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Inherit the Wind (1960 film)

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Inherit the Wind
Inherit-the-Wind-poster.jpg
Directed by
Stanley Kramer
Produced by
Stanley Kramer
Written by
Jerome Lawrence (play)
Robert E. Lee (play)
Nedrick Young
Harold Jacob Smith
Starring
Spencer Tracy
Fredric March
Gene Kelly
Dick York
Donna Anderson
Harry Morgan
Music by
Ernest Gold
Cinematography
Ernest Laszlo, ASC
Edited by
Frederic Knudtson
Distributed by
United Artists

Release dates

July 7, 1960
(World Premiere, London)

Running time
 128 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$2 million[1][2]
Box office
$2,000,000 (worldwide)[2]
Inherit the Wind is a 1960 Hollywood film adaptation of the play of the same name, written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, directed by Stanley Kramer.
It stars Spencer Tracy as lawyer Henry Drummond and Fredric March as his friend and rival Matthew Harrison Brady, also featuring Gene Kelly, Dick York, Harry Morgan, Donna Anderson, Claude Akins, Noah Beery, Jr., Florence Eldridge, and Jimmy Boyd.
The script was adapted by Nedrick Young (originally as Nathan E. Douglas) and Harold Jacob Smith.[3] 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.[4] Written in response to the chilling effect of the McCarthy era investigations on intellectual discourse, the play (and film) are critical of creationism.
The film had its World Premiere at the Astoria Theatre in London's West End on July 7, 1960.[5]
A television remake of the film appeared in 1965. Another television remake starring Jason Robards and Kirk Douglas aired in 1988. It was once again remade for TV in 1999, co-starring Jack Lemmon as Drummond and George C. Scott as Brady.


Contents  [hide]
1 Background
2 Plot
3 Cast
4 Adaptation changes
5 Historical Inaccuracies
6 Reception
7 Critical reception 7.1 Reviews
7.2 Awards
8 See also
9 References
10 External links and references

Background[edit]
Inherit the Wind is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, which 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,[6] and many events were substantially altered or invented.[7][8][9] For instance, the characters of the preacher and his daughter were fictional, the townspeople weren't 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 five days later in his sleep.[8][9] 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."[4]
Plot[edit]
In a small Southern town, a school teacher, Bertram Cates, is about to stand trial. His offense: violating a state law by introducing to his students the concept that man descended from the apes, a theory of the naturalist Charles Darwin. Cates is vigorously denounced by town leaders such as the Rev. Jeremiah Brown.
The town is excited because appearing on behalf of the prosecution will be the famous Matthew Harrison Brady, a noted statesman and 3-time presidential candidate. A staunch foe of Darwinism and a Biblical scholar, Brady will sit beside the prosecuting attorney, Tom Davenport, in the courtroom of Judge Coffey to teach the naive teacher Cates the error of his ways.
A surprise is in store for Brady, however. The teacher's defense is to be handled by the equally well-known Henry Drummond, one of America's most controversial legal minds and a long-standing acquaintance and adversary of Brady. An influential newspaperman, E.K. Hornbeck of the Baltimore Herald, has personally seen to it that Drummond will come to town to represent the teacher in this case, and that his newspaper and a radio network will provide nationwide coverage of what began as a minor legal matter.
Rev. Brown rails against the defendant publicly, rallying the townspeople against Cates and his godless attorney. The preacher's daughter Rachel is conflicted because Cates is the love of her life and they are engaged to be married.
The judge clearly admires Brady, even addressing him as "Colonel" in court. Drummond objects to this, so, as a compromise, the mayor reluctantly makes him a "temporary" colonel just for these proceedings. But each time Drummond attempts to call a scientist or authority figure to discuss Darwin's theories, the judge sustains the prosecution's objections and forbids such opinions to be heard. Drummond becomes frustrated and feels the case has already been decided. When he states his mind to the court and asked to withdraw from the case, the judge (played by Harry Morgan) tells Drummond to show cause the next morning why he should not be held in contempt of the court. The judge sets bail at $2000, to which Drummond remarks, "Why not make it $4000?", to which the judge agrees. At the end of the scene, one person in the courtroom offers his farm as collateral toward the bail. The person is John Stebbins, whose young son was a friend and protege of Cates and ended up drowning after developing a cramp while swimming. Rachel's father, the Reverend Brown, had said the child was damned to hell because he had not been baptized. This, in turn, caused Cates' abandonment of the church as he felt it wasn't fair that a child couldn't enter Heaven due to an action that was beyond his control and that wasn't his own.
Later that night at the hotel, mocking crowds singing "We'll hang Bert Cates" or "We'll hang Henry Drummond" to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" go by the jailroom and then to the hotel where Drummond is staying. Drummond is still trying to decide how to accomplish his defense with all his witnesses denied by the court and states what he needs is a miracle. Hornbeck throws him a Bible from Brady stating there are plenty in that. As Hornbeck pours some drinks and turns to Drummond lying on the bed, he stops and is surprised by Drummond holding the Bible on his chest and smiling.
His hands tied in every other way, Drummond calls Brady himself to the witness stand. Brady's confidence in his Biblical knowledge is so great that he welcomes this challenge, but he becomes flustered under Drummond's cross-examination, unable to explain certain apparent contradictions, until he is forced to confess that at least some Biblical passages cannot be interpreted literally. With that, Drummond hammers home his point – that Cates, like any other man, demands the right to think for himself and those citing divine support as a rationale to silence him are wrong.
Cates is ultimately found guilty, to the gallery's relief, but because Drummond has made his case so convincingly with the trial becoming a political embarrassment, the judge sees fit to do no more than make him pay a small fine of $100. Brady is furious at this and tries to enter a lengthy speech into the record, but Drummond persuades the Judge to disallow it since the trial has concluded. As the court is adjourned, Brady tries to give his speech but most ignore him outside of his wife and his court opponents who are concerned seeing him become hysterical. During this, he suffers a massive heart attack or stroke, collapses and dies in the court room.
Later, after the crowd has cleared out, Hornbeck is talking with Drummond and wants to use the Bible quotation from a religious rally held by Rev Brown and in which Brady had quoted the "inherit the wind" verse because Brown was about to damn his own daughter, but cannot remember it. Drummond, without looking up, quotes the verse verbatim, which shocks Hornbeck, who states "Well, we're growing an odd crop of agnostics this year!". He and Drummond argue over Brady's legacy, Drummond accuses Hornbeck of being a heartless cynic, and Hornbeck walks out, leaving Drummond alone in the courtroom to pack. Drummond picks up the Bible and Darwin's book, balancing them in his hands as if he was a scale. Then he puts the two together with a hard thud and walks out with them side by side in his right hand.
The final scene shows Drummond walking out of the court room alone with the song "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" being sung in the background.
Cast[edit]
Spencer Tracy as Henry Drummond (patterned after Clarence Darrow)
Fredric March as Matthew Harrison Brady (patterned after William Jennings Bryan)
Gene Kelly as E. K. Hornbeck of the Baltimore Herald (patterned after Henry L. Mencken)
Florence Eldridge as Sara Brady
Dick York as Bertram T. Cates (patterned after John Scopes)
Donna Anderson as Rachel Brown
Harry Morgan as Judge Mel Coffey
Claude Akins as Rev. Jeremiah Brown
Elliott Reid as Prosecutor Tom Davenport
Paul Hartman as Deputy Horace Meeker - Bailiff
Philip Coolidge as Mayor Jason Carter
Jimmy Boyd as Howard
Noah Beery Jr. as John Stebbins
Norman Fell as WGN Radio Technician
Hope Summers as Mrs. Krebs - Townswoman
Ray Teal as Jessie H. Dunlap
Renee Godfrey as Mrs. Stebbins
Uncredited roles include Richard Deacon, George Dunn, Snub Pollard, Addison Richards, Harry Tenbrook, Will Wright[10]
Actress and singer Leslie Uggams sings both the opening and closing songs by herself a cappella.
Kramer offered the role of Henry Drummond to Spencer Tracy, who turned it down. Kramer then enlisted March, Eldridge, and Kelly as co-stars, and Tracy eventually signed. However, none of the co-stars had been signed at the time; Tracy was the first. Once Tracy signed to do the part, the others signed, also.[11]
Adaptation changes[edit]
The film includes events from the actual Scopes trial, such as when Darrow was cited for contempt of court when he denounced his perception of prejudice by the court and his subsequent act of contrition the next day to have the charge dropped. The film also expands on the relationship of Drummond and Brady, particularly when the two opponents have a respectful private conversation in rocking chairs, in which they explain their positions in the trial. Furthermore, the film has a sequence occurring on the night after the court recessed and Cates and Drummond are harassed by a mob even as the lawyer is inspired how to argue his case the next day.
Historical Inaccuracies[edit]
The film engages in literary license with the facts and should not be relied upon as a historical document. For example, Scopes (Bertram Cates) is shown being arrested in class, thrown in jail, burned in effigy, and taunted by a fire-snorting preacher. William Jennings Bryan (Matthew Harrison Brady) is portrayed as an almost comical fanatic who dramatically dies of a heart attack while attempting to deliver his summation in a chaotic courtroom. The townspeople are shown as frenzied, mean-spirited, and ignorant. None of that actually happened in Dayton, Tennessee during the actual trial.[12]
Reception[edit]
The film grossed $2 million worldwide and recorded a loss of $1.7 million.[2]
Critical reception[edit]



