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Storm Center

Play trailer Poster for Storm Center Released Jul 31, 1956 1h 25m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 1 Reviews 37% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
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.
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Storm Center

Critics Reviews

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George N. Fenin Film Culture 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.” Mar 28, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve D Never subtle but correct and powerful. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/05/23 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member not bad late career Davis Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Audience Member A bit overwrought in execution but the film's message of the dangers of censorship and unfounded gossip is a strong one. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Found an out of print copy of this flick & truly enjoyed seeing it. Brian Keith of Family Affair TV fame plays Davis' nemesis in this movie about censorship with a Cold War feel. (It came out in 1956, the height of the McCarthy witch hunt era.) It deserves more stars than folks are giving it, I think, for the storyline & the content. I read that Bette Davis was disappointed in the casting of the young boy who was central to the story & I tend to agree he did not make the most sympathetic picture as the storyline needed. But all in all worth a watch, particularly for librarians, & anyone who needs to be reminded of the dangers of censorship gone amuck! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Storm Center

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Storm Center

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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
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