Set in a fictional New England town in the 1930s, The Children’s Hour tells the story of two women who are unjustly accused of homosexual activity by one of their students: one Mary Tilford. The outraged community (prompted by the influential Amelia Tilford, an upstanding member of Lancet–who also happens to be the indulgent grandmother of Mary) quickly withdraws all of their students, causing ... (more)
Set in a fictional New England town in the 1930s, The Children’s Hour tells the story of two women who are unjustly accused of homosexual activity by one of their students: one Mary Tilford. The outraged community (prompted by the influential Amelia Tilford, an upstanding member of Lancet–who also happens to be the indulgent grandmother of Mary) quickly withdraws all of their students, causing a witch hunt that ultimately forces the school to close. Their lives quickly unravel as they become social pariahs. At its premiere, Hellman’s The Children’s Hour was a controversial piece that caused the author to be blacklisted. Today, it remains a haunting reminder of the horrors of intolerance. (less)
