"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.

Ernest Borgnie - "Ernie"

When I began this blog, back in 2009, I was in the habit of sending copies of my posts to the subjects by e-mail. With Ernest Borgnine I was unable to do that. He had no e-mail! It wasn’t a generational thing; he was just light years ahead of me, and only really communicated by twitter. I have always held that I am incapable of any type of communication; verbal, or written; which restricts me to a finite number of characters, or words. So, I just Googled his real estate holdings in Los Angeles and mailed it to the first address that came up. After that, I completely forgot about it.

Two years later; well maybe only 18 months; an envelope arrived in the mail; yes, the U.S. Mail; and in it was the signed copy of the review of his autobiography which I had sent, minus the cover letter. To say that I was thrilled is an understatement.  It hangs, framed, on my wall.

Long before “McHale’s Navy”, Ernest Borgnine was serious actor, even winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in the film “Marty”. In that film he plays a lonely butcher who lives at home with his mother and spends his evenings with his other unwed friends; drinking, going to dance clubs; always looking to “score”. It’s an empty life, and Marty longs for more, even as he thinks himself too ugly to find true love.

But, even before that came his portrayal of “Fatso”, the sadistic Sargent in charge of the brig in Pearl Harbor, just on the brink of World War Two. The irony of that role is that in real life Mr. Borgnine had just returned from duty at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He spent the rest of the war patrolling the rivers of New York City on a yacht. It was there that he absorbed the ability to play the two greatest roles of his long career. The city gave him a chance to really observe people, and record all that he was seeing. He would use those observations in the years after the war to great advantage as an actor.

He was brilliant alongside Bette Davis and Debbie Reynolds in “The Catered Affair”, in which Mr. Borgnine plays a cab driver saving to buy his own cab; and just as he arrives at his goal, his daughter is planning a “catered” wedding; which will, of course, keep him from realizing his goal.

In “Bad Day at Black Rock” he plays a sadistic killer who works for William Holden, a rancher who has killed an innocent Japanese farmer for his land; even as the dead man’s son was fighting for America in the Pacific. His intensity in that role, alongside Spencer Tracy and Lee Marvin is palpable.

I watched all of those movies on TV as a kid, always mesmerized by the strength of his performance. I didn’t even have to like the movie – just watching him act was enough for me. Later he was re-created as the seemingly errant Lt. McHale in “McHale’s Navy”, opposite the bumbling character of Captain Bighamton, played by Joe Flynn.

In his later years, he did voice overs for both “The Simpsons”, as well as “SpongeBob SquarePants.” Talk about versatility! His ability to adapt kept him vital for over 60 years in show business, weathering each technological change with the tenacity of the sailor he was so long ago. “Fair winds and following seas” to you “Ernie.” Through the medium of film, you will always be with us.

To read a review of his truly entertaining autobiography, go here;

http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2010/04/ernie-autobiography-by-ernest-borgnine.html

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" with Everyone (1963)

This is one of those movies from when I was 8 years old that has lingered on the edge of my consciousness for years. It was written by William and Tania Rose, and directed by Stanley Kramer. The movie is a bit longer than I’d remembered, and of course it’s dated. There are a couple of scenes where I was expecting someone to pull out a cell phone, but then I regained my senses.

Briefly, the plot of the movie is simple. Several cars, traveling a winding road along the coast in Southern California, witness a car speeding. The car, driven by Jimmy Durante, goes over the cliff, ejecting Mr. Durante as it does. The drivers of the other cars,  played by the likes of Mickey Rooney, Ethel Merman, Sid Caesar, and Carl Reiner scramble down the cliff to render whatever assistance they can to the mortally injured Durante.

Just as he is drawing his last breath he relates the existence of $350,000 dollars (actually he says “G’s”) which are buried under the big “W” just South of San Diego in Mexico. After he dies two men arrive on the scene to investigate the accident. The inference is that they are the police. The two men seem overly concerned about what information the dying man passed on to the witnesses. For reasons of their own, the witnesses all deny knowing anything. They then seem anxious to resume their individual journeys, each going their own way.

But, before too long, it becomes apparent that they are all on a separate quest to recover the 350,000 “G’s” buried under the “big W”. Alliances form, and are broken, as each vie to be the first to win the race which they believe will make them rich.

Surprises abound in this comedy classic, which features almost everyone in Hollywood.  Spencer Tracy, Ethel Merman, Phil Silvers, the Three Stooges, Jack Benny, Don Knotts, Edward Everett Horton, William Demarest, Andy Devine, and even Eddie “Rochester” Andersen all make appearances in this wild tribute to the mad cap comedies of the 1930’s. If you have never seen this film, it is worth the time simply to see all of these legends on the screen together. Even Jerry Lewis makes an uncredited appearance as a cab driver in this delightful farce.  

