The Secret of the Storm Country

At the time of its release, the movie became a great success. The New York Times reported Talmadge delivered one of her finest and most realistic characterizations as the benighted Tess.^[4] Variety wrote Talmadge gives the part a touch of realness that carries its own appeal, and never seems to "spread" herself for solo effects, but rather works toward the collective benefits.^[5]

Like many American films of the time, The Secret of the Storm Country was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors issued an Adults Only permit and cut the intertitle "Tessibel's secret is revealed to the eyes of the jealous woman".^[6] The Board, for general viewing, made additional cuts, in Reel 1, of the entire incident of the man attacking the young woman, in Reel 3, the intertitle "The awakening", in Reel 4, the three intertitles "Tessibel's secret is revealed to the eyes of the jealous woman", "Help Tessibel to die in the spring", and "Confronted by the hypocritical pillars of the church", the letter to Tess asking her to appear before the church board, and, in Reel 5, the entire incident of Tess's appearance before the church board and all intertitles referring to this.^[7]

• The Secret of the Storm Country at IMDb
• The Secret of the Storm Country at the TCM Movie Database (archived version)