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
Reviews[edit]
The film opened to a storm of praise with Kramer and company applauded for capturing the essence of the Scopes trial. Rotten Tomatoes has given the film a 90% rating with 19 fresh and 2 rotten reviews.[13] Roger Ebert refers to it as "a film that rebukes the past when it might also have feared the future."[14] Variety described the film as "a rousing and fascinating motion picture [...] roles of Tracy and March equal Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan who collided on evolution [...] a good measure of the film's surface bite is contributed by Gene Kelly as a cynical Baltimore reporter (patterned after Henry L. Mencken) whose paper comes to the aid of the younger teacher played by Dick York. Kelly demonstrates again that even without dancing shoes he knows his way on the screen."[15] The movie was lauded by The New York Times.[16]
Awards[edit]
Academy Awards Inherit the Wind was nominated for four Academy Awards.

Award
Result
Nominee
Best Actor Nominated Spencer Tracy
Winner was Burt Lancaster - Elmer Gantry
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Nominated Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith
Winner was Richard Brooks - Elmer Gantry
Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) Nominated Ernest Laszlo
Winner was Freddie Francis - Sons and Lovers
Best Film Editing Nominated Frederic Knudtson
Winner was Daniel Mandell - The Apartment
BAFTA
Nominated: Best Film
Nominated: Best Foreign Actor (March and Tracy)
Berlin International Film Festival
Won: Silver Bear for Best Actor (March)[17]
Won: Best Feature Film Suitable for Young People (Kramer)
Nominated: Golden Bear award (Kramer)
Golden Globes
Nominated: Best Film
Nominated: Best Actor (Tracy)[18]
See also[edit]
Trial movies
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ James Curtis, Spencer Tracy: A Biography, Alfred Knopf, 2011 p769
2.^ Jump up to: a b c Tino Balio, United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry, University of Wisconsin Press, 1987 p. 26
3.Jump up ^ Inherit the Wind Comes to Hollywood - 1960
4.^ Jump up to: a b BILL BLANKENSHIPThe Capital-Journal (2001-03-02). "Inherit the controversy". Cjonline.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
5.Jump up ^ The Times online archive 7 July 1960, page 2
6.Jump up ^ Inherit the Wind: The Playwrights' Note
7.Jump up ^ http://www.beliefnet.com/News/1999/12/The-Scopes-Trial-Vs-Inherit-The-Wind.aspx?p=2
8.^ Jump up to: a b "Inherit the Wind, Drama for Students". Gale Group. 1 January 1998. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
9.^ Jump up to: a b Riley, Karen L.; Brown, Jennifer A.; Braswell, Ray (1 January 2007). "Historical Truth and Film: Inherit the Wind as an Appraisal of the American Teacher". American Educational History Journal. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
10.Jump up ^ Full cast and credits at Internet Movie Database
11.Jump up ^ Robert Osborn, TCM Network, broadcast February 3, 2010
12.Jump up ^ http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/SCO_INHE.HTM
13.Jump up ^ "Inherit the Wind". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
14.Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger (2006-01-28). "Roger Ebert Review". Rogerebert.suntimes.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
15.Jump up ^ "Variety review". Variety.com. 1959-12-31. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
16.Jump up ^ Crowther, Bosley (1960-10-13). "Movie Review - Inherit the Wind - INHERIT THE WIND - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
17.Jump up ^ "Berlinale: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
18.Jump up ^ IMDB list of awards
External links and references[edit]
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inherit the Wind (1960 film).
Inherit the Wind at the Internet Movie Database
Inherit the Wind at the TCM Movie Database


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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inherit_the_Wind_(1960_film)









Inherit the Wind (1960 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Inherit the Wind
Inherit-the-Wind-poster.jpg
Directed by
Stanley Kramer
Produced by
Stanley Kramer
Written by
Jerome Lawrence (play)
Robert E. Lee (play)
Nedrick Young
Harold Jacob Smith
Starring
Spencer Tracy
Fredric March
Gene Kelly
Dick York
Donna Anderson
Harry Morgan
Music by
Ernest Gold
Cinematography
Ernest Laszlo, ASC
Edited by
Frederic Knudtson
Distributed by
United Artists

Release dates

July 7, 1960
(World Premiere, London)

Running time
 128 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$2 million[1][2]
Box office
$2,000,000 (worldwide)[2]
Inherit the Wind is a 1960 Hollywood film adaptation of the play of the same name, written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, directed by Stanley Kramer.
It stars Spencer Tracy as lawyer Henry Drummond and Fredric March as his friend and rival Matthew Harrison Brady, also featuring Gene Kelly, Dick York, Harry Morgan, Donna Anderson, Claude Akins, Noah Beery, Jr., Florence Eldridge, and Jimmy Boyd.
The script was adapted by Nedrick Young (originally as Nathan E. Douglas) and Harold Jacob Smith.[3] 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.[4] Written in response to the chilling effect of the McCarthy era investigations on intellectual discourse, the play (and film) are critical of creationism.
The film had its World Premiere at the Astoria Theatre in London's West End on July 7, 1960.[5]
A television remake of the film appeared in 1965. Another television remake starring Jason Robards and Kirk Douglas aired in 1988. It was once again remade for TV in 1999, co-starring Jack Lemmon as Drummond and George C. Scott as Brady.