The drumming for all of the music in this film is by Earl Palmer, the steady beat behind; and sometimes around; almost everything you have ever listened to. Mr. Palmer was a studio drummer for the likes of everyone you can imagine, such as  The Monkees, Fats Domino, Neil Young,  Frank Sinatra, and too many others to mention here. His career as a professional drummer lasted over 6 decades.  This review is for him, and by the way, Eddie Ray says "hello." I'll be reading up about, and have more to write about  this incredibly talented musician in the weeks to come.

"Boys Town" with Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney and Henry Hull (1938)

Spencer Tracy became the first actor to win 2 consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor when he mouthed the line, "There is no bad boy", in this moving, and somewhat rose colored account of the founding of Boys Town, just outside of Omaha, Nebraska.

When Father Flanagan, played by Tracy, visits a death row inmate he is told that if the man had only been befriended as a child, mentored in some way, his life would have turned out differently. His only concern now is for his kid brother, "Whitey" Marsh, played by Mickey Rooney. He wants Father Flanagan to go and see him, to take him under his wing and save him from a life of crime. This is a burden which he readily accepts.

Father Flanagan also has his hands full in his local Parish, where the children are largely neglected and left to their own devices. Most are poor, working class kids with severe family problems at home. Some are abused, some merely neglected. He has a dream to someday build a home for these boys, removing them from the temptations of the street, and a life of crime.

Beginning with a rundown rented house, the Father manages to obtain much of what he needs from the local town store manager, Dave Morris, played by Henry Hull. Although it is not specifically mentioned, Mr. Morris seems to be Jewish. How Father Flanagan gets him to become involved in the eventual financing of Boy's Town makes the story that much better. Though skeptical at the beginning, Mr. Morris backs Father Flanagan all the way, eventually securing 3 mortgages for the construction of the actual Boy's Town, on 200 acres of land, just outside of Omaha. The boys actually help to build the school and dormitories, each one learning a trade as the construction progresses.

When "Whitey" Marsh arrives at Boy's Town, he has nothing on his mind except escape. But with no prison walls, or fences, to keep him in, he is confused. He begins to come around to a new way of thinking. But, after bonding with the school's mascot, a little boy named Pee Wee, played by Bobs Watson, he runs away. When he becomes involved with his older brother, and a foiled bank robbery, his actions place Boy's Town in jeopardy. Through the guidance of Father Flanagan, Whitey is able to see reason and returns to Boy's Town, where he is elected Mayor by the other boys and becomes a mentor to little Pee Wee.

So many of these older films espouse a message of tolerance and religious diversity which is lacking today; even while portraying the Jewish pawnbroker, Henry Hull does so in a way that lends dignity to his faith. And as Father Flanagan, Spencer Tracy is the penultimate Priest, the one who understands that our differences unite, rather than divide us as individuals. The mess hall scene, in which all the boys of different faiths say grace in their own way, is, for me, one of the highlights of the film. Based loosely on the actual story of Boys Town, this is a real "feel good" movie for these troubled times.

"Judgment at Nuremberg" with Spencer Tracy, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland

This landmark film, made in 1961, the same year in which Israel was trying Adolf Eichmann for Mass Murder, is a stirring production concerned with the responsibility we all hold toward one another as human beings.

The Chief Judge, played by Spencer Tracy, (William Shatner plays his Aide) has never been in the war, and is shocked by the devastation and destruction that he sees when he arrives in Nuremberg, which had been the seat of the Nazi Party. He is tasked with judging the defendants, all of whom were judges in Germany prior to, and throughout, the war. They were responsible for implementing the laws enacted by the Nazi Party. These laws included forced sterilization, denial of race mixing and other social programs that were all part of Germany's plans to exterminite Jews, Gyspy's and any others who did not measure up to the standards set forth by law.

The War Crime Tribunal is of the opinion that these judges should have stood against these laws, even if it meant the ends of their careers, and possibly their lives. From the perspective of the Defendants this would only have resulted in other, more pro-Nazi judges being appointed, with no question as to how they would have acted in implementing these laws.

Burt Lancaster is the German judge who finally comes to realize the damage done by the collective silence of his fellow judges. Montgomery Clift is brilliant as a victim of forced sterilization. Marlene Dietrich plays the widow of a German officer who has been executed for his crimes in a previous trial. Her home is now the residence of the American judge played by Spencer Tracy. From one another they learn just what a person will do, and how far they will go, in order to protect what is theirs. Sometimes it is not an easy call to make.

