"Inherit the Wind" - Final Scene

To me this is the greatest scene in the film. Even more meaningful than the scene about Evolution; which is the whole theme of this film to begin with. And for good reason. 

This scene speaks to the duality of conscious. The integrity that is the ability to see more than one side, even though you may have already chosen yours. The ability to repect another human being, no matter how bitterly your disagreement may be. 

In this excange, when the two learn of William Jennings Bryan's death, these two, who have been allies in their cause, finally come to terms with the difference in their individual motivations. 

Here is the dialogue for the scene above. It is one of the most intense on-screen exchanges I have ever seen. The D stands for Henry Drummond, the fictitious name for Clarence Darrow, the Attorney for the Defense. The H stands for E.K. Hornbeck, the fictional H.L. Mencken, reporter for the Baltimore Sun. 

 D: I cannot imagine a world without Matthew Harrison Brady. What did he die of? Did they say?

H: He died of a busted belly.

D: There was much greatness in this man.

H:  Can I quote you  in the obituary?

D: Write anything you damn, write anything you please.

H: How do you write an obituary for a man who’s been dead thirty years?Say?  What did he say to the minister? It fits! He delivered his own obituary! They must have one here some place. Here it is: his book!  Proverbs, wasn’t it?

D: (Quietly) “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise in heart."

H: Well, we’re growing an odd crop of agnostics this year!

D: You know, Hornbeck, I'm getting damn sick of you.

H: Why?

D: Because you never pushed a noun against a verb except to blow up something.

H: You know, that's a typical lawyer's trick - accusing the accuser.

D: What am I accused of?

H: Contempt of conscience, sentimentality in the first degree.

D: Why? Because I refuse to erase a man’s lifetime?

H: You know what I thought of him, and I know what you thought. Let us leave the lamentations to the illiterate! Why should we weep for him? He cried enough for himself! The national tear-duct from Weeping Water, Nebraska, who flooded the whole nation like a one-man Mississippi! You know what he was: A Barnum- Bible-beating bunko artist! What is this? Be-Kind-To-Bigots Week?

D: A giant once lived in that body. But Matt Brady got lost. Because he was looking for God too high up and too far away.

H: You hypocrite! You fraud!  The Atheist who believes in God... You’re just as religious as he was!

D: Everything is grist for your mill, isn't it? Well go on grind it up; Brady's past, Cates future.....My God, don't you understand the meaning of what happened here today?

H: What happened here has no meaning...

D: You have no meaning! You're like a ghost pointing an empty sleeve and smirking at everything people feel or want or struggle for! I pity you.

H: You pity me?

D: Isn't there anything? What touches you, what warms you? Every man has a dream. What do you dream about? What... what do you need? You don't need anything, do you? People, love, an idea;  just to cling to? You poor slob! You're all alone. When you go to your grave, there won't be anybody to pull the grass up over your head. Nobody to mourn you. Nobody to give a damn. You're all alone.

H: You're wrong, Henry. You'll be there. You're the type. Who else would defend my right to be lonely?

Inherit the Wind - The Age of Rocks

Frederic March and Spencer Tracy shine in this verbatim exchange from the Scopes Trial in 1925. It was used in the highly fictionalized film, “Inherit the Wind”, which is one of my favorites. But this scene is one that changed the direction of my thinking in regard to Intelligent Design/Creationism versus Darwinism/Evolution.

It is more in line with what the late Pope John Paul II had to say about science and religion being compatible with one another; a belief which I share. This movie was banned by the Catholic Church upon its release due to the nature of the subject, which is the theory of Evolution. That theory is under attack more than ever these days as the world seems to slip backwards, just as Clarence Darrow suggested it would in his argument before the court in his infamous delivery of the above words portrayed by Spencer Tracy.

One big difference in the film versus reality is that this argument took place outdoors due to the courtroom being so tightly packed with spectators, not to mention the summer’s heat. You can actually see the footage of this on You Tube at; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAzEgCIJkac 

The audio is also available on some of the other clips on You Tube. Notice how closely Frederic March resembled William Jennings Bryan; named Matthew Harrison Brady in the film.

This film is a staple in my video collection. Its message may seem divisive to many, but I see both sides to the issue and; as I said earlier; I believe that science and religion can co-exist, with each tempering the other in our search for the truth. With both camps divided it’s good to remember that the truth can usually be found somewhere in the middle.

The Scopes Trial - Two Views

This is an actual photo of the closing arguments in the Scopes Monkey Trial which tackled the issue of Evolution in 1925. The story is familiar to almost all Americans; and still rages today; Creationism versus Evolution. We will leave that argument for another time. I will only quote the late John Paul II, who said, "Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes." I tend to believe that there is much truth in that statement.

The focus of this post is the difference between the movie "Inherit the Wind" with Spencer Tracy as Clarence Darrow, facing off with Fredric March as William Jennings Bryan. I have never understood the need to turn the real life trial into fiction. Don't get me wrong, it's one of my favorite films. Although it takes a bit of license with some of the characters, the courtroom dialogue is almost verbatim with the words spoken during the trial. Except for one little difference; the summation; which was actually held outdoors, just across from the courthouse. The trial had engendered so much interest that there was simply not enough room for all of the interested spectators and press attending the proceedings.

Another great difference is that although lawyers are actors to some extent, the trial was recorded audibly, and listening to the same summations by the actors versus the lawyers is a “no win” for the lawyers. They have the words, but the actors have the greater ability to deliver them with the passion they deserve.

The photo above is of the actual summation; note that William Jennings Bryan (seated) is snapping his suspenders, just as Fredric March did in the film. The man in the foreground, and speaking, is Clarence Darrow. There are radio broadcasts of the trial available on line so that you can compare the two different deliveries for yourself. A scene from the movie is posted below with the link provided. The You Tube embeds from the film have been disabled by request, hence the link, rather than the actual film. By the way; note the resemblance between William Jennings Bryan and Fredric March; in the photograph above, as well as the film, it's positively uncanny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Kdc0LLSW8&feature=related

The Scopes Trial / Inherit the Wind

I could never have let the day go by without making some reference to the famous Scopes "Monkey" Trial of 1925. In a sleepy town in Dayton,Tennessee the new State Law against teaching Evolution in the Public Schools was drawing to a close. With Clarence Darrow for the Defense; versus William Jennings Bryan for the Prosecution; this would be the trial that killed Bryan.

His beliefs where shattered by the brilliant defense presented by Clarence Darrow. The teacher in question, John Scopes, was found guilty of violating the State Prohibition against teaching Evolution. But Darrow had made his point. The law was later struck down and the controversy over this subject still rages, across the land, today.

Take a minute, or three, and watch this video. It is a compilation of actual courtroom dialogue between the two great men, along with some scenes from the movie "Inherit the Wind" with Spencer Tracy and Frederic March playing the two attorneys. In most places the movie consists of exact quotations from the trial. Some of the most soaring rhetoric comes from the actual transcript. But what a difference in delivery! This film will give you the opportunity to compare them.

And as a side note, the famous summation of the case was conducted outdoors in the Town Square, rather than the Courtroom. There was not enough room for the all of the spectators on that fateful last day of the trial. So, due to the combination of very hot weather and overcrowding, the last day of the case was argued outdoors.

Enjoy the film, it's pretty good stuff. Today is the anniversary of the last day of this legendary trial, and is worth noting.


http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=hV840sEiqYY&feature=related