Contents  [hide]
1 Background
2 Plot
3 Cast
4 Adaptation changes
5 Historical Inaccuracies
6 Reception
7 Critical reception 7.1 Reviews
7.2 Awards
8 See also
9 References
10 External links and references

Background[edit]
Inherit the Wind is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, which 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,[6] and many events were substantially altered or invented.[7][8][9] For instance, the characters of the preacher and his daughter were fictional, the townspeople weren't 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 five days later in his sleep.[8][9] 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."[4]
Plot[edit]
In a small Southern town, a school teacher, Bertram Cates, is about to stand trial. His offense: violating a state law by introducing to his students the concept that man descended from the apes, a theory of the naturalist Charles Darwin. Cates is vigorously denounced by town leaders such as the Rev. Jeremiah Brown.
The town is excited because appearing on behalf of the prosecution will be the famous Matthew Harrison Brady, a noted statesman and 3-time presidential candidate. A staunch foe of Darwinism and a Biblical scholar, Brady will sit beside the prosecuting attorney, Tom Davenport, in the courtroom of Judge Coffey to teach the naive teacher Cates the error of his ways.
A surprise is in store for Brady, however. The teacher's defense is to be handled by the equally well-known Henry Drummond, one of America's most controversial legal minds and a long-standing acquaintance and adversary of Brady. An influential newspaperman, E.K. Hornbeck of the Baltimore Herald, has personally seen to it that Drummond will come to town to represent the teacher in this case, and that his newspaper and a radio network will provide nationwide coverage of what began as a minor legal matter.
Rev. Brown rails against the defendant publicly, rallying the townspeople against Cates and his godless attorney. The preacher's daughter Rachel is conflicted because Cates is the love of her life and they are engaged to be married.
The judge clearly admires Brady, even addressing him as "Colonel" in court. Drummond objects to this, so, as a compromise, the mayor reluctantly makes him a "temporary" colonel just for these proceedings. But each time Drummond attempts to call a scientist or authority figure to discuss Darwin's theories, the judge sustains the prosecution's objections and forbids such opinions to be heard. Drummond becomes frustrated and feels the case has already been decided. When he states his mind to the court and asked to withdraw from the case, the judge (played by Harry Morgan) tells Drummond to show cause the next morning why he should not be held in contempt of the court. The judge sets bail at $2000, to which Drummond remarks, "Why not make it $4000?", to which the judge agrees. At the end of the scene, one person in the courtroom offers his farm as collateral toward the bail. The person is John Stebbins, whose young son was a friend and protege of Cates and ended up drowning after developing a cramp while swimming. Rachel's father, the Reverend Brown, had said the child was damned to hell because he had not been baptized. This, in turn, caused Cates' abandonment of the church as he felt it wasn't fair that a child couldn't enter Heaven due to an action that was beyond his control and that wasn't his own.
Later that night at the hotel, mocking crowds singing "We'll hang Bert Cates" or "We'll hang Henry Drummond" to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" go by the jailroom and then to the hotel where Drummond is staying. Drummond is still trying to decide how to accomplish his defense with all his witnesses denied by the court and states what he needs is a miracle. Hornbeck throws him a Bible from Brady stating there are plenty in that. As Hornbeck pours some drinks and turns to Drummond lying on the bed, he stops and is surprised by Drummond holding the Bible on his chest and smiling.
His hands tied in every other way, Drummond calls Brady himself to the witness stand. Brady's confidence in his Biblical knowledge is so great that he welcomes this challenge, but he becomes flustered under Drummond's cross-examination, unable to explain certain apparent contradictions, until he is forced to confess that at least some Biblical passages cannot be interpreted literally. With that, Drummond hammers home his point – that Cates, like any other man, demands the right to think for himself and those citing divine support as a rationale to silence him are wrong.
Cates is ultimately found guilty, to the gallery's relief, but because Drummond has made his case so convincingly with the trial becoming a political embarrassment, the judge sees fit to do no more than make him pay a small fine of $100. Brady is furious at this and tries to enter a lengthy speech into the record, but Drummond persuades the Judge to disallow it since the trial has concluded. As the court is adjourned, Brady tries to give his speech but most ignore him outside of his wife and his court opponents who are concerned seeing him become hysterical. During this, he suffers a massive heart attack or stroke, collapses and dies in the court room.
Later, after the crowd has cleared out, Hornbeck is talking with Drummond and wants to use the Bible quotation from a religious rally held by Rev Brown and in which Brady had quoted the "inherit the wind" verse because Brown was about to damn his own daughter, but cannot remember it. Drummond, without looking up, quotes the verse verbatim, which shocks Hornbeck, who states "Well, we're growing an odd crop of agnostics this year!". He and Drummond argue over Brady's legacy, Drummond accuses Hornbeck of being a heartless cynic, and Hornbeck walks out, leaving Drummond alone in the courtroom to pack. Drummond picks up the Bible and Darwin's book, balancing them in his hands as if he was a scale. Then he puts the two together with a hard thud and walks out with them side by side in his right hand.
The final scene shows Drummond walking out of the court room alone with the song "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" being sung in the background.
Cast[edit]
Spencer Tracy as Henry Drummond (patterned after Clarence Darrow)
Fredric March as Matthew Harrison Brady (patterned after William Jennings Bryan)
Gene Kelly as E. K. Hornbeck of the Baltimore Herald (patterned after Henry L. Mencken)
Florence Eldridge as Sara Brady
Dick York as Bertram T. Cates (patterned after John Scopes)
Donna Anderson as Rachel Brown
Harry Morgan as Judge Mel Coffey
Claude Akins as Rev. Jeremiah Brown
Elliott Reid as Prosecutor Tom Davenport
Paul Hartman as Deputy Horace Meeker - Bailiff
Philip Coolidge as Mayor Jason Carter
Jimmy Boyd as Howard
Noah Beery Jr. as John Stebbins
Norman Fell as WGN Radio Technician
Hope Summers as Mrs. Krebs - Townswoman
Ray Teal as Jessie H. Dunlap
Renee Godfrey as Mrs. Stebbins
Uncredited roles include Richard Deacon, George Dunn, Snub Pollard, Addison Richards, Harry Tenbrook, Will Wright[10]
Actress and singer Leslie Uggams sings both the opening and closing songs by herself a cappella.
Kramer offered the role of Henry Drummond to Spencer Tracy, who turned it down. Kramer then enlisted March, Eldridge, and Kelly as co-stars, and Tracy eventually signed. However, none of the co-stars had been signed at the time; Tracy was the first. Once Tracy signed to do the part, the others signed, also.[11]
Adaptation changes[edit]
The film includes events from the actual Scopes trial, such as when Darrow was cited for contempt of court when he denounced his perception of prejudice by the court and his subsequent act of contrition the next day to have the charge dropped. The film also expands on the relationship of Drummond and Brady, particularly when the two opponents have a respectful private conversation in rocking chairs, in which they explain their positions in the trial. Furthermore, the film has a sequence occurring on the night after the court recessed and Cates and Drummond are harassed by a mob even as the lawyer is inspired how to argue his case the next day.
Historical Inaccuracies[edit]
The film engages in literary license with the facts and should not be relied upon as a historical document. For example, Scopes (Bertram Cates) is shown being arrested in class, thrown in jail, burned in effigy, and taunted by a fire-snorting preacher. William Jennings Bryan (Matthew Harrison Brady) is portrayed as an almost comical fanatic who dramatically dies of a heart attack while attempting to deliver his summation in a chaotic courtroom. The townspeople are shown as frenzied, mean-spirited, and ignorant. None of that actually happened in Dayton, Tennessee during the actual trial.[12]
Reception[edit]
The film grossed $2 million worldwide and recorded a loss of $1.7 million.[2]
Critical reception[edit]



