who was the lawyer in inherit the wind

by Layne West III 5 min read

Inherit the Wind is a 1960 American film based on the 1955 play of the same name written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. The film was directed by Stanley Kramer. It stars Spencer Tracy as lawyer Henry Drummond and Fredric March as his friend and rival Matthew Harrison Brady.

Who is the writer of inherit the wind?

The script was adapted by Nedrick Young (originally as Nathan E. Douglas) and Harold Jacob Smith. Stanley Kramer was commended for bringing in writer Nedrick Young, as the latter was blacklisted. Inherit the Wind is a parable that fictionalizes the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial as a means to discuss McCarthyism.

What happens in inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence?

Inherit the Wind. by: Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee. The infamous criminal-defense attorney Henry Drummond arrives in Hillsboro vilified as an atheist but leaves, after losing the trial, as a hero. To the audience—and to many of the townspeople—Drummond makes a convincing case for the right of a human being to think.

Is there a remake of inherit the wind?

Inherit the Wind (1960 film) The film had its World Premiere at the Astoria Theatre in London's West End on July 7, 1960. A television remake of the film starring Melvyn Douglas and Ed Begley was broadcast in 1965. Another television remake starring Jason Robards and Kirk Douglas aired in 1988.

What did Stanley Kramer do in inherit the wind?

Stanley Kramer was commended for bringing in writer Nedrick Young, as the latter was blacklisted and forced to use the pseudonym Nathan E. Douglas. Inherit the Wind is a parable that fictionalizes the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial as a means to discuss McCarthyism.

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Who won the case in Inherit the Wind?

The jury finds Cates guilty, and he is fined $100. Brady protests the minimal punishment. Although he won the case, his victory is a hollow one. The real triumph belongs to Drummond and Cates, who win a moral victory for freedom of thought.

Who is Bertram Cates based on?

The character of E. K. Hornbeck is modeled on that of H. L. Mencken, who covered the trial for The Baltimore Sun, and the character of Bertram Cates corresponds to Scopes.

Who is Matthew Harrison Brady based on?

prosecutor William Jennings BryanBrady is a caricature of the real-life prosecutor William Jennings Bryan. Like Brady, Bryan lost three presidential elections and died shortly after the Scopes Monkey Trial.

Who is Rachel in Inherit the Wind?

Rachel Brown, the 22-year-old daughter of Reverend Jeremiah Brown, is a "pretty, but not beautiful" girl. She is a kind and gentle person who dislikes controversy. Rachel is a second-grade schoolteacher and close friend of Bert Cates. She is a purely fictitious character created by Lawrence and Lee.

What crime did Bertram Cates commit?

A former high-school biology teacher in Hillsboro, Bert Cates is indicted and imprisoned for teaching evolution, which violates the state's no-evolution teaching law.

What is the relationship between Bert Cates and Rachel Brown?

Rachel Brown Rachel is close friend of Cates, and their relationship has a romantic element. Rachel fears her father's disapproval and becomes upset when Brady calls on her to testify about her personal conversations with Cates.

Why are the Hillsboro townspeople looking forward to a visit by Matthew Harrison Brady?

The townspeople are excited because Matthew Harrison Brady, three-time presidential candidate, famous orator, and fundamentalist leader, is arriving in Hillsboro to join the district attorney, Tom Davenport, in prosecuting Cates. The atmosphere of the town is similar to that of a country fair.

How is Brady a tragic figure in Inherit the Wind?

In this scene, Brady is transformed from a strong, confident leader to a pathetic, floundering fool. In his public humiliation and the destruction of his credibility, he becomes a tragic character. Brady wins the case, but his victory is bitter.

What kind of a man does EK Hornbeck appear to be?

What kind of a man does E.K. Hornbeck appear to be? E.K. Hornbeck appears to be snobbish conceited, full of himself, arrogant and sarcastic.

What does Rachel do at end of Inherit the Wind?

