AudreyHepburn) and Martha (Creator/ShirleyMaclaine) in the 60s adaptation]]

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/these-three-oberon-hopkins-1_6915.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Karen (Merle Oberon) and Martha (Miriam Hopkins) in ''These Three'']]

* BuryYourGays: [[spoiler:Martha.]]

* InspiredBy: The play was inspired by an actual Scottish court case.

!!The movie adaptations add examples of:

* AdaptationDistillation: The second adaption still isn't completely true to the play but is still mostly so.
* AdaptationalSexuality: [[spoiler:Martha]] is straight instead of gay in ''These Three'' due to censoring of the plot.

* AmbiguousEnding: ''The Children's Hour'' ends with [[spoiler:Karen walking away after Martha's funeral, while the others watch her.]] ''What'' exactly does the scene imply is up to interpretation.
* {{Bowdlerise}}: The first film is this to the play, completely changing what happens in it (the first film replaced the rumors of a lesbian love affair with one about the two women dating the same man). The second film includes a little of this too, though more for simplification reasons instead of censorship.
* MarketBasedTitle: The film version of ''The Children's Hour'' is called ''The Loudest Whisper'' in the UK.
* PromotedToLoveInterest: Joe to Martha in ''These Three''. [[spoiler:It is unrequited.]]
* RemakeCameo: Miriam Hopkins played Lily Mortar in the 1961 film, after having played her niece Martha in the 1936 version.
* SettingUpdate: The second movie came out in TheSixties but the play is from TheThirties and is based on real-life events from the 19th century.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler:Martha]] in ''These Three''.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Mrs. Tilford]], once she realizes [[spoiler:her granddaughter's scheming.]] [[spoiler:Karen]] however, tells her she's too late to apologize.]]

A classic (and, at the time, very much controversial) 1934 play that was the debut work of Lillian Hellman, ''The Children's Hour'' was adapted for the screen twice by director William Wyler. The first version was a bowdlerized adaptation called ''These Three'', starring Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon, and released in 1936. The second version, starring Creator/ShirleyMacLaine and Creator/AudreyHepburn, was subject to less censorship by the time it came out in 1961.

* AdaptationalContextChange:
** ''These Three'' switched around a large number of Joe's and Karen's dialogue to make the film about a heterosexual love triangle.
** ''The Childrens Hour'' changed [[spoiler:Mary's grandmother apologizing to Karen]] to happen ''before'' [[spoiler:Martha's death]]
* AdaptationDistillation: The second adaption still isn't completely true to the play, and lacks the "power" driven plot of said play, but is still the closest to it.

* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: The movie is most well-known for the ending.

* MarketBasedTitle: The film versions, at least, were called ''The Loudest Whisper'' in the UK.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Mary's lie is exposed, but Martha is dead, the school is closed, and Karen and Joe break up.]]

* EnfanteTerrible: Mary Tilford.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Mrs. Tilford, once she realizes her granddaughter's scheming. Karen, however, tells her she's too late to apologize.]]
* OneGenderSchool

->'''Mrs. Lily Mortar''': God will punish you.
->'''Martha''': He's doing all right.

A classic (and, at the time, very much controversial) 1934 play that was the debut work of Lillian Hellman, '''''The Children's Hour''''' was adapted for the screen twice by director William Wyler. The first version was a bowdlerized adaptation called ''These Three,'' starring Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon, and released in 1936. The second version, starring Creator/ShirleyMacLaine and Creator/AudreyHepburn, was subject to less censorship by the time it came out in 1961.

* EnfanteTerrible: '''Mary Tilford.'''

-->'''[[spoiler: Martha:]]''' 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!

* IronicName: Mary is a bratty little girl who irreversibly ruined two womens lives.

* TriangRelations: A type four, with Joe as C, Karen as B, and Martha as a platonic A. [[spoiler:...as it later turns out, not so platonic after all.]]

* HeyItsThatGuy: Bonita Granville, the first actress to play NancyDrew on screen, was Mary Tilford in ''These Three.''

* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler:Martha]] in ''These Three.''

!!This work features examples of:

* AdaptationDistillation: The second adaption still isn't completely true to the play, and lacks the "power" driven plot of said play, but is still the closest to it.
* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: The movie is most well-known for the ending.

* {{Bowdlerise}}: The first film is this to the play, completely changing what happens in it (the first film replaced the rumors of a lesbian love affair with one about the two women dating the same man). The second film includes a little of this too, though more for simplification reasons instead of censorship.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Bonita Granville, the first actress to play NancyDrew on screen, was Mary Tilford in ''These Three.''

* MarketBasedTitle: The film versions, at least, were called ''The Loudest Whisper'' in the UK.

* RemakeCameo: Miriam Hopkins played Lily Mortar in the 1961 film, after having played her niece Martha in the 1936 version.
* SettingUpdate: The second movie came out in TheSixties but the play is from TheThirties and is based on real-life events from the 19th century.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler:Martha]] in ''These Three.''

* AmbiguousTimePeriod: The second movie came out in TheSixties but the play is from TheThirties and is based on real-life events from the 19th century. It's hard to tell if it's a PeriodPiece or not.

* SparedByTheAdaptation: Martha in ''These Three.''

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Mary's lie is exposed, but Martha is dead, the school is closed and Karen and Joe break up.]]

* {{Bowdlerise}}: The first film is this to the play, completely changing what happens in it (the first film replaced the rumors of a lesbian love affair with one about the two women dating the same man). The second film includes a little of this too, though for simplification reasons.

* MaliciousSlander

[[caption-width-right:343:Karen (Creator/AudreyHepburn) and Martha (ShirleyMaclaine) in the 60s adaptation]]

A classic (and, at the time, very much controversial) 1934 play that was the debut work of Lillian Hellman, '''''The Children's Hour''''' was adapted for the screen twice by director William Wyler. The first version was a bowdlerized adaptation called ''These Three,'' starring Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon, and released in 1936. The second version, starring {{Shirley MacLaine}} and Creator/AudreyHepburn, was subject to less censorship by the time it came out in 1961.

[[caption-width-right:343:Karen (Creator/AudreyHepburn) and Martha (Shirley Maclaine) in the 60s adaptation]]

[[caption-width-right:343:Karen (Audrey Hepburn) and Martha (Shirley Maclaine) in the 60s adaptation]]

A classic (and, at the time, very much controversial) 1934 play that was the debut work of Lillian Hellman, '''''The Children's Hour''''' was adapted for the screen twice by director William Wyler. The first version was a bowdlerized adaptation called ''These Three,'' starring Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon, and released in 1936. The second version, starring {{Shirley MacLaine}} and AudreyHepburn, was subject to less censorship by the time it came out in 1961.