The Children's Hour / The Children's Hour (aka The Loudest Whisper)

Classmates and childhood friends, Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine) and Karen Wright (Audrey Hepburn), own and govern a private girls' school together. The spoiled Mary is one of their students, excelling at constant lying and bullying rather than her studies. Karen punishes the girl for one of her lies by prohibiting her from watching a sports match, but she does not know what the little and seemingly innocent girl is capable of. Very soon after this trivial punishment, word spreads around town that Martha and Karen are romantically involved, causing an immense scandal. Both women are increasingly more isolated from the rest of the community, as no one is willing to believe that the accusation is false. After all, Martha and Karen are just friends, nothing more.  But what if there's a grain of truth in the rumors? This captivating star-cast psychological drama was directed by William Wyler in 1961. The film was nominated for 5 Oscars, and even today it represents a milestone in the history of queer cinema.