By now many are well aware of the play and movie versions of
the tale INHERIT THE WIND. The story based on the Scopes monkey trial has found
receptive audiences on stage, screen and TV versions. But for me the best
rendition of the tale was in this film, a classic if ever there was one.
The actual trial took place in 1925 when the movie is set
and involved a school teacher who had the audacity to teach evolution in his
classroom. The true tale found him defended by one of the most brilliant minds
in defense law Clarence Darrow while the man facing off against him was three
time presidential nominee William Jennings Bryan. From this story the play and
then movies were made.
Bertram Cates (Dick York) is accused of teaching evolution
against the law of the state of Tennessee. Condemned by both the local
politicians as well as the leading town minister Rev. Jeremiah Brown (Claude
Akins) it appears that he will have no luck finding an impartial jury. When
newsman E.K. Hornbeck (Gene Kelly) hears of the story he turns it into a cause
and gets plenty of support from his newspaper.
The story grows and rather than allow the local prosecutor
try the case a special prosecutor is brought in. Matthew Harrison Brady
(Frederic March) is an ex-presidential nominee and popular Chautauqua speaker
and well-loved by many. When Hornbeck
hears this he convinces his newspaper to pick up the defense for Cates and they
bring in Henry Drummond (Spencer Tracy), a noted rabble rousing defense
attorney who is quite successful but not as adored by the townsfolk as Brady
is. The two are long-time friends and Drummond is greeted fondly by both Brady
and his wife Sarah (Florence Eldridge).
The build up to the trial takes up a good portion of the
film. Rev. Brown incites the townsfolk against Cates much to the chagrin of his
daughter Rachel (Donna Anderson) who is engaged to Cates. It is not a
relationship that will bode well with the events taking place. And Rev. Brown
seems more interested in making a name for himself than in his daughter.
Eventually the trial progresses and it is here that much of
the best of the film is seen. The back and forth between the two lead
characters of Brady and Drummond is amazing to watch and listen to. The legal
back and forth as well as the ponderance of the question at hand, is it
possible evolution is real, make for fascinating. By the end of the film no
matter what your belief is you will find something to question on both sides.
What the movie boils down to is two very different yet
compelling performances by two of the greats of classic cinema. Both March and
Tracy were well past their prime popularity wise but find in this vehicle
something with which to reclaim their fame as two of the best actors of their
age or any other. March is wonderful to witness here but I’ve long been a fan
of Tracy, one of the most underrated actors of all time. Kelly does a great job
here as well playing something different for a change, a sleazy slime ball of a
character looking to gain prestige at the cost of others involved.
The movie is a joy to watch from start to finish and
Twilight Time has done a great job with their presentation here offering the
cleanest version of the film to date. Extras are very limited to just an
isolated music & effects track and the original theatrical trailer. But as
with all of their releases it is limited to just 3,000 copies so movie lovers
should pick this up before they are gone.
Click here to order.
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