I long remembered this film from my teenage years when it was shown on television back in the 1960s. And I was firmly on the side of no censorship back then. Little did I know that decades later, as a school principal, I would be faced with a need to censor. The first time was when a young English teacher wanted to required middle school students to read a novel where a teenager is raped on a pool table. I censored the book's use as required reading. Then, a few years later I was on a panel to look at parent complaints about books in our district's school libraries. Once I came down in favor of censorship, and once I fought it...again, the topic was explicit sex in novels for middle schoolers. So, I was delighted when this film was finally dusted off and shown on TCM. While I have changed my view about censorship, this film does a fairly good job of exploring the topic, although here the focus is a book about Communism (in the midst of the McCarthy era), rather than sex.
This 1956 film does a very nice job of bringing forth the many issues that are involved: censorship of a book, a librarian being paid by a town council but refusing to take orders as an employee, a city council that is bowing to popular public demand, and the pure politics of it. Alicia Hull (Bette Davis) is a widowed librarian who -- at this stage in her life -- really looked the part, and did a superb job of acting here. This was, in my view, the last great acting role of Davis' career. The city council asks her to withdraw a book about Communism, and points out that she once belonged to several organizations that were later identified as Communist fronts. Leading the charge is politician Paul Duncan, played well by Brian Kieth. The town begins to turn on the once beloved librarian, and one boy sets the library on fire. They all live happily ever after as the town asks Davis to return as librarian and supervise the construction of a new library.
Interestingly, the role of librarian was first taken by Mary Pickford, and then by Barbara Stanwyck. But Davis was perfect in the part. Kim Hunter is good as the assistant librarian and love interest of Brian Kieth (surely a conflict of interest, under the circumstances). The other members of the city council and many of the townspeople are faces you'll recognize (including Bing Crosby's second wife0, and they do well.
This is an excellent film. Idealistic, yes. Imperfect, yes. But it was also quite brave for its time. Highly recommended, and it's going on my DVD shelf.
As a post script, I remembered this film for many years after seeing it on television once. Then when I first ordered it on DVD, I was a little cooler toward it. I recently re-watched it and was again very impressed by it. I guess sometimes one mood can affect one's evaluation of a film. Highly recommended.
This 1956 film does a very nice job of bringing forth the many issues that are involved: censorship of a book, a librarian being paid by a town council but refusing to take orders as an employee, a city council that is bowing to popular public demand, and the pure politics of it. Alicia Hull (Bette Davis) is a widowed librarian who -- at this stage in her life -- really looked the part, and did a superb job of acting here. This was, in my view, the last great acting role of Davis' career. The city council asks her to withdraw a book about Communism, and points out that she once belonged to several organizations that were later identified as Communist fronts. Leading the charge is politician Paul Duncan, played well by Brian Kieth. The town begins to turn on the once beloved librarian, and one boy sets the library on fire. They all live happily ever after as the town asks Davis to return as librarian and supervise the construction of a new library.
Interestingly, the role of librarian was first taken by Mary Pickford, and then by Barbara Stanwyck. But Davis was perfect in the part. Kim Hunter is good as the assistant librarian and love interest of Brian Kieth (surely a conflict of interest, under the circumstances). The other members of the city council and many of the townspeople are faces you'll recognize (including Bing Crosby's second wife0, and they do well.
This is an excellent film. Idealistic, yes. Imperfect, yes. But it was also quite brave for its time. Highly recommended, and it's going on my DVD shelf.
As a post script, I remembered this film for many years after seeing it on television once. Then when I first ordered it on DVD, I was a little cooler toward it. I recently re-watched it and was again very impressed by it. I guess sometimes one mood can affect one's evaluation of a film. Highly recommended.