As Tracy struggles to understand just how the German people allowed the Holocaust to happen, he is confronted by the spectre of our own shortcomings as "victors" in the war. The German Counsel for the Defense, played by Maximilian Schell, is very adept at bringing to light our own nation's sins against our fellow man. Quoting from Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes and the American Constitution's "Seperate but Equal" clause, and invoking the horror of our own experiments with "Eugenics" in the late 1930's, usually against blacks and people with low IQ's, he brings stunning reality to bear on the questions of who is right and what is wrong. Does morality change with time and circumstance? Is there ever a real reason to commit Genocide?

This film is timeless in it's subject matter. When Richard Widmark gives his impassioned speech about the brutality of the Nazi's and the futility of Appeasment, one cannot help think about the current debate concerning Islamic Fundamentalism. When does tolerance become foolish? What lengths are acceptable to employ in wiping out evil? And mostly, what are our responsibilities as individuals in standing up to the things that would destroy us all.

The tension of the courtroom scenes, and the sharp direction of a tightly written script, along with superb acting and a timeless question of morality all combine to make this a "must see" film.

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

"Ernie - the autobiography" by ernest borgnine

This may be one of the most unassuming and humble autobiographies you will ever read. If you're thinking of "McHale's Navy" in conjunction with this man, you need to rewind a little bit back to the days of "From Here To Eternity" and "The Catered Affair". And let's not forget Mr. Borgnines' Oscar winning performance in "Marty". This is no one dimensional actor. I say this, because Mr. Borgnine, like his pal Kirk Douglas, is still alive and well, with alot to say about things. As a matter of fact, as recently as 2008 he was still working with old pal Tim Conway doing voices for "SpongeBob SquarePants."

Born in Hamden, Conn. in 1917 to an Italian family, he soon found himself back in Italy, where his mother went after some domestic problems here in America. His early years there have colored his life in a very unique way. But true love never dies, and it wasn't long before Mr. Borgnines' mother returned to America, and her husband.

His parents struggled through the Depression with his Dad working various WPA/NRA jobs building roads and bridges. At home the family raised vegetables in the garden to supplement their food. The area was of mixed nationalities and he grew up with Polish, German, Italian, Irish and black freinds. As a member of the Boy Scouts he ended up only one badge short of becoming an Eagle Scout.

In 1935 he made a decision that would affect him for a long time. He joined the Navy in the middle of the Depression. He was sent to Newport, Rhode Island for boot camp. It was here that one of those strange coincidences in life occurred. He was selected to do a little boxing and knocked the other guy out. Blood was pouring from the man's mouth and ears. Mr. Borgnine never entered the ring again. Flash forward to the movie "From Here to Eternity" and the character played by Montgomery Clift. He plays a boxer who doesn't want to box anymore. Ernest Borgnine was the sadistic Fatso Judson who was hell bent on forcing him to box. Life imitates art - or is the other way around?

From bootcamp Mr. Borgnine went to sea on the USS Chaumont and through the Panama Canal to the West Coast and San Diego. It was in Balboa, Panama that he lost his virginity- kind of. He was so naive and inexperienced with the opposite sex that it is almost comical. And the way he is unafraid to laugh at himself is so refreshing and honest.

Eventually he was shipped to Hawaii, where he remained until 3 months before Pearl Harbor. Talk about timing! He describes a Japanese fellow who sold beer by the can on a corner in Honolulu. From that corner he made enough money to open a dance hall and brothel, just like the one in "From Here to Eternity", only the women were all Japanese. It is Mr. Borgnine's belief that this dance hall was probably the biggest windfall that the Japanese could have hoped for in gathering intelligence. From the loose lips of sailors the Japanese were able to piece together a picture of everything that came and went in Pearl Harbor. This information was all vital to the eventual surprise attack in December 1941.

Back home, he was called up again and served the entire war patrolling the docks of New York City on a private vessel that had been donated to the government. It was called the "Sylph" and stationed at 125th street on the Hudson River.

After the war ends he was discharged and went home. Clearly at loose ends, with no idea what to do, he remarks to his mother that "for 2 cents I'd go back in the Navy." She replied, "Son, have you ever thought of becoming an actor? You always like to make a damn fool of yourself, making people laugh. Why don't you give it a try?" And so he did.

Trying out his wings with the Yale School of Drama was not a good choice. They were more interested in academics than acting, so he left. Winding up in Hartford, he enrolled at the Randall School, where he finds himself launched into acting. He was 28 years old at the time.

His next move was to a stock company in Virginia. From there he went on to a false start in New York, where he was doing well, but didn't feel he had it quite right yet. So he returned to the stock company for more experience. While there his mother passed away and he returned to New Haven for her funeral. After returning to Virginia, to honor his committments, he moved on to Broadway. His description of Marlon Brando and his roommate Wally Cox riding a motorcycle through Manhattan will leave a lasting impression upon the reader. This is where he honed his acting experience. It is also where he landed his first movie role in "The Whistle at Eaton Falls." From there he bounced back and forth a bit until he finally hit his stride.

