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Inherit The Wind | Year: 1960 Classification: Drama Actors/Actresses: - Spencer Tracy - Fredric March - Gene Kelly A great piece of fiction This is a gripping,exciting film with wonderful performances by Spencer Tracy, Frederick March and Gene Kelly, a thrilling story of a fight against ignorance and bigotry. Unfortunately, I was under the impression that it was based on a true incident, and felt somewhat cheated when I found out the real Scopes monkey trial wasn't at all like that. Scopes wasn't a noble idealist risking martrydom as he's protrayed in the film, he wasn't even that interested in science, he was a sports teacher. The whole trial was a put-up job, engineered by the ACLU and the Dayton town fathers, who wanted publicity for the town. The worst thing about the film is the hatchet job it does on William Jennings Bryan (the Frederick March character) who is portrayed as a self-satisfied bigot. In fact Bryan was a radical who supported women's suffrage, trade unionism, and the graded income tax. His main objection to evolution was that he thought the 'survival of the fittest' doctrine justified the oppresion of the weak by the strong. Finding out all these things somewhat spoilt my enjoyment of the film. I still think it is a brilliant film, but it is fiction, not history. Enjoy it, but don't imagine (as I did) that you are seeing an accurate portrayal of actual events, because you aren't. Something to Think About Inherit the Wind is a movie about ideas, and in the hands of master actors like Spencer Tracy and Fredric March, the ideas are well delivered. March and Tracy bring the full force of their talents to their roles as opposing lawyers (and one time friends) who face off on the issue of evolution vs. Creation. The fact that this is based on a real life court case only adds to the drama. Florence Eldridge, March's real life wife, is excellent as March's movie wife who recognizes the flaws in her husband, but loves and admires him anyways. Harry Morgan also gives a solid performance as the judge caught in a very controversial case. Gene Kelly plays a very cynical reporter and has some good scenes, but overall isn't completely effective. The movie is full of dialogue, and is obviously based on a stage play, but the ideas are so strong, the actors so dynamic, and there are enough scenes away from the court case, so that the movie doesn't drag. And of course, the issues raised about freedom of speech and thought are still relevant today. This is a movie and a story to learn from. A unforgettable tour de force and superb script! This film is a triumph against the intolerance and the dark sides of the reason. The dreams of the reason produce monsters. Buy Inherit The Wind at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Inherit The Wind Search with the Priority Search Engine on Inherit The Wind This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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