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
Reviews[edit]
The film opened to a storm of praise with Kramer and company applauded for capturing the essence of the Scopes trial. Rotten Tomatoes has given the film a 90% rating with 19 fresh and 2 rotten reviews.[13] Roger Ebert refers to it as "a film that rebukes the past when it might also have feared the future."[14] Variety described the film as "a rousing and fascinating motion picture [...] roles of Tracy and March equal Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan who collided on evolution [...] a good measure of the film's surface bite is contributed by Gene Kelly as a cynical Baltimore reporter (patterned after Henry L. Mencken) whose paper comes to the aid of the younger teacher played by Dick York. Kelly demonstrates again that even without dancing shoes he knows his way on the screen."[15] The movie was lauded by The New York Times.[16]
Awards[edit]
Academy Awards Inherit the Wind was nominated for four Academy Awards.

Award
Result
Nominee
Best Actor Nominated Spencer Tracy
Winner was Burt Lancaster - Elmer Gantry
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Nominated Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith
Winner was Richard Brooks - Elmer Gantry
Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) Nominated Ernest Laszlo
Winner was Freddie Francis - Sons and Lovers
Best Film Editing Nominated Frederic Knudtson
Winner was Daniel Mandell - The Apartment
BAFTA
Nominated: Best Film
Nominated: Best Foreign Actor (March and Tracy)
Berlin International Film Festival
Won: Silver Bear for Best Actor (March)[17]
Won: Best Feature Film Suitable for Young People (Kramer)
Nominated: Golden Bear award (Kramer)
Golden Globes
Nominated: Best Film
Nominated: Best Actor (Tracy)[18]
See also[edit]
Trial movies
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ James Curtis, Spencer Tracy: A Biography, Alfred Knopf, 2011 p769
2.^ Jump up to: a b c Tino Balio, United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry, University of Wisconsin Press, 1987 p. 26
3.Jump up ^ Inherit the Wind Comes to Hollywood - 1960
4.^ Jump up to: a b BILL BLANKENSHIPThe Capital-Journal (2001-03-02). "Inherit the controversy". Cjonline.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
5.Jump up ^ The Times online archive 7 July 1960, page 2
6.Jump up ^ Inherit the Wind: The Playwrights' Note
7.Jump up ^ http://www.beliefnet.com/News/1999/12/The-Scopes-Trial-Vs-Inherit-The-Wind.aspx?p=2
8.^ Jump up to: a b "Inherit the Wind, Drama for Students". Gale Group. 1 January 1998. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
9.^ Jump up to: a b Riley, Karen L.; Brown, Jennifer A.; Braswell, Ray (1 January 2007). "Historical Truth and Film: Inherit the Wind as an Appraisal of the American Teacher". American Educational History Journal. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
10.Jump up ^ Full cast and credits at Internet Movie Database
11.Jump up ^ Robert Osborn, TCM Network, broadcast February 3, 2010
12.Jump up ^ http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/SCO_INHE.HTM
13.Jump up ^ "Inherit the Wind". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
14.Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger (2006-01-28). "Roger Ebert Review". Rogerebert.suntimes.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
15.Jump up ^ "Variety review". Variety.com. 1959-12-31. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
16.Jump up ^ Crowther, Bosley (1960-10-13). "Movie Review - Inherit the Wind - INHERIT THE WIND - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
17.Jump up ^ "Berlinale: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
18.Jump up ^ IMDB list of awards
External links and references[edit]
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inherit the Wind (1960 film).
Inherit the Wind at the Internet Movie Database
Inherit the Wind at the TCM Movie Database


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Inherit the Wind (play)

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Jump to: navigation, search


Inherit the Wind

Written by
Jerome Lawrence
Robert Edwin Lee
Characters
Henry Drummond, Matthew Harrison Brady, E. K. Hornbeck, Bertram Cates, Rachel Brown, Rev. Jeremiah Brown
Date premiered
1955
Place premiered
United States
Setting
Hillsboro, United States
Inherit the Wind is a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. The play, which debuted in 1955, is a story that fictionalizes the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial as a means to discuss the then-contemporary McCarthy trials.[1][2]
The debate over creationism versus evolution has contemporary resonance, as evidenced by the play's numerous revivals and screen adaptations decades after its initial theatrical run.[3]


Contents  [hide]
1 Background
2 Title
3 Cast of characters
4 Summary 4.1 Act One 4.1.1 Scene One
4.1.2 Scene Two
4.2 Act Two 4.2.1 Scene One
4.2.2 Scene Two
4.3 Act Three
5 Original production and revivals 5.1 Other revivals
6 Screen adaptations
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links

Background[edit]



