Bette Davis champions freedom of expression
“Storm Center” concerns the freedom to express and offer information about ideas, including unpopular ones, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution, though the First Amendment itself is never mentioned. The story takes place during the Cold War and revolves around a concerted attempt at censorship in a small American town.<br /><br />Alicia Hull (Bette Davis), a middle-aged widow, has been the town’s head librarian for many years. She is respected and loves her job, devotes her energy to the library and serving its many users, and hopes that some day the town council will finally approve funds to build a much needed children’s wing. Young Freddie Slater (Kevin Coughlin) is an avid reader and a regular user of the library. The little boy looks up to Mrs. Hull and is proud to consider her a friend.<br /><br />Invited to join the council members one afternoon, Mrs. Hull anticipates that the meeting will be about the children’s wing. She brings along her plans and is ready to present a well organized case for the library addition. But that is not the councilmen’s main order of business. The council has received complaints about a book in the library that discusses communism. If she will remove the book, they will grant the funds. Initially she agrees, but her decision bothers her and she later replaces the book on the shelves.<br /><br />This sets in motion a confrontation between censorship and freedom of expression. Because the setting is a small town, the conflict is very personal. Some residents back Mrs. Hull but most demand that she remove the book. Overhearing negative talk about Mrs. Hull, Freddie fails to understand the politics behind the comments and undergoes a complete reversal in his esteem for the librarian that leads him to take drastic measures.<br /><br />During the Cold War, the issue of communism was a hot topic. Many felt that it threatened their way of life and wanted to squelch any information about it. The theme was timely in the 1950s, when the film was released, and still has relevance today with some citizens demanding revisions in history books and the elimination of topics in school curricula.<br /><br />Bette Davis, 48 at the time, is made to look considerably older with shaded make-up, dowdy dress, and a short conservative hairstyle. Her trademark delivery, with its odd emphases, animated head movements, pauses, and lilting cadence, is in full swing as her character takes on the town for the sake of an important principle. In her early scenes with Freddie, she conveys motherly tenderness. Later, with town council members, her manner shifts to righteous defiance as she holds her ground, placing her own job on the line to defend what she believes is vital. Whatever the film, Davis is always riveting, and here she delivers a solid if somewhat melodramatic performance.<br /><br />Joe Mantell plays George Slater, Freddie’s father, a boorish man who resents his son’s fascination with books and his wife’s piano playing, and doesn’t understand why his family can’t be more like him. The role is a thankless one, with Mantell approaching the status of villain, though his character insists he only wants the best for his family.<br /><br />Brian Keith plays Paul Duncan, a council member who is particularly adept at manipulating Mrs. Hull by bringing up questionable organizations she innocently joined in the past, then abandoned on learning their true purpose. Paul persists in this duplicity for political gain despite the objections of his fiancee, Martha Lockridge (Kim Hunter), who is also the assistant librarian and looks up to Mrs. Hull.<br /><br />Co-writer (along with Elick Moll) and director Danial Taradash has created an entertaining morality play, though it’s often on the heavy, obvious side. Rather than portray the council members as narrow-minded dopes, they are family men, reasonable and courteous to Mrs. Hull, though faced with a potential political firestorm if they can’t deal successfully with the problem. The concern of the community was not uncommon at the time. The effect of the controversy on Freddie is overblown and never rings true, though.<br /><br />Though the theme of “Storm Center” is important, the execution of the story is somewhat awkward and contrived. Freddie’s strained relationship with his father seems to have been created only to help explain actions he takes late in the film that seem highly unlikely and melodramatic. Davis has certainly been better in films that call for her character to be a human being rather than a metaphor for the First Amendment. Apart from the library, Mrs. Hull is an enigma. We know very little about her other than she lost her husband during World War I. A few scenes showing her with friends or engaged in social activities apart from the library might have developed her character better.<br /><br />There are no bonus materials included.<br /><br />At just under 90 minutes, “Storm Center” is fast-paced and keeps us involved, though the trajectory of the narrative is not much of a surprise. Bette Davis in the role of the beleaguered librarian adds stature to the film and compensates somewhat for weaknesses in the script.
The movie title "Storm Center," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.1 from 4 reviewers. 
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Featured Categories, Blu-ray and Drama. 
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 {"Genre": "Drama", "Format": "Import", "Contributor": "Daniel Taradash, Alexander Campbell, Paul Ryan, Howard Wierum, Rudy Lee, Bette Davis, Sallie Brophy, Julian Blaustein, Curtis Cooksey, Jim Smith, Pitt Herbert, Edwin Parker, Joe Palma, Malcolm Atterbury, Burt Mustin, Edith Evanson, Joseph Kearns, Joe Mantell, Joe Hamilton, George Selk, Kathryn Grant, Brian Keith, Kim Hunter, Paul Kelly, Howard Wendell, Edward Platt, Kevin Coughlin, Michael RaffettoDaniel Taradash, Alexander Campbell, Paul Ryan, Howard Wierum, Rudy Lee, Bette Davis, Sallie Brophy, Julian Blaustein, Curtis Cooksey, Jim Smith, Pitt Herbert, Edwin Parker, Joe Palma, Malcolm Atterbury, Burt Mustin, Edith Evanson, Joseph Kearns, Joe Mantell, Joe Ha\u2026   See more", "Runtime": "86 minutes", "Studio": "Imprint", "MPAA rating": "Unrated (Not Rated)", "Package Dimensions": "6.77 x 5.43 x 0.43 inches; 3.67 Ounces", "Director": "Daniel Taradash", "Media Format": "Import", "Run time": "86 minutes", "Release date": "October 7, 2022", "Actors": "Bette Davis, Brian Keith, Kim Hunter, Paul Kelly, Joe Mantell", "Subtitles": "English", "Producers": "Julian Blaustein", "Language": "English (Dolby Digital 2.0)", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : BETTE DAVIS HITS THE SCREEN IN A CYCLONE OF DRAMATIC FURY! Directed and co-scripted by Daniel Taradash (From Here To Eternity), this reflection on the rights and responsibilities of citizens was a timely response to Anti-Communist sentiment in the 1950's. A small town librarian (Bette Davis) stands up to local pressure to remove a controversial book from the shelves - on principal, not out of sympathy for it's perspective. Also co-stars Brian Keith (Tight Spot, and TV's A Family Affair) and Kim Hunter (A Streetcar Named Desire). Starring Bette Davis, Paul Kelly & Kim Hunter. Special Features and Technical Specs: 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray from a new 2K scan NEW Audio Commentary with professor and film scholar Jason A. Ney Hollywood on Trial - feature documentary Narrated by John Huston (1976) The Hollywood 10 - short film Original Theatrical Trailer Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 Audio English LPCM 2.0 Mono Optional English HOH subtitles Limited Edition slipcase on the first 1000 copies with unique artwork.