Throughout Inherit the Wind, these two characters—Cates and Reverend Brown—test Rachel's loyalties. At the conclusion of the trial, Rachel separates from her father and departs with Cates—a choice that enables her personal liberation.

Who was Rachel Brown?

Rachel Brown (May 5, 1966 - May 9, 2007) was a contestant on Season 2 of Hell's Kitchen. She ranked in 7th place. On May 9, 2007, she committed suicide at her home in Texas by gunshot.

What does Howard call Melinda and her whole family?

What does Howard call Melinda and her whole family? Howard calls them worms or blobs of jelly.

Storyline

A teacher has taught about evolution in a small town in Tennessee. He has violated state law by doing this. Two great lawyers appear, one to assist in his defense, the other to help prosecute him. The town is divided in many ways which become apparent as the trial progresses.

Did you know

The real William Jennings Bryan ran for President three times: 1896, 1900, and 1908. Bryan was the first Presidential candidate to extensively barnstorm during a Presidential campaign in an era when most candidates did not.

Who asked Bannister if he read Darwin?

Drummond then questions Bannister, asking if Bannister has read Darwin or the Bible. Bannister answers that... (full context)

Who is Henry Drummond?

A famous progressive, agnostic lawyer , one known for being able to win cases for his defendants, some of whom appear very much to be guilty, Henry Drummond works Cates’ case pro bono, and comes from Chicago to pit himself against Brady. Drummond respects Brady and does not ultimately believe that Christianity should be expunged from American society—rather, Drummond believes that religion and science each should be allowed to operate within their separate spheres. When Brady dies, Drummond mourns his passing and claims Brady was a great man—Drummond later leaves town with Cates and Rachel, on the same train, convinced that the Hillsboro trial has “moved forward” the case for the separation of religion and science. (This role is inspired by real-life attorney Clarence Darrow.)

Who played the judge in the movie "Inherit the Wind"?

Harry Morgan as the judge, Spencer Tracy as Drummond and Fredric March as Brady. Gene Kelly as Hornbeck. Stanley Kramer receives an Award at the 1960 Berlin Film Festival for Inherit the Wind.

What is the story behind the "Inherit the Wind"?

Inherit the Wind is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, which took place between July 10 and July 21, 1925, and resulted in John T. Scopes 's conviction for teaching Charles Darwin 's theory of evolution to a high school science class, contrary to a Tennessee state law. The characters of Matthew Harrison Brady, Henry Drummond, Bertram Cates and E. K. Hornbeck correspond to the historical figures of William Jennings Bryan, Clarence Darrow, Scopes, and H. L. Mencken, respectively. However, Lee and Lawrence state in a note at the opening of the play on which the film is based that it is not meant to be a historical account, and many events were substantially altered or invented. For instance, the characters of the preacher and his daughter were fictional, the townspeople were not hostile towards those who had come to Dayton for the trial, and Bryan offered to pay Scopes' fine if he was convicted. Bryan did die shortly after the trial's conclusion, but his death occurred in his sleep five days later, on July 26, 1925, at age 65. Political commentator Steve Benen said of the drama's inaccuracies: "Scopes issued no plea for empathy, there was no fiancee and the real Scopes was never arrested. Lawrence explained in a 1996 interview that the play's purpose was to criticize McCarthyism and defend intellectual freedom. According to Lawrence, "we used the teaching of evolution as a parable, a metaphor for any kind of mind control ... It's not about science versus religion. It's about the right to think."

Why is Rachel conflicted with the preacher?

The preacher's daughter Rachel is conflicted because she and Cates are engaged. When Rachel cries out against her father's condemnation, Brady admonishes Brown by quoting Solomon: "He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind.".

Why did Brady quote "Inherit the Wind"?

After the crowd has cleared out, Hornbeck talks with Drummond, wanting to use the Bible quotation from Brown's rally, where Brady had quoted the "inherit the wind" verse because Rev. Brown was about to damn his own daughter to hell.