 Henry Drummond (Spencer Tracy, left) and Matthew Harrison Brady (Fredric March, right) in Inherit the Wind
Inherit the Wind is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, which 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, the playwrights state in a note at the opening of the play that it is not meant to be a historical account,[4] and there are numerous instances where events were substantially altered or invented.[5][6] 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, but it happened five days later in his sleep.[5][6] Political commentator Steve Benen said of the play's inaccuracies: "Scopes issued no plea for empathy, there was no fiancee and the real Scopes was never arrested. In fact, the popular film that was nominated for four Academy Awards and has helped shape the American understanding of the 'Scopes Monkey Trial' for decades is an inadequate reflection of history."[7] Lawrence explained in a 1996 interview that the drama's purpose was to criticize the then-current state of McCarthyism. The play was also intended to 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."[1]
The role of Matthew Harrison Brady is intended to reflect the personality and beliefs of William Jennings Bryan, while that of Henry Drummond is intended to be similar to that of Clarence Darrow. The character of E. K. Hornbeck is modeled on that of H. L. Mencken. Bryan and Darrow, formerly close friends, opposed one another at the Scopes trial, and Mencken covered the trial for The Baltimore Sun.
Title[edit]
The play's title comes from Proverbs 11:29, which in the King James Bible reads:
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
In Act Two, Scene One, Brady admonishes Reverend Brown with this Bible quote for alienating his daughter when he gives a fiery sermon against Cates.
Cast of characters[edit]
Matthew Harrison Brady, a three-time presidential candidate and nationally known attorney. He is a Populist and still a dynamic public speaker, even though he is in his late 60s or early 70s.
Henry Drummond, another nationally known attorney who was once Brady's closest friend and political confidante. He is about the same age as Brady.
Bertram "Bert" Cates, a Hillsboro high school teacher in his 20s who has taught the theory of evolution in violation of a state law banning its teaching in classrooms.
E. K. Hornbeck, a reporter for the fictional Baltimore Herald newspaper. He is young, sarcastic, cynical, and deeply opposed to religious belief.
Reverend Jeremiah Brown, a fundamentalist Protestant Christian preacher of indeterminate denomination who believes in Biblical literalism. He is widowed, and has a daughter.
Rachel Brown, the Rev. Brown's daughter. She is 22 and a friend/colleague of Bertram Cates. Rev. Brown doesn't really like her, and he tried to condemn her when she told him not to crucify Cates
The Judge, a local county court judge who is subtly sympathetic to Rev. Brown's views.
Howard Blair, a 13-year-old high school student who was in Bertram Cates' class.
Melinda Loomis, a 12-year-old girl who believes strongly in the Bible.
Tom Davenport, the local district attorney who prosecutes Bertram Cates.
The Mayor, the top elected official of Hillsboro who is openly supportive of the Rev. Brown but also deeply political and concerned about the economic future of his town.
There are also a number of minor speaking roles. These include Meeker, a bailiff at the Hillsboro courthouse; Mrs. Sarah Brady, Matthew Harrison Brady's wife; Mrs. Krebs, a loudly outspoken supporter of Rev. Brown and leader of the Ladies' Aid Society; Mr. Bannister, a local citizen; Elijah, an illiterate man from the nearby woods who sells Bibles to the crowd; Harry Esterbrook, a radio reporter from Chicago; Jesse Dunlap, a local farmer; George Sillers, an employee at the feed store; and the Storekeeper, Sillers' employer.
Summary[edit]
The play takes place in the small town of Hillsboro, in an unnamed state in the central part of the United States. (It is often assumed to be either Kentucky or Tennessee.) Scenes take place either in front of the county courthouse or in the courtroom. It takes place in the summertime "not too long ago".
Act One[edit]
Scene One[edit]
The play begins with local high school student Howard Blair looking for worms in front of the Hillsboro courthouse. Melinda appears, and they have a discussion about evolution which helps inform the audience about the claims of evolution. They exit when Rachel enters. Rachel convinces Meeker, the bailiff, to bring Bertram Cates out of his prison cell so that Rachel and Bert can talk. Meeker does so. Bert and Rachel's conversation tells the audience about why Bert taught evolution to his students. Rachel and Bert are in love, and hug. Meeker comes in as they are hugging, saying he needs to sweep. Rachel exits. Meeker tells Bert that Matthew Harrison Brady is coming to town to help prosecute the case. Meeker talks about a time when he was a young man, and saw Mathew Harrison Brady during one of his failed presidential campaigns. Bert's lawyer is not revealed, but Bert says his attorney is being provided by the Baltimore Herald. Bert and Meeker exit.
Reverend Jeremiah Brown enters speaks with the townpeople, Howard, and Melinda. Everyone is excited that Matthew Harrison Brady is coming to Hillsboro. When Howard sees the smoke from the arriving train, everyone exits. E. K. Hornbeck, a reporter for the Baltimore Herald, enters and in a soliloquy cruelly ridicules the people of Hillsboro. Hornbeck spots a monkey that someone has brought to town, and feigns conversation with it. The crowd enters with Matthew Harrison Brady, Mrs. Brady, Rev. Brown, and the Mayor. Brady makes a brief speech, which the crowd wildly cheers. The Mayor also makes a short speech, and makes Brady an "Honorary Colonel in the State Militia". The Mayor introduces Brady to Reverend Brown. Members of the Ladies' Aid Society set up a table and a buffet lunch on the courthouse lawn as Brady talks about how he will fight Cates' legal counsel. Hornbeck then announces that the defense attorney will be Henry Drummond, one of Brady's old friends and a well-known lawyer. The scene ends with everyone in the town escorting the Bradys to a nearby hotel and the introduction of Drummond who is regarded as the devil.
Scene Two[edit]
Scene Two occurs in the courtroom. Present are Matthew Harrison Brady, Henry Drummond, Tom Davenport, the Mayor, the Judge, and many townspeople (sitting behind the defense and prosecution and watching the proceedings). It is a day or two later, and jury selection is under way. Davenport, the local district attorney, questions Mr. Bannister to see if he is an acceptable juror to the prosecution. Bannister says he attends church on Sundays, and the prosecution accepts him. Drummond questions Bannister, and it is revealed that Bannister is illiterate. Drummond accepts Bannister for the jury. Jesse Dunlap is then called to the stand. Brady asks Dunlap if he believes in the Bible. Dunlap states "I believe in the Holy Word of God. And I believe in Matthew Harrison Brady!" Brady finds Dunlap acceptable. Drummond refuses to question Dunlap, and says Dunlap is not acceptable as a juror. Brady demands that Drummond provide a reason for refusing Dunlap, or at least ask him a question. Drummond asks Dunlap how he feels, then excuses Dunlap as unacceptable.
