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Miss Liberty's Film & Documentary World

Libertarian Movies, Films & Documentaries

Storm in a Teacup (1937)

Tagged: Abuse of power, Free press as hero

WINNER: TOP 25 LIBERTARIAN FILMS
An old woman’s refusal to pay for a dog license sets in motion a chain of events that humbles her local government. [ Storm in a Teacup credits: Dir: Victor Saville, Ian Dalrymple/ Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison, Cecil Parker/ 87 min/ Comedy/ Britain/ Free Press as Hero, Abuse of Power]

“The script, based on a stage play, is tremendously witty, the acting talent (including a young Vivien Leigh) is some of the finest of its time, and the direction makes the most of both. For fans of British humor in particular, Storm in a Teacup is a real gem.”

“Oppression is never small.” So says the heroic reporter at the center of this story as he exposes an authoritarian town mayor for condemning to death an unlicensed dog. The film doesn’t argue against licensing as such but just the heartless application of law without regard to the situation.

At the center of this story is a poor old woman and her mongrel dog. The old woman refused to pay for a dog license, and so has been fined five pounds. However, she can’t pay the fine. So the town mayor, a law-and-order man in the midst of a campaign for higher office, orders that the dog be seized and executed. All the old woman’s pleas for mercy fall on deaf ears.

Enter the hero, a principled reporter with a sharp pen. He has just been hired by the local paper to do a flattering story on the mayor. Instead, he uses this opportunity to publicly attack the mayor for his cruel behavior. The article incites a local political rebellion, and further actions by the reporter undermine the mayor’s chances for higher office. Furious at this unwinding of his political prospects, the mayor has the reporter arrested and tried on a vague offense. It all ends in a hilarious climactic trial.

What an enjoyable film! The script, based on a stage play, is tremendously witty, the acting talent (including a young Vivien Leigh) is some of the finest of its time, and the direction makes the most of both. For fans of British humor in particular, Storm in a Teacup is a real gem.

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Book: Three Felonies A Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent
Book: Go Directly to Jail: The Criminalization of Almost Everything

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About Miss Liberty

This site is a collection of films and documentaries of particular interest to libertarians (and those interested in libertarianism). It began as a book, Miss Liberty’s Guide to Film: Movies for the Libertarian Millennium, where many of the recommended films were first reviewed. The current collection has grown to now more than double the number in that original list, and it’s growing still.

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