Inherit the Wind - Movie No. 341

Co-stars: Spencer Tracy (Drummond) , Frederick March (Brady), Claude Akins (Rev Brown)

Plot: In 1925 in a small Tennessee town, a former US Presidential Candidate and a famous Defense Attorney argue the case for and against a science teacher accused of the crime of teaching evolution.

Pros: Acting, Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Courtroom drama

Cons: Too long, Historical inaccuracy, defaming of Christian Fundamentalists, Rachael Brown-Cates subplot, too melodramatic

Inherit the Wind as Movie

Seen strictly as a movie "Inherit the Wind" has a couple things going for it. First, Tracy is a perfect fit the role of "Drummond" the wise, liberal atheist-agnostic. Also, good (despite some awful makeup) is Fredric March as the pompous windbag Col. Brady. The two actors play off each other well, and the highlight is their interactions in, and out, of the courtroom. Second, all the other actors are more than adequate, and do as well as possible, given their lines. Third, the movie has some good dialog, much of it taken directly from the Trial transcript or Mencken's writings.

On the negative side: the film more or less dies when (1) outside the courtroom and (2) Tracy is off-screen. March plays Brady as a low comedy Buffoon and Akins is too much of a cartoon villain to be believable. At the same time, the Cates (Dick York) and Rachael Brown (Donna Anderson) subplot is tedious. All this makes parts of the movie dull, especially the first 25 minutes - prior to Tracy's arrival. In the first 25 minutes, all we get is plot exposition, Akins being a hateful bigoted Fundy preacher, and Brady making a long-winded speech.

The Movie as History

As an accurate or fair history of the Scopes trial, the movie is complete Balls - a liberal fairy-tale, its what liberals *wish* would've happened. In real life, there was no Rachael Brown or Rev. Brown and Cates (Scopes) was no scientist or martyr. Scopes deliberately broke the law after answering an ad from the ACLU, he was only a part-time biology teacher, liked by the town, and welcome there before and after the trial. There was no possibility of Cates (Scopes) going to jail, Bryan even volunteered to pay his $200 fine. Darrow was welcomed in town, and treated politely. There were no bigoted religious fundies singing "Give me that old time religion", demonstrating or verbally abusing atheists.

In real life, Bryan was a intelligent, generous, likable man ( unsurprising given he had been Secretary of State and a 3 time Presidential candidate) while Darrow was actually a somewhat nasty atheist who openly expressed his contempt for Christianity and Christians. In real life, Bryan more than held his own when cross-examined by Darrow and Bryan didn't believe the earth was created in 6,000 years. In real life, its Darrow who refused to put the Scientists on the stand because he didn't want them cross-examined, and its Darrow who entered a guilty plea before the closing arguments. And needless to say Darrow was neither a friend or close acquittance of either Bryan, Mrs. Bryan or Mencken.

The Anti-Christian Propaganda

Although often labeled a Science (Evolution) vs. Religion movie - "Inherit the Wind" really isn't. The Movie accepts the truth of Evolution (Tracy calls it as true as Geometry), and Brady never makes a case against it, other than calling it "the devils tool". Nor is the movie really about "Freedom of conscious" since its clear that Cates (Scopes) can teach "Evolution" anywhere except in this small bigoted Tennessee town and talk/write about it anywhere except as a teacher. So, its not exactly "A Man for All Seasons".

The real thrust of the movie is an attack on the Fundamentalist Christians. Rev Brown (Akins) is shown as an unsmiling, stern, religious fanatic, who spurns his own daughter when she asks for some parental affection. Later, declaring he "Hates God's enemies" he calls on God to cast his daughter into Hell for supporting Cates' right to speak. The Christian townspeople are shown to be just as bigoted, ignorant and hateful. They harass Drummond before and during the trial, - and act like Nazi's at a Nuremberg rally during Rev. Brown's prayer service. Brady (aka Bryan) is shown as an egotistical glutton - a pompous windbag - who betrays Rachel's confidence, and is perfectly willing to destroy her to win the case. When Cates is found guilty, Brady demands jail time, a fine is not good enough. And during Drummond's cross-examination, Brady acts like a fool. He states he's never read Darwin, that God told him to oppose Evolution, and that the Earth is 6,000 years old. When Drummond shows how wrong he is, Brady collapses and has a nervous breakdown.

The movie doesn't so much make the case for science as ridicule religion. Strangely, although Rev Brown and Brady are supposedly devout Christians, Christ and the "New Testament" are never quoted or mentioned.

Summary: A well acted, at times interesting courtroom drama - but overlong and tedious when Tracy is off-screen. Overrated due to the subject matter. Ratings **1/2