Drummond protests the use of the title "Colonel" by Matthew Harrison Brady and the Judge. Realizing that Brady's honorary title may have prejudiced the judicial proceedings, the Mayor confers with the Judge and they agree to make Drummond a "Temporary Honorary Colonel."
George Sillers is called as a potential juror. Brady briefly questions Sillers, then accepts him. Drummond asks Sillers some questions on religion and then evolution, then accepts Sillers as well. Alarmed, Brady tells the court that Sillers won't render impartial judgment. Drummond objects to Brady's use of the word "conform." Brady tells the Judge (although his comments are subtly directed at Henry Drummond) about the "Endicott Publishing Case," a trial in which Brady claims Drummond confused the jury so much that they delivered a wrong verdict. Drummond states that all he wants to do is stop "the clock-stoppers" from inserting religious belief into the Constitution. The Judge reminds Drummond that this is not a federal case, and that constitutional questions cannot be entertained. Drummond demands that they be included, but the Judge rules him out of order. The Judge also rules that the jury has been selected and court is finished for the day.
After recessing the court, the Judge announces that Reverend Brown will hold a prayer meeting later that night. Drummond says that such announcements from the bench are prejudicial, but the Judge says the court has recessed.
Act Two[edit]
Scene One[edit]
Scene One occurs in front of the courthouse later that evening. Two workmen discuss whether to take down the "Read Your Bible" banner which hangs over the entrance to the courthouse, and decide not to. They leave when they hear people approaching.
Brady enters with Hornbeck and some reporters from "Reuters News Agency", and discusses his past close relationship with Drummond. Brady accuses Hornbeck of biased reporting, but Hornbeck replies that he is a critic—not a reporter.
Reverend Brown and a crowd of supporters (including Drummond) enter for the prayer meeting. Brown engages in call and response with the crowd, preaching about how God created the world in six days. Brown condemns Cates, and Rachel (who has entered mid-sermon) demands that he stop. Instead, Rev. Brown condemns anyone who seeks forgiveness for Cates. Rachel becomes very distressed. Brady, increasingly uneasy with the tenor of Brown's sermon, interrupts him and quotes the Book of Proverbs: "He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind..." Brady dismisses the crowd by reminding them of Jesus Christ's command to forgive.
After the prayer meeting, Brady approaches Drummond (who was in the crowd) and asks him why he is defending Cates. He accuses Drummond of having "moved away" from everything both men once believed in. Drummond replies, "All motion is relative. Perhaps it is you who have moved away by standing still."
Scene Two[edit]
Scene Two occurs in the courtroom two days after the prayer meeting. It is afternoon, and very hot. The scene opens with the trial already under way. Brady examines witness Howard Blair. Afterward, Brady and Drummond exchange heated words about speech-making during the trial. Drummond attempts to cross-examine Howard, but Brady repeatedly objects to Drummond's questions (which the Judge sustains). Drummond presents a monologue in which he declares morality is meaningless but truth is valuable, then dismisses Howard from the stand.
Davenport calls Rachel as a witness. Under Brady's questioning, she reveals that Cates stopped attending Rev. Brown's church after Brown preached that a local boy who had drowned was not saved because he had not been baptized. Cates angrily shouts that Brown had really preached that the boy was burning in hell. The crowd shouts Cates down, but Cates continues until order is restored. Brady again questions Rachel, demanding to know if Cates denied the reality of God and compared marriage to the breeding of animals. Cates again interrupts her response, yelling that his statements to her were private and just questions—not statements of fact. Rachel weeps on the stand, and Drummond objects to the line of questioning. Brady ends his examination, and Drummond allows Rachel to step down without cross-examination.
Drummond attempts to call three scientists as witnesses for the defense, but the Judge denies his request. Drummond asks if the judge will permit testimony about the Bible, and the judge does. Drummond calls Brady to the stand as an expert on the Bible.
Drummond attempts to question Brady about his knowledge of the writings of Charles Darwin, but the Judge rules these questions out of order. Drummond then asks Brady about the truthfulness behind the story of Jonah and the whale and other Biblical accounts. Brady states they are all true, and Drummond accuses him of wanting to throw all modern science out of the classroom. Davenport objects to Drummond's line of questioning, but Brady declares that Drummond is only playing into his hands. Drummond submits that science has forced the human race to abandon its faith in a literal interpretation of the Bible. God gave man the ability to reason, so why can't he use that ability to question the Bible, Drummond asks. He also asks Brady if the ability to think is what distinguishes a man from a sponge. Brady responds that God determines who shall be a man and who shall be a sponge. Drummond declares that Cates only demands the same rights as a sponge: To think. The crowd in the courtroom erupts in applause.
Drummond changes his line of questioning. He asks Brady how old the earth is, and Brady replies it is about 6,000 years old. But if local rocks and fossils are millions of years old, Drummond asks, how can this be? Unnerved, Brady reasserts that the world was created in six days, as the Bible says. Drummond asks Brady if it isn't possible that, since the sun was not created until the fourth day, that the first "day" of creation wasn't in fact millions of years in length. Realizing that science and religion might be compatible after all, the crowd becomes vocally restive.
Brady responds by accusing Drummond of trying to destroy people's faith, and that God spoke directly to the authors of the Bible. Drummond asks him how Brady knows that God did not speak to Charles Darwin. Brady asserts that God told him that Darwin's works were not divinely inspired. Drummond mocks Brady as a "modern apostle" and concludes that no law can be just if its interpretation relies on the divine inspiration given to just one man, Matthew Harrison Brady. Brady is further unnerved, and declares that all men have free will. Drummond seizes on his statement, and demands to know why the law refuses to allow Bertram Cates to exercise his free will. Brady begins quoting the Bible at length, and Drummond continues to mock him. The crowd laughs at Brady. Drummond dismisses him from the witness stand, and Brady slumps in the witness chair while his wife rushes to his side and comforts him.
