Karen Wright and Martha Dobie are best friends since college and they own the boarding school Wright and Dobie School for Girls with twenty students. They are working hard as headmistresses and teachers to grow the school and make it profitable. Karen is engaged with the local doctor Joe Cardin, who is the nephew of the powerful and influential Mrs. Amelia Tilford. While the spiteful and liar Mary, who is Amelia's granddaughter and a bad influence to the other girls, is punished by Karen after telling a lie, Martha has an argument with her snoopy aunt Lily Mortar in another room. Lily accuses Martha of being jealous and having an unnatural relationship with Karen. Mary's roommate Rosalie Wells overhears the shouting and tells Mary what Mrs. Mortar had said about her niece. The malicious Mary accuses Karen and Martha of being lesbians to her grandmother and Amelia spreads the gossip to the parents of the students that withdraw them from the school. Karen and Martha lose a lawsuit against Amelia and have their lives destroyed. Further, Karen calls off her engagement with Joe when he asks her if what was said about Martha and she was true. The lie ends in a tragedy.

Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for The Children's Hour?

Directed by William Wyler, with Shirley MacLaine, Audrey Hepburn, James Garner leading the cast, The Children's Hour was produced by The Mirisch Company with a confirmed budget of $3,600,000, placing it in the micro-budget category for drama films.

At $3,600,000, The Children's Hour was produced on a lean budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $9,000,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• Midnight Cowboy (1969): Budget $3,600,000 | Gross $44,785,053 → ROI: 1144% • Carandiru (2003): Budget $3,684,600 | Gross $10,782,155 → ROI: 193% • My Neighbor Totoro (1988): Budget $3,700,000 | Gross $41,000,000 → ROI: 1008% • Call Me by Your Name (2017): Budget $3,500,000 | Gross $43,143,046 → ROI: 1133% • Flow (2024): Budget $3,700,000 | Gross $17,660,107 → ROI: 377%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Above-the-Line Talent Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances. Securing award-caliber actors and experienced directors represents the single largest budget line item, often consuming 30–40% of the total production budget.

▸ Location Filming & Period Production Design Authentic locations — whether contemporary or historical — require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period. Period dramas add the cost of era-accurate props, vehicles, and set decoration.

▸ Post-Production, Color Grading & Score The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone. Color grading, a nuanced musical score, and detailed sound mixing are critical to achieving the emotional resonance that defines the genre.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Shirley MacLaine, Audrey Hepburn, James Garner, Miriam Hopkins, Fay Bainter Key roles: Shirley MacLaine as Martha Dobie; Audrey Hepburn as Karen Wright; James Garner as Joe Cardin; Miriam Hopkins as Lily Mortar

DIRECTOR: William Wyler CINEMATOGRAPHY: Franz Planer MUSIC: Alex North EDITING: Robert Swink PRODUCTION: The Mirisch Company, United Artists FILMED IN: United States of America

Box Office Performance

The Children's Hour earned $3,000,000 in worldwide box office revenue.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), The Children's Hour needed approximately $9,000,000 to break even. The film fell $6,000,000 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $3,000,000 Budget: $3,600,000 Net: $-600,000 ROI: -16.7%

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Unprofitable (Theatrical)

The Children's Hour earned $3,000,000 against a $3,600,000 budget (-17% ROI), falling short of theatrical profitability. Ancillary revenue may have reduced the deficit.

INDUSTRY IMPACT

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Summary: Nominated for 5 Oscars. 1 win & 12 nominations total

Nominations: ○ Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (34th Academy Awards) ○ Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (34th Academy Awards) ○ Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White (34th Academy Awards) ○ Academy Award for Best Art Direction, Black and White (34th Academy Awards) ○ Academy Award for Best Sound (34th Academy Awards)