Review – Inherit the Wind

I should start by disclosing the bias I bring to this issue: I don’t think religion should be taught in science classes. That said, however, I thought this was an uncomfortably one-sided fictionalization of the Scopes trial. The pro-creationism forces are portrayed as a pack of country bumpkins led by a fanatical preacher and a silver-tongued, fundamentalist orator. The champions of the pro-Darwin side, on the other hand, are all smart, even-tempered folk from big cities. The “bad guys” are always up to something creepy or self-serving, while the “good guys” are just trying to do their best to see that right prevails. Because I’m naturally distrustful of propaganda, the only character I got a kick out of was the cynical journalist (ably played by Gene Kelly in a rare non-musical role). And that’s a shame, because the rest of the cast – particularly Spencer Tracy as Clarence Darrow’s fictional counterpart – did a solid job with what they were given. Overall the picture’s heart was in the right place. I just didn’t like how it went about telling the story. Mildly amusing