Why did Darrow call Bryan as his only witness?

Because the judge ruled that scientific evidence was inadmissible, a ruling which the movie depicted , Darrow called Bryan as his only witness and attempted to humiliate him by asking Bryan to interpret Scripture. When Darrow, in his closing remarks, called upon the jury to find Scopes guilty so that he could appeal the verdict, Bryan was kept from delivering his own summation. The guilty verdict was overturned two years later. Bryan suffered a heart attack and died in his sleep five days after the trial ended.

How much did Inherit the Wind cost?

Language. English. Budget. $2 million. Box office. $2,000,000 (worldwide) Inherit the Wind is a 1960 American film based on the 1955 play of the same name written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. The film was directed by Stanley Kramer.

What is the purpose of the movie "Inherit the Wind"?

Inherit the Wind is a parable that fictionalizes the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial as a means to discuss McCarthyism. Written in response to the chilling effect of the McCarthy era investigations on intellectual discourse, the film (like the play) is critical of creationism .

How old was Stebbins when he drowned?

An eleven-year-old boy who drowned while swimming in a river. Cates befriended Stebbins, who had a curious nature and enjoyed looking through Cates’s microscope. According to Reverend Brown, Stebbins was damned when he died because he was never baptized. Brown’s harsh condemnation of Stebbins disgusted Cates, who stopped attending church.

Why was Cates arrested?

A soft-spoken and humble man, Cates has been arrested for teaching his students the theory of evolution from a biology textbook. His outlook on human knowledge is skeptical, and he wonders about the nature of the universe.

Why did Drummond dismiss Dunlap?

A farmer and cabinetmaker. Dunlap stands as a potential juror, but Drummond dismisses him because of his enthusiastic support of Brady.

Why has Bannister not read Darwin?

A member of the jury. Bannister has read neither Darwin nor the Bible because he is illiterate.

What does "storekeeper professes not to have convictions about creation" mean?

The owner of a store across the square from the courthouse. The storekeeper professes not to have convictions about creation because they are not good for business.

Who lets Cates in and out of his jail cell?

The bailiff at the Hillsboro courthouse. Meeker lets Cates in and out of his jail cell and jokes that Cates is a threat to the community.

Who conducts the trial of Cates?

The Judge . The judge presiding over Cates’s trial. The judge conducts the trial impartially, although his personal views about the Bible’s legitimacy are in line with those of the rest of the townspeople of Hillsboro. At the mayor’s prompting, the judge gives Cates a lenient sentence after the jury’s guilty verdict.

Why was Bert Cates in jail?

A former high-school biology teacher in Hillsboro, Bert Cates is indicted and imprisoned for teaching evolution, which violates the state’s no-evolution teaching law. Cates, represented by famous progressive lawyer Henry Drummond, is showed to… read analysis of Bertram Cates

Why does the Mayor of Hillsboro ask the Judge to pass a light sentence on Cates?

A shy but practical politician, the Mayor is initially awed by Brady’s presence in Hillsboro, but later asks the Judge to pass a light sentence on Cates, in order to make Hillsboro seem like a relatively moderate, and not a “medieval,” place.

How did Tommy Stebbins die?

Tommy Stebbins. A young boy whom Cates taught, and who demonstrated a great aptitude for science, Stebbins died of drowning, but was not given a formal funeral by Reverend Brown because Stebbins was not baptized. Cates found… read analysis of Tommy Stebbins.

Why is Bannister approved by Brady?

A religious man called to the jury, Bannister is approved by Brady because he is a religious man, and by Drummond because he cannot read—meaning he has read neither the Bible nor Darwin.

What did Howard say about Cates?

A young boy and former student of Cates’, Howard claims, in the trial, that Cates taught him something of Darwin’s theory of evolution, but Howard admits that this theory had very little impact on his… read analysis of Howard.

What does the Storekeeper tell Hornbeck?

