Inherit the Wind

IMDb RATING

8.1/10

34K

YOUR RATING

Gene Kelly, Spencer Tracy, Donna Anderson, Fredric March, and Dick York in Inherit the Wind (1960)

A powerful and provocative re-creation of the most titanic courtroom battle of the 20th Century, starring Spencer Tracy...

Described by Steven Spielberg as "one of our great filmmakers, not just for the art and passion he put on screen, but for the impact he has made on the conscience of the world", the films of producer and director Stanley Kramer (The Defiant Ones, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner) frequently confronted social issues considered too controversial for the major studios. In INHERIT THE WIND he tackled the creationism vs. evolution debate.

When a teacher in a small Tennessee town is brought to trial for teaching Darwinism, attorney Henry Drummond (Spencer Tracy, Bad Day at Black Rock) faces off against fundamentalist leader Matthew Harrison Brady (Frederic March, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) in an explosive battle of beliefs.

Also operating as a searing critique of McCarthyism, INHERIT THE WIND was nominated for multiple Academy Awards, and is rightfully recognised as one of the most entertaining, and provocative films of its era. Eureka Classics is proud to present INHERIT THE WIND for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK in a special Dual Format edition.

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Legal Drama Period Drama Biography Drama History

Based on a real-life case in 1925; two great lawyers argue the case for, and against, a Tennessee science teacher accused of the crime of teaching Darwin's theory of evolution.Based on a real-life case in 1925; two great lawyers argue the case for, and against, a Tennessee science teacher accused of the crime of teaching Darwin's theory of evolution.Based on a real-life case in 1925; two great lawyers argue the case for, and against, a Tennessee science teacher accused of the crime of teaching Darwin's theory of evolution.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.1/10

34K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 3 wins & 11 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 2:17

INHERIT THE WIND (Eureka Classics) New & Exclusive HD Trailer

Photos75

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
To heighten the tension of Spencer Tracy's final summation to the jury, the scene was filmed in a single take.

Goofs
During the voir dire phase of the trial concerning jury selection, Henry Drummond is forced to use his limited number of peremptory challenges to disallow prospective jurors who are obviously not interested in being impartial in any way to the point where one likens Prosecutor Matthew Brady to God. In that situation, Drummond should have called for such obviously biased prospective jurors to be struck for cause, a motion that can used an unlimited number of times with the permission of the court. If the court, which itself has obvious signs of partiality itself in the story, had rejected such a motion, Drummond could have resorted to using his peremptory challenges.

Quotes
Matthew Harrison Brady: We must not abandon faith! Faith is the most important thing!
Henry Drummond: Then why did God plague us with the capacity to think? Mr. Brady, why do you deny the one faculty of man that raises him above the other creatures of the earth, the power of his brain to reason? What other merit have we? The elephant is larger, the horse is swifter and stronger, the butterfly is far more beautiful, the mosquito is more prolific. Even the simple sponge is more durable. But does a sponge think?
Matthew Harrison Brady: I don't know. I'm a man, not a sponge!
Henry Drummond: But do you think a sponge thinks?
Matthew Harrison Brady: If the Lord wishes a sponge to think, it thinks!
Henry Drummond: Do you think a man should have the same privilege as a sponge?
Matthew Harrison Brady: Of course!
Henry Drummond: [Gesturing towards the defendant, Bertram Cates] Then this man wishes to have the same privilege of a sponge, he wishes to think!

Alternate versions
Different versions of the opening credits exist with slightly different fonts. In general the film uses a copperplate-type font, but the early MGM widescreen DVD substitutes a different, rounder one on the three stars' names before the title, and has proportionally taller capitals throughout the rest. The Twilight Time Blu-ray uses the copperplate throughout with less pronounced size differences.

Connections
Featured in Viewpoint: Can We Bury the Hatchet? (1960)

Soundtracks
(Gimme Dat) Old Time Religion
(uncredited)
Traditional spiritual
Sung by Leslie Uggams at the start of the movie
Reprised often by the Townfolks
Variations included often in the score

User reviews232

Review

Featured review

7/10

The Pious Take On Reality...

A small (minded) town in America, where the natives inherit all they're preached about creationism - pitched against the fatal reality of evidence. Based on events from 1925 but, the characters it contains still walk the streets today, in various shades and extremes, and the rest of the world isn't such a different place either - with some parts of it exhibiting an ever more concentrated piety.

Great performances all round but the chaotic courtroom takes some swallowing.