Inherit The Wind

Alright, Inherit the Wind. It was originally a play based fairly loosely on the Scopes Monkey Trial (they changed the names, Scopes/Cates motivations, so on), where a schoolteacher was arrested for teaching his students Darwin's theory of evolution, in defiance of a state law. Former populist Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan took over prosecution, Clarence Darrow was hired by a Baltimore paper for the defense. In this case, Bryan becomes Brady (Fredric Marsh), and Darrow become Drummond (Spencer Tracy). Scopes becomes Cates.

I wouldn't say the movie is particulalry subtle (Claude Akins as the Reverend Brown is especially over-the-top*), but it's impressive in its bluntness. The strength of it is in the dialogue, especially that of Brady and Drummond (I'll also tip my cap to Gene Kelly as Hornbeck, the cynical newspaperman). It helps that Marsh and Tracy are top-notch actors, with excellent deliveries.

Marsh gives Brady a sense of showmanship and bombast, which makes it all the more fun with Hornbeck or Drummond get in a dig on him**. And Marsh's reactions, the abrupt, scowling look help to sell the jabs, and lighten what's a pretty ugly movie otherwise. At the same time, there's enough genuine warmth and friendliness in Brady that I can't help feeling a little bad for him when Drummond puts him up on the stand to speak as a scholar of the Bible, and proceeds to dissect him (which occurred in the real trial as well). Also, the two actors play off each other well, both in the courtroom and outside it. The scenes where they can talk cordially, such as the discussion on the porch, convey to the audience the respect and fondness the two have for each other, even as opponents. Yet they're equally determined to defend what they perceive as right. It makes their back-and-forth when Brady's on the stand all the more effective.

I think it's significant that after he's finished with Brady, and as Brady is lead off the stand by his wife, Drummond won't look at him. He did what he thought he had to, the only option he felt he had left after the judge wouldn't let him call any scientists, and Cates begged him not to cross-examine Rachel after Brady lost control and tore into her. That doesn't mean Drummond enjoyed doing it.

My dad didn't think much of Dick York as Cates, but I thought he did alright. It would be hard to stand out when you're essentially a sock being pulled on from both ends by two enormous dogs (Drummond and Brady). Still, I liked the contrast from the beginning, when Cates is playing cards with his jailer, and only enters the cell on the off chance their unknown visitor might object, to the sequence when Cates sits in the cell while people outside sign about hanging him from a tree. The lighting makes his cheeks lunk more sunken, and he really looks trapped. He might truly be in that cell for his own protection at that point.

* Not that I doubt there were men like that, then and now, who are such religious zealots they'd damn their own daughter to Hell for asking them to show forgiveness to someone.

** One of my favorites is during the trial when Hornbeck turns to Cates and describes Brady - who is in earshot - as the 'only man who can strut sitting down.' Maybe I just like Hornbeck because he's a smart aleck, like me.