Act Three[edit]
The time is the day after the Brady/Drummond confrontation. It is early morning, and still very hot. Act Three consists of a single scene, and all the major characters are present. The courtroom is jammed with people, including several radio reporters and their bulky equipment. Cates asks Drummond if he will be found guilty. Drummond responds that when he was seven years old, he received a rocking horse named Golden Dancer as a gift. But it broke when he rode it the first time. Drummond advises him that appearances can be deceiving, and a clear-cut guilty verdict may conceal many things. He also implicitly criticizes Brady as all show and no substance. Their discussion ends. Before the trial begins, the Mayor speaks privately with the Judge in front of the bench. The mass media have been making the town look bad, and the Mayor asks the Judge to go easy on Cates should there be a guilty verdict.
The Judge opens the trial, and the jury enters. Cates is given permission to speak before sentencing occurs, and says the law is unjust. But his assertion is not a strong one, and he sits down without completing his statement. The Judge takes the verdict from the jury, and declares Cates guilty. He sentences Cates to a $100 fine. The crowd is angry at the verdict, but many in the crowd are also pleased. Brady denounces the sentence as too lenient. Drummond says Cates will pay no fine and will appeal. Outraged, Brady asks permission to speak to the crowd. But the Judge declares the proceedings over and the court adjourned. The Judge exits.
In the chaos that ensues after the adjournment, Brady begins to deliver his speech and struggles to be heard. The crowd begins to leave, and the radio people turn off the microphones. Brady shouts even louder, trying to get the crowd's attention. Suddenly he collapses, and is carried out of the courtroom in a delirium. Hornbeck sneers at Brady and calls him a political loser. Cates asks Drummond if he won or lost, and Drummond says he won by bringing national attention to a bad law. Hornbeck says his newspaper will pay Cates' bail to keep him out of jail.
Rachel enters, and tells Cates that she moved out of her father's house. She tells Cates that she tried to read some of Darwin's book, which she shows to him, but didn't understand it. She apologizes to Drummond and says she was afraid of thinking because thinking could lead to bad thoughts.
The Judge enters and announces that Matthew Harrison Brady has just died. Drummond is deeply saddened. Hornbeck sarcastically criticizes Brady at length, sarcastically saying that he died of "a busted belly," but Drummond says Hornbeck is being unfairly critical of religious belief. They argue about Brady's achievements. Hornbeck accuses Drummond of being overly sentimental, and leaves.
Cates and Rachel depart to catch a train; they are leaving town to be married elsewhere. Rachel leaves behind Cates's copy of Darwin's The Descent of Man. Drummond picks up both the Darwin book and a Bible, and leaves the courtroom with both books in his briefcase.
Original production and revivals[edit]
Inherit the Wind opened with actors Paul Muni, Ed Begley, and Tony Randall produced and directed by Herman Shumlin on January 10, 1955. It debuted at Broadway's National Theatre on April 21, 1955.[8][9] It played on Broadway until June 22, 1957, where it closed after 806 performances. It was revived on Broadway twice: April 4, 1996 - May 12, 1996 and April 12, 2007 - July 8, 2007.[10] The 1996 revival starred George C. Scott (who played Brady in the later 1998 film version) as Drummond and Charles Durning as Brady. In April, Scott had to leave the show mid-performance due to ill health and was replaced by the show's producer, Tony Randall for that day. Randall played the Wednesday matinees for Scott from that point on.[11] His illness finally led to the revival's closure.[12] Christopher Plummer and Brian Dennehy starred in the 2007 revival.[13]
Other revivals[edit]
In the 1990s Jason Miller and Malachy McCourt starred in the Philadelphia production that broke that city's long run records.[citation needed]
In 2006 several scenes were translated in Italian for the first time by Luca Giberti for a series of Darwin-themed readings.[14]
Kevin Spacey (Henry Drummond) and David Troughton (Matthew Harrison Brady) starred in a 2009 revival at The Old Vic in London.[15]
Screen adaptations[edit]
Inherit the Wind (1960 film), directed by Stanley Kramer; starring Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly
Inherit the Wind (1965 film), a television film starring Melvyn Douglas and Ed Begley
Inherit the Wind (1988 film), a television film starring Jason Robards, Kirk Douglas, and Darren McGavin
Inherit the Wind (1999 film), a television film starring Jack Lemmon, George C. Scott, and Beau Bridges
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b BILL BLANKENSHIPThe Capital-Journal (2001-03-02). "Inherit the controversy". Cjonline.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
2.Jump up ^ "The Scopes Trial vs. 'Inherit the Wind' by Gregg Easterbrook". Beliefnet.com. 2011-02-17. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
3.Jump up ^ McCabe, Lyndsey. "Editor's Preface". Inherit the Wind. American Studies Program The University of Virginia April 1996. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
4.Jump up ^ Inherit the Wind: The Playwrights' Note
5.^ Jump up to: a b "Inherit the Wind, Drama for Students". Gale Group. 1 January 1998. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
6.^ Jump up to: a b Riley, Karen L.; Brown, Jennifer A.; Braswell, Ray (1 January 2007). "Historical Truth and Film: Inherit the Wind as an Appraisal of the American Teacher". American Educational History Journal. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
7.Jump up ^ Benen, Steve (1 July 2000). "Inherit the Myth?". Church and State. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
8.Jump up ^ Inherit the Wind Makes a Broadway Entrance - 1955
9.Jump up ^ "PLAYBILL ARCHIVES: Inherit the Wind — 1955". Playbill.com. 2007-04-12. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
10.Jump up ^ The Broadway League. "Inherit the Wind on Broadway". Ibdb.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
11.Jump up ^ "Scott Leaves Stage During 'Inherit'; Randall Steps In". Nytimes.com. 1996-04-17. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
12.Jump up ^ 'WIND' MAY INHERIT CURTAIN SCOTT SCOOTS & SHOW COULD GO[dead link]
13.Jump up ^ Lawson, Mark (2007-04-12). "Showdown in Tennessee". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2007-12-02.
14.Jump up ^ "Il caso Scopes: processo alle scimmie". From the Extramuseum website. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
15.Jump up ^ Billington, Michael (2 October 2009). "Inherit the Wind; Old Vic, London". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
Further reading[edit]
Larson, Edward. Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate over Science and Religion. 2d ed. New York: Basic Books, 2006.
External links[edit]
 Wikiversity has learning materials about Collaborative play writing
Inherit the Wind at Internet Broadway Database


