In perhaps the most obscure film that Bette Davis made in the 1950's, she plays a beloved town librarian who becomes town pariah when she fights city hall after they demand that she take a certain book about the communist dream off the library shelves. She's not defending the book, certainly, but wants those interested in reading it to see just how ridiculous the whole idea of communism is. Having accidentally become a part of several communist groups years before, Davis finds her past coming back to haunt her as she is dismissed from her position after fighting her own conscience and putting the book back on the shelf. Even with support of more open minded liberals, Davis is beaten, at least for a minute, but the encouragement of a young boy (the excellent Kevin Coughlin) keeps her spirits up and gives her the urge to fight.
For many children of many eras gone by, the librarian could be their very best adult friend, taking them into a world of fiction past their elementary school classes. Not just there to "sh..." the rowdy kids, the librarian would find out what kinds of stories their young patrons wanted, and like Davis and Coughlin here, establish a kinship that makes the child feel like the adult's equal, and gives the adult a thrill that their influence is aiding a child in their yearn for knowledge. As Davis tells Coughlin's concerned father, many exciting careers could follow for his son, and he needed to be proud of him, not concerned that his son was not really interested in playing ball.
Books for me were a thrill as a child with their beautiful illustrations, and for that reason, I have never been able to fathom the kindle or nook. As many older people who still read say, "A book just ain't the same if it ain't on paper." But this is a story not just of a child's love for books. It's an expose on the loss of freedoms. Even if one book is taken off the shelf because of mob mentality, the whole ideal of freedom of thinking begins to disappear. Without that, we might as well live in a society that believes in what later became the famous science fiction book and movie, "Fahrenheit 451". Davis certainly does not condone communism, as she reminds the politicians, but also indicates how "Mein Kampf" was allowed to be on the shelf long before the war and how people did read it to get the idea of what a truly evil man was up to in his plot to destroy certain elements of mankind. It's obvious that the city council is torn too with the way they cast their votes against her.
Among the supporting cast are such talented actors as Brian Keith (definately out for himself as he forces the council to fire Davis based upon her past involvements alone), Kim Hunter (as Keith's girlfriend, and Davis's former assistant), Paul Kelly, Joe Mantell (Couglin's father), Sally Brophy (Couglin's mother), Edward Platt and Kathryn Grant (aka Crosby). This is directed with much subtlety by Daniel Taradash who also was one of the writers. It is a reminder of the preciousness of our freedoms which should not be taken lightly and not be threatened with removal even by the burning or destruction of a book whose tones and themes we don't agree with.
For many children of many eras gone by, the librarian could be their very best adult friend, taking them into a world of fiction past their elementary school classes. Not just there to "sh..." the rowdy kids, the librarian would find out what kinds of stories their young patrons wanted, and like Davis and Coughlin here, establish a kinship that makes the child feel like the adult's equal, and gives the adult a thrill that their influence is aiding a child in their yearn for knowledge. As Davis tells Coughlin's concerned father, many exciting careers could follow for his son, and he needed to be proud of him, not concerned that his son was not really interested in playing ball.
Books for me were a thrill as a child with their beautiful illustrations, and for that reason, I have never been able to fathom the kindle or nook. As many older people who still read say, "A book just ain't the same if it ain't on paper." But this is a story not just of a child's love for books. It's an expose on the loss of freedoms. Even if one book is taken off the shelf because of mob mentality, the whole ideal of freedom of thinking begins to disappear. Without that, we might as well live in a society that believes in what later became the famous science fiction book and movie, "Fahrenheit 451". Davis certainly does not condone communism, as she reminds the politicians, but also indicates how "Mein Kampf" was allowed to be on the shelf long before the war and how people did read it to get the idea of what a truly evil man was up to in his plot to destroy certain elements of mankind. It's obvious that the city council is torn too with the way they cast their votes against her.
Among the supporting cast are such talented actors as Brian Keith (definately out for himself as he forces the council to fire Davis based upon her past involvements alone), Kim Hunter (as Keith's girlfriend, and Davis's former assistant), Paul Kelly, Joe Mantell (Couglin's father), Sally Brophy (Couglin's mother), Edward Platt and Kathryn Grant (aka Crosby). This is directed with much subtlety by Daniel Taradash who also was one of the writers. It is a reminder of the preciousness of our freedoms which should not be taken lightly and not be threatened with removal even by the burning or destruction of a book whose tones and themes we don't agree with.