I think this movie deserves a remake - The Children's Hour (1961) Discussion

[–] angelexposed 13 years ago

If Martha doesn't kill herself in the end, then the poinancy from the story is removed entirely. The play/film isn't about happy endings, it's about how rumours and lies can potentially destroy lives and cause people to make huge sacrifices. If both women come out at the end with a happy ending, then we've really gotten nothing out of the movie, all you'd have learned is that everything eventually always works out and everyone has a happy ending regardless of how devastating the situation has been.

I'd take the sad ending myself, it's much more powerful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've become a race of peeping toms.

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[–] sklary 13 years ago

The movie is also about how being a lesbian is a good enough reason to kill oneself.... If it wasn't, Martha would have killed herself before coming out (being remembered as a straight woman and victim of lies and rumours), not after.

I think this movie can be adapted beautifully maintaining the theme you mentioned of being "about how rumours and lies can potentially destroy lives and cause people to make huge sacrifices" without the meaningless death of a woman. This is not to say that the end should be “and they lived happily ever after”, luckily life is more complex than either one or the other..

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[–] coldnaps 9 years ago

"The movie is also about how being a lesbian is a good enough reason to kill oneself."

Not about that at all, and that's not why she did it

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[–] strangelittlething 13 years ago

I think the movie is good as it is!!! No need for a remake it would just ruin everything. Shirley Maclaine and Audrey Hepburn were right for the parts and we don't need a other remake. Hollywood these days is all about remake and it sad cause they destroy good films. That's what I think!!!

"Tout ce qui monte redescend" Gab

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[–] PimpSmackersGOM 13 years ago

A remake won't 'ruin everything'. This movie will still exist unchanged. And besides, you do realize that "The Children's Hour" is itself a remake from an older movie called "These Three" from 1936?

A superhero never reveals their true identity

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[–] madchen515 13 years ago

The only reason that is was remade is because the director could not keep the original story in These Three and had to change it for the censures. Once it was okay to have the subject matter, that same director decided to make the movie the right way. But, even then, the subject still had to be dealt with delicately.

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[–] hypestyle 13 years ago

it could be remade for sure, but I wonder would the film be accepted by mainstream audiences, especially with the subject matter at hand.. would "the lie" have to be about AIDS?

"With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility"
Stan Lee, 1962

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[–] DryToast 13 years ago

would "the lie" have to be about AIDS

I think the equivalent modern hot-button issue in this situation would be pedophilia. And some of the testimony in the original 19th-century Scottish case that The Children's Hour was suggested by did involve the girls in some way. So perhaps what we should have is a straightforward telling of the original events, which also had aspects of class prejudice, racial prejudice and sexism.

"Oh look, the neighbors are recording us."

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[–] nathankr 13 years ago

The play is done regularly. I don't think there's a need for a remake when you can see it live.

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[–] JacksCatGirl 13 years ago

Kira Knightley and Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss just did this play on West End recently, so it kinda was remade

Jacks

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[–] Louisville88 12 years ago

I had wanted a remake with Jennifer Connelly as Karen and Natasha Richardson as Martha with Vanessa Redgrave as her aunt and Helen Mirren as the grandmother. I also thought of making the girls teenagers. But Natasha has sadly passed and I think Joely Richardson could actually fill the spot. I also thought it would be fun if Paul Bettany played Joe.

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[–] cooljoebay2 12 years ago

I saw Children's Hour on TV and had to record it to watch again. I thought it was that good. Funny thing is, I had no idea that These Three was the same story. It was sheer coincidence that I watched that one. I actually liked These Three much better. Bonita Granville did a much better job at playing the brat. And we didn't have to be exposed to lesbianism and suicide.

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[–] pagan-hare 12 years ago

Unless you based it in the same time period or before it wouldn't work. Though there are people who are still bigoted in the US and the UK, today is nothing like it was. Most people except you for ho you are and who you love. So you couldn't base it now.

I also think they'd find it very difficult not to mention the three obvious words...Lesbian, gay and homosexual. Three words that are not once used in this incredible film. They don't need to be said because the film doesn't hide, in anyway, what is being implied within this awful lie.

Until two days ago I've not seen this film and for me it was just incredible and very powerful and reminded me just how lucky I am today. I can live my life as a gay woman with few problems. And certainly in the UK I have laws that protect me. Something that didn't exist then. And for a gay man it meant imprisonment in the UK.

Bu yeh unless they could make it in the same time, then I personally don't see the point!

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] ABetterDay 12 years ago

The only reason this film worked in 1961 was the prevailing norms of the day. Today? This film would not be successful. It is as much a commentary on the time in which it was made as it is an entertainment vehicle. Some films could never be made again....this is a classic example.

Remember When Movies Didn't Have To Be Politically Correct?

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[–] sara73 12 years ago

i would go with Michelle Williams but Eva Green rather than Anne Hathaway

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[–] SnookTheCrook 12 years ago

I love The Children's Hour and have never seen These Three, but am aware of it's existence and know that the Children's Hour is a remake of it. I think it would be next to impossible to remake this movie in a current day setting because times have changed. if someone's gay nowadays, they come out and live their life. Though there is still prejudice, the stigma is not the same as it once was. The death at the end, would most likely not occur.

The only way it would work is if it took place in a religious community like at a private school in Utah were the mormon community shunned the two main characters. Another way this film could work would be if we made the triangle two men and a woman, and if they were professors at a school for young boys.

Whether it gets remade or not, luckily, we still have the original to rewatch over and over. This is quite possibly my most favorite Audrey Hepburn movie!

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