A quiet man without much by way of formal education, the Storekeeper tells Hornbeck that he has no opinion about Darwin versus Creationism, since “opinions” don’t matter much as far as business is concerned.

Who is the religious man called to the jury?

George Sillers. Another religious man called to the jury, Sillers admits that his wife does most of his “religious” thinking for him— Drummond approves him, as do Brady and Davenport initially. But the latter two worry that… read analysis of George Sillers.

What does Drummond's thorough examination of his witnesses' beliefs expose?

Drummond’s thorough examination of his witnesses’ beliefs exposes complexities and contradictions in the same way that Cates’s microscopes reveal to his students complexities of life and matter not visible to the naked eye.

What did Drummond's cross examination of Brady cause?

Although Drummond typically exposes the shortcomings of his subjects’ beliefs in gentle fashion, his cross-examination of Matthew Harrison Brady causes humiliation and hysteria.

What is Henry Drummond's greatest triumph in the name of free thought?

He accomplishes this feat by exposing the contradictions underlying his witnesses’ inherited religious beliefs. During the case, Drummond demonstrates that people know less than what they believe themselves to know. His greatest triumph in the name of free thought is getting Howard Blair to admit that he has not made up his mind about evolutionary theory. When we hear this admission, Drummond’s point becomes clear: freedom of thought becomes the freedom to be wrong or to change our minds. The world, viewed in this light, is full of possibilities.

Is Drummond's attack on Brady mean spirited?

While Drummond’s attack of Brady is not mean-spirited, it is devastating. At the same time, the power of Drummond’s attack stems not so much from Drummond’s wit as from the weight of Brady’s egotism, stubbornness, and arrogance as they collapse in his ranting testimony.

Does Drummond believe in truth?

Unlike Brady, Drummond does not conceive of truth as a set of fixed rules that can be read from a book and imposed on society. His wonder about the world, which he shares and encourages in Cates, allows him to “look behind the paint,” to interpret events for more than their obvious meanings.

How did Bryan die in Inherit the Wind?

Bryan died in his sleep five days after the trial. Upon hearing of his death, Darrow commented that he "died of a busted belly.". In Inherit the Wind, Brady collapses and dies as he tries to give his closing argument, and Darrow's famous words go to Hornbeck, who says that Brady "died of a busted belly.".

What was the purpose of the Scopes Trial?

Upon hearing of the Butler Law, which prohibited the teaching of evolutionary theory in Tennessee's public schools, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in New York, a union that defends constitutional freedoms, sought to test the constitutionality of the law.

Why was John Scopes arrested?

John Scopes, a public school teacher, was arrested for teaching evolution. In Dayton, Tennessee, in July 1925, in the case Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes (also known as "The Monkey Trial"), he was tried, convicted, and fined for violating the law. The Scopes Trial.

What is the atmosphere in Dayton?

The people of Dayton were portrayed as charming, friendly, polite, and open-minded, and the atmosphere throughout the trial is festive and circus-like. The citizens of Hillsboro, however, are portrayed as rude, narrow-minded religious fanatics. Although the atmosphere in Hillsboro is circus-like, it is sinister.

What was the Butler Act?

The Butler Act, which sought to prohibit the teaching of evolutionary theory in all public schools in Tennessee, passed the Tennessee House of Representatives and the Tennessee Senate by solid majorities. On March 21, 1925, the governor of Tennessee, Austin Peay, signed the Butler Act into law.

What was the effect of the Butler Act on the American economy?

The Butler Act. After World War I, American society changed dramatically. The economy was thriving, the stock market was booming, and consumerism was at an all-time high. In addition, people migrated from rural to urban areas, leaving the conservative farmers with dwindling power.

Where did the Scopes trial take place?

The following illustrates other differences between the play and the trial. The Scopes trial took place in Dayton, Tennessee, in July 1925 The play takes place in the "summer, in a small town (Hillsboro, Tennessee) not too long ago.".

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