How a 1930s censorship code forced a playwright to rewrite her own masterpiece
In short: Lillian Hellman’s play The Children's Hour was a sensation, but its central plot—a false accusation of lesbianism—was strictly forbidden by the Hays Code. To bring her work to the screen in 1936, Hellman had to fundamentally alter the story, transforming a tragic social commentary into a romantic drama.
The 1936 film These Three, directed by William Wyler, originated as Hellman's 1934 Broadway play, The Children's Hour. The play was inspired by an 1810 scandal in Scotland where two school teachers had their reputations ruined by a student's false claims of a lesbian relationship. While New York authorities allowed the play to run despite the illegality of depicting homosexuality on stage, the film industry's Hays Code was far more rigid.
Producer Samuel Goldwyn was the only one willing to purchase the rights, provided Hellman could adapt the script to satisfy censors. Hellman replaced the accusation of lesbianism with a lie about a heterosexual love triangle involving the two teachers and a fiancé. The script was initially titled The Lie, only becoming These Three after filming concluded. This forced narrative shift turned a story about societal prejudice into a drama of romantic frustration.
The production was marked by tension, particularly between Wyler and actor Joel McCrea, after Goldwyn unwisely revealed that Wyler had preferred Leslie Howard for the role. Despite these behind-the-scenes frictions, the film was a critical success. Critics like Graham Greene and Frank S. Nugent praised the performances, especially that of Bonita Granville, who played the malevolent student Mary Tilford. Granville’s chilling portrayal earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the first ceremony to feature the category.
The film’s legacy persists through its various adaptations, including a 1961 remake and a 1937 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast. While the plot was drastically altered from the original play, reviewers like John Mosher noted that many of the source material's key scenes remained intact. The film stands as a testament to the creative compromises required by the era's strict censorship, yet it remains a powerful example of 1930s dramatic cinema.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: These Three
- Also: These Three
- Also: Wikidata — These Three · CC0
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