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Storm Center

Play trailer Poster for Storm Center 1956 1h 25m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Widowed librarian Alicia Hull (Bette Davis) becomes the center of a McCarthyist firestorm when she refuses to remove from her library "The Communist Dream," a book seen by her town council as incendiary anti-American propaganda. Condemned at a town meeting by her former assistant Martha Lockridge (Kim Hunter) and Martha's opportunist attorney boyfriend, Paul Duncan (Brian Keith), the principled Alicia chooses the moral high ground even as she must endure the town's oppressive rancor.

Critics Reviews

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George N. Fenin Film Culture 03/28/2022
A document of its times, this film is a much needed work of faith and hope. Its aesthetic, social and human values will appeal to sensible people as a healthy and welcome antidote to the usual Hollywood “fare.” Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Melissa L @Agent99 6d A most excellent movie about book censorship that could be set in modern-day times. Bette Davis was perfect as a the librarian who stands her ground, and is vindicated by the end of the movie See more Steve D @RT35616104 07/05/2023 Never subtle but correct and powerful. See more 04/18/2016 Saw this at my library for "Censorship Month." It slowly, stealthily ratcheted up the tension. Yes, about the McCarthy era, but also about freedom of thought, education and the importance of libraries to a civilized society. See more 01/09/2015 not bad late career Davis See more 01/02/2015 Funny how history repeats itself. Bette Davis's speech to the council about the dangers of allowing a hostile government or dictator to force us into self censorship could have been written yesterday. This Is a very thoughtful work, with strong characters conveying an important message that is as relevant today as it was in 1956. See more 09/07/2013 A bit overwrought in execution but the film's message of the dangers of censorship and unfounded gossip is a strong one. See more Read all reviews
Storm Center

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Cast & Crew

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Daniel Taradash

Director

Bette Davis

Alicia Hull

Brian Keith

Paul Duncan

Kim Hunter

Martha Lockridge

Paul Kelly

Judge Robert Ellerbee

Joe Mantell

George Slater
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Storm Center

Storm Center (1956) Storm Center (1956) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Widowed librarian Alicia Hull (Bette Davis) becomes the center of a McCarthyist firestorm when she refuses to remove from her library "The Communist Dream," a book seen by her town council as incendiary anti-American propaganda. Condemned at a town meeting by her former assistant Martha Lockridge (Kim Hunter) and Martha's opportunist attorney boyfriend, Paul Duncan (Brian Keith), the principled Alicia chooses the moral high ground even as she must endure the town's oppressive rancor.
Director
Daniel Taradash
Producer
Julian Blaustein
Screenwriter
Daniel Taradash, Elick Moll
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Julian Blaustein Productions Ltd.
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 31, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 7, 2019
Runtime
1h 25m