Lillian Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was a prominent American playwright, screenwriter, and memoirist known for her plays often focusing on themes of social injustice, moral corruption, and the complexities of human relationships. A significant figure in 20th-century American theatre, her career spanned several decades and was marked by both critical acclaim and public controversy, particularly concerning her political beliefs and the factual accuracy of her autobiographical works.
Early Life and Education
Lillian Florence Hellman was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to a Jewish family. Her father, Max Hellman, was a shoe salesman, and her mother, Julia Newhouse, came from a wealthy family. Hellman spent her early childhood divided between New Orleans and New York City, a dichotomy that she later explored in her memoirs, reflecting on the contrasting environments that shaped her perspective. She attended New York University and Columbia University but did not complete a degree. Before finding success as a playwright, she worked as a reader for publishers and as a script reader for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in Hollywood.
Career
Playwriting
Hellman's distinct voice emerged forcefully with her first Broadway play, The Children's Hour (1934). The controversial drama, which explored themes of lesbianism and false accusation in a girls' boarding school, was a critical and commercial success, though it faced censorship in several cities.
She solidified her reputation with The Little Foxes (1939), a searing portrayal of a rapacious Southern family driven by greed, set at the turn of the 20th century. The play was a major hit and later adapted into a successful film. Its prequel, Another Part of the Forest (1946), further explored the origins of the Hubbard family's moral decay.
Other notable plays include:
- Watch on the Rhine (1941): A powerful anti-fascist drama about a German anti-Nazi activist seeking refuge in America. It won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award.
- The Searching Wind (1944): Examined the moral compromises of a liberal American family during the rise of fascism.
- Toys in the Attic (1960): Her last original play to achieve Broadway success, it explored family secrets and Southern Gothic themes, earning her a Tony Award nomination.
Hellman's plays are characterized by tight dramatic construction, sharp dialogue, strong female characters, and a critical examination of societal values.
Screenwriting
Hellman also had a significant career as a screenwriter in Hollywood, often adapting her own plays. Her screenwriting credits include:
- The Children's Hour (1961, as The Loudest Whisper)
- The Little Foxes (1941)
- Watch on the Rhine (1943)
- The North Star (1943)
- Julia (1977, adapted from her memoir Pentimento)
Memoirs and Controversy
In her later years, Hellman gained renewed fame for her acclaimed memoirs:
- An Unfinished Woman (1969): Won the National Book Award for Arts and Letters.
- Pentimento: A Book of Portraits (1973): Featured a portrait of "Julia," a wealthy American woman who purportedly engaged in anti-Nazi activities. This chapter was adapted into the Academy Award-winning film Julia (1977).
- Scoundrel Time (1976): Focused on her experiences during the McCarthy era and the Hollywood blacklist.
While celebrated for their literary quality, Hellman's memoirs became subjects of intense debate regarding their factual accuracy. Most notably, the "Julia" story in Pentimento was questioned by various critics and historians, who suggested it was either highly embellished or entirely fabricated. Novelist Mary McCarthy famously stated on The Dick Cavett Show that Hellman was "a bad writer, and a dishonest writer... Every word she writes is a lie, including 'and' and 'the.'" Hellman subsequently filed a $2.5 million libel suit against McCarthy, which ended unresolved with McCarthy's death.
Political Activism and the Blacklist
Lillian Hellman was a committed political activist throughout her life, known for her left-leaning views and outspoken anti-fascist stance. In 1937, she joined a delegation of writers to the Loyalist side during the Spanish Civil War. Her political activities, along with her long-term relationship with Dashiell Hammett (a known Communist), brought her under scrutiny during the McCarthy era.
In 1952, Hellman was subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). While she offered to testify about her own activities, she famously refused to implicate others, stating in a letter to the committee, "I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions, even though I do believe that, in such a case, I would be permitted to wear the very latest." This courageous stand resulted in her being blacklisted in Hollywood for several years, severely impacting her screenwriting career.
Personal Life
Hellman had a complex personal life. She was briefly married to playwright Arthur Kober (1925–1932). However, her most significant relationship, both personal and professional, was with detective novelist Dashiell Hammett, which began in 1930 and lasted until his death in 1961. Despite their intellectual and emotional bond, their relationship was often tumultuous, marked by Hammett's heavy drinking and infidelities, as well as Hellman's own affairs. Hammett had a profound influence on Hellman's writing, serving as her mentor and critic.
Legacy
Lillian Hellman died on June 30, 1984, at the age of 79. She left behind a powerful body of work that continues to be studied and performed. Her plays remain staples of American theatre, celebrated for their dramatic tension, moral complexity, and unflinching examination of human flaws and societal pressures. Despite the controversies surrounding her memoirs, they offer compelling insights into a tumultuous period of American history and a unique literary voice. Hellman's defiance during the McCarthy era cemented her image as a figure of integrity and resistance against political repression.
Selected Works
Plays:
- The Children's Hour (1934)
- Days to Come (1936)
- The Little Foxes (1939)
- Watch on the Rhine (1941)
- The Searching Wind (1944)
- Another Part of the Forest (1946)
- Montserrat (1949)
- The Autumn Garden (1951)
- Candide (1956, libretto adaptation)
- Toys in the Attic (1960)
Screenplays:
- The Dark Angel (1935)
- These Three (1936, based on The Children's Hour)
- Dead End (1937)
- The Little Foxes (1941)
- Watch on the Rhine (1943)
- The North Star (1943)
- The Chase (1966)
- Julia (1977, adaptation)
Memoirs:
- An Unfinished Woman: A Memoir (1969)
- Pentimento: A Book of Portraits (1973)
- Scoundrel Time (1976)
- Eating Together: Recollections and Recipes (1984, with Peter Feibleman)
Awards and Honors
- New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Watch on the Rhine (1941)
- National Book Award for An Unfinished Woman (1969)
- National Arts Club Gold Medal (1976)
- MacDowell Colony Edward MacDowell Medal (1976)
- Tony Award nominations for Toys in the Attic (Best Play, 1960) and The Children's Hour (Best Play Revival, 1953)
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Letters