After 3 movies he was tapped to play the role that would make him famous. He was chosen to play opposite Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster, Donna Reed and Montgomery Clift in "From Here to Eternity." If you have never seen this movie, you should. Working with no special effects or makeup, he played one of the most vile characters in film history- the sadistic Fatso Judson. After bullying Montgomery Clift for refusing to box they square off in an alleyway where Montgomery Clift fatally stabs him. This is the film that put him on the road to stardom.

"Bad Day at Black Rock" and his menacing portrayal opposite a one armed Spencer Tracy is one of the most unforgettable movies you will ever see. Spencer Tracy plays a disabled Veteran returning from the war. He is stopping at Black Rock to present a medal to a Japanese man's son who died saving Spencer Tracy's life. What he uncovers there in the form of Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Robert Ryan is shocking. The brief fight scene, in which Spencer Tracy uses Judo to throw Mr. Borgnine through a door, is one of the shortest and best fight scenes ever filmed. It is also a movie that cements his freindship for life with fellow Veteran Lee Marvin.

For me though, the best part of the book are the recollections of filming of one of my favorite movies, "The Catered Affair" with Bette Davis, in which he played Debbie Reynolds father, a hard working man who wants to own a taxi. But his wife, Ms. Davis, wants the money they have saved to pay for the wedding of their daughter.It is, in my opinion, one of the most engaging roles he ever played. Authored by Paddy Chayefsky, the characters are deeply painted portraits of life and the dreams that come true, as well as the dreams that get shattered. But when all is said and done, the dreams that do come true are often the most important ones.

In this candid autobiography, Mr. Borgnine takes you on a film by film journey through his remarkable career. Along the way he manages to give you a few of his thoughts on the world today as well as the world of yesterday. He revels in the fact that three generations of people now know him for completely different things. The World war Two crowd knows him as Fatso Judson in "From Here to Eternity"; the post war "baby boomers" remember him as the affable "McHale" of "McHale's Navy"; and now a whole new generation has come to know him as "Mermaid Man", the voice on "Sponge Bob Squarepants" in which he plays opposite his old McHale's Navy buddy Tim Conway, who is also one of the voices on the show.

This is a remarkable self penned book by an actor who has done it all without losing sight of who he is. And that is no small feat in an industry of egos the size of the ship "Poseidon." Thanks Mr. Borgnine!

"Captains Courageous" by Rudyard Kipling

I have had this book since June of 1963. It says so inside the front cover. I loved Kipling that far back. He weaves a story so subtly, until you find yourself mesmerized by his words. His use of dialects to capture the social, and physical places in which his stories take place, is unequaled.

This story takes place in the early part of the 20th Century and begins aboard a luxury liner bound for Europe. One of the passengers is a young boy named Harvey. To term him irrascible would be an injustice to the word. More accurately he is the spoiled product of a rich and arrogant family. He terrorizes and abuses all who come his way.

On a foggy night off New England, Harvey falls overboard and is rescued by a fishing dorry out of Glouchester. They expect to be gone for 4 months or more. Harvey is apalled. He offers a reward equal to the value of their lost catch should they return him to the mainland. Thinking him a bit unstable they refuse and continue on their journey. Outraged, Harvey refuses to work and as a result he is shunned by most of the crew, with the exception of Dan, the Captains son, and Manuel, a Portuguese fisherman with a carefree attitude about life. They seem to think that there is good in Harvey somewhere, and they set out to bring it forth. Through them he learns the value, and joy, of doing an honest day's work and the feeling of earned respect.

His attachment to Manuel is deep. His own father has never taken the time to teach him anything. Manuel becomes his world and he is crushed by his death in a storm. Subsequently he finds his first real friend in Dan. They were both in awe of Manuel and his death affects them deeply.

When his father finally arrives to take him home, Harvey is no longer the spoiled boy he was at the start. He has matured and learned to place his faith in things other than money. He discovers, through the death of Manuel, his love of something larger than himself. This is an epithany for him. And the reader as well. Kipling's ability to condense so much emotion, and plot, into less than 200 pages is simply brillant.

Adding to the beauty of this book is the faithful 1937 adaptation of it on film. With Lionel Barrymore as Captain Disko, Mickey Rooney as Dan, John Carradine as Long Jack, Freddie Bartholomew as Harvey, and last, but not least, Spencer Tracy as Manuel, it is a film not to be dismissed. Well paced and directed, and done with all the respect due this remarkable book, it is a film not to be missed.