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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inherit_the_Wind_(play)









Inherit the Wind (play)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Inherit the Wind

Written by
Jerome Lawrence
Robert Edwin Lee
Characters
Henry Drummond, Matthew Harrison Brady, E. K. Hornbeck, Bertram Cates, Rachel Brown, Rev. Jeremiah Brown
Date premiered
1955
Place premiered
United States
Setting
Hillsboro, United States
Inherit the Wind is a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. The play, which debuted in 1955, is a story that fictionalizes the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial as a means to discuss the then-contemporary McCarthy trials.[1][2]
The debate over creationism versus evolution has contemporary resonance, as evidenced by the play's numerous revivals and screen adaptations decades after its initial theatrical run.[3]


Contents  [hide]
1 Background
2 Title
3 Cast of characters
4 Summary 4.1 Act One 4.1.1 Scene One
4.1.2 Scene Two
4.2 Act Two 4.2.1 Scene One
4.2.2 Scene Two
4.3 Act Three
5 Original production and revivals 5.1 Other revivals
6 Screen adaptations
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links

Background[edit]



 Henry Drummond (Spencer Tracy, left) and Matthew Harrison Brady (Fredric March, right) in Inherit the Wind
Inherit the Wind is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, which 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, the playwrights state in a note at the opening of the play that it is not meant to be a historical account,[4] and there are numerous instances where events were substantially altered or invented.[5][6] 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, but it happened five days later in his sleep.[5][6] Political commentator Steve Benen said of the play's inaccuracies: "Scopes issued no plea for empathy, there was no fiancee and the real Scopes was never arrested. In fact, the popular film that was nominated for four Academy Awards and has helped shape the American understanding of the 'Scopes Monkey Trial' for decades is an inadequate reflection of history."[7] Lawrence explained in a 1996 interview that the drama's purpose was to criticize the then-current state of McCarthyism. The play was also intended to 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."[1]
The role of Matthew Harrison Brady is intended to reflect the personality and beliefs of William Jennings Bryan, while that of Henry Drummond is intended to be similar to that of Clarence Darrow. The character of E. K. Hornbeck is modeled on that of H. L. Mencken. Bryan and Darrow, formerly close friends, opposed one another at the Scopes trial, and Mencken covered the trial for The Baltimore Sun.
Title[edit]
The play's title comes from Proverbs 11:29, which in the King James Bible reads:
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
In Act Two, Scene One, Brady admonishes Reverend Brown with this Bible quote for alienating his daughter when he gives a fiery sermon against Cates.
Cast of characters[edit]
Matthew Harrison Brady, a three-time presidential candidate and nationally known attorney. He is a Populist and still a dynamic public speaker, even though he is in his late 60s or early 70s.
Henry Drummond, another nationally known attorney who was once Brady's closest friend and political confidante. He is about the same age as Brady.
Bertram "Bert" Cates, a Hillsboro high school teacher in his 20s who has taught the theory of evolution in violation of a state law banning its teaching in classrooms.
E. K. Hornbeck, a reporter for the fictional Baltimore Herald newspaper. He is young, sarcastic, cynical, and deeply opposed to religious belief.
Reverend Jeremiah Brown, a fundamentalist Protestant Christian preacher of indeterminate denomination who believes in Biblical literalism. He is widowed, and has a daughter.
Rachel Brown, the Rev. Brown's daughter. She is 22 and a friend/colleague of Bertram Cates. Rev. Brown doesn't really like her, and he tried to condemn her when she told him not to crucify Cates
The Judge, a local county court judge who is subtly sympathetic to Rev. Brown's views.
Howard Blair, a 13-year-old high school student who was in Bertram Cates' class.
Melinda Loomis, a 12-year-old girl who believes strongly in the Bible.
Tom Davenport, the local district attorney who prosecutes Bertram Cates.
The Mayor, the top elected official of Hillsboro who is openly supportive of the Rev. Brown but also deeply political and concerned about the economic future of his town.
There are also a number of minor speaking roles. These include Meeker, a bailiff at the Hillsboro courthouse; Mrs. Sarah Brady, Matthew Harrison Brady's wife; Mrs. Krebs, a loudly outspoken supporter of Rev. Brown and leader of the Ladies' Aid Society; Mr. Bannister, a local citizen; Elijah, an illiterate man from the nearby woods who sells Bibles to the crowd; Harry Esterbrook, a radio reporter from Chicago; Jesse Dunlap, a local farmer; George Sillers, an employee at the feed store; and the Storekeeper, Sillers' employer.
Summary[edit]
The play takes place in the small town of Hillsboro, in an unnamed state in the central part of the United States. (It is often assumed to be either Kentucky or Tennessee.) Scenes take place either in front of the county courthouse or in the courtroom. It takes place in the summertime "not too long ago".
Act One[edit]
Scene One[edit]
The play begins with local high school student Howard Blair looking for worms in front of the Hillsboro courthouse. Melinda appears, and they have a discussion about evolution which helps inform the audience about the claims of evolution. They exit when Rachel enters. Rachel convinces Meeker, the bailiff, to bring Bertram Cates out of his prison cell so that Rachel and Bert can talk. Meeker does so. Bert and Rachel's conversation tells the audience about why Bert taught evolution to his students. Rachel and Bert are in love, and hug. Meeker comes in as they are hugging, saying he needs to sweep. Rachel exits. Meeker tells Bert that Matthew Harrison Brady is coming to town to help prosecute the case. Meeker talks about a time when he was a young man, and saw Mathew Harrison Brady during one of his failed presidential campaigns. Bert's lawyer is not revealed, but Bert says his attorney is being provided by the Baltimore Herald. Bert and Meeker exit.
Reverend Jeremiah Brown enters speaks with the townpeople, Howard, and Melinda. Everyone is excited that Matthew Harrison Brady is coming to Hillsboro. When Howard sees the smoke from the arriving train, everyone exits. E. K. Hornbeck, a reporter for the Baltimore Herald, enters and in a soliloquy cruelly ridicules the people of Hillsboro. Hornbeck spots a monkey that someone has brought to town, and feigns conversation with it. The crowd enters with Matthew Harrison Brady, Mrs. Brady, Rev. Brown, and the Mayor. Brady makes a brief speech, which the crowd wildly cheers. The Mayor also makes a short speech, and makes Brady an "Honorary Colonel in the State Militia". The Mayor introduces Brady to Reverend Brown. Members of the Ladies' Aid Society set up a table and a buffet lunch on the courthouse lawn as Brady talks about how he will fight Cates' legal counsel. Hornbeck then announces that the defense attorney will be Henry Drummond, one of Brady's old friends and a well-known lawyer. The scene ends with everyone in the town escorting the Bradys to a nearby hotel and the introduction of Drummond who is regarded as the devil.
Scene Two[edit]
Scene Two occurs in the courtroom. Present are Matthew Harrison Brady, Henry Drummond, Tom Davenport, the Mayor, the Judge, and many townspeople (sitting behind the defense and prosecution and watching the proceedings). It is a day or two later, and jury selection is under way. Davenport, the local district attorney, questions Mr. Bannister to see if he is an acceptable juror to the prosecution. Bannister says he attends church on Sundays, and the prosecution accepts him. Drummond questions Bannister, and it is revealed that Bannister is illiterate. Drummond accepts Bannister for the jury. Jesse Dunlap is then called to the stand. Brady asks Dunlap if he believes in the Bible. Dunlap states "I believe in the Holy Word of God. And I believe in Matthew Harrison Brady!" Brady finds Dunlap acceptable. Drummond refuses to question Dunlap, and says Dunlap is not acceptable as a juror. Brady demands that Drummond provide a reason for refusing Dunlap, or at least ask him a question. Drummond asks Dunlap how he feels, then excuses Dunlap as unacceptable.
Drummond protests the use of the title "Colonel" by Matthew Harrison Brady and the Judge. Realizing that Brady's honorary title may have prejudiced the judicial proceedings, the Mayor confers with the Judge and they agree to make Drummond a "Temporary Honorary Colonel."
George Sillers is called as a potential juror. Brady briefly questions Sillers, then accepts him. Drummond asks Sillers some questions on religion and then evolution, then accepts Sillers as well. Alarmed, Brady tells the court that Sillers won't render impartial judgment. Drummond objects to Brady's use of the word "conform." Brady tells the Judge (although his comments are subtly directed at Henry Drummond) about the "Endicott Publishing Case," a trial in which Brady claims Drummond confused the jury so much that they delivered a wrong verdict. Drummond states that all he wants to do is stop "the clock-stoppers" from inserting religious belief into the Constitution. The Judge reminds Drummond that this is not a federal case, and that constitutional questions cannot be entertained. Drummond demands that they be included, but the Judge rules him out of order. The Judge also rules that the jury has been selected and court is finished for the day.
After recessing the court, the Judge announces that Reverend Brown will hold a prayer meeting later that night. Drummond says that such announcements from the bench are prejudicial, but the Judge says the court has recessed.
Act Two[edit]
Scene One[edit]
Scene One occurs in front of the courthouse later that evening. Two workmen discuss whether to take down the "Read Your Bible" banner which hangs over the entrance to the courthouse, and decide not to. They leave when they hear people approaching.
Brady enters with Hornbeck and some reporters from "Reuters News Agency", and discusses his past close relationship with Drummond. Brady accuses Hornbeck of biased reporting, but Hornbeck replies that he is a critic—not a reporter.
Reverend Brown and a crowd of supporters (including Drummond) enter for the prayer meeting. Brown engages in call and response with the crowd, preaching about how God created the world in six days. Brown condemns Cates, and Rachel (who has entered mid-sermon) demands that he stop. Instead, Rev. Brown condemns anyone who seeks forgiveness for Cates. Rachel becomes very distressed. Brady, increasingly uneasy with the tenor of Brown's sermon, interrupts him and quotes the Book of Proverbs: "He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind..." Brady dismisses the crowd by reminding them of Jesus Christ's command to forgive.
After the prayer meeting, Brady approaches Drummond (who was in the crowd) and asks him why he is defending Cates. He accuses Drummond of having "moved away" from everything both men once believed in. Drummond replies, "All motion is relative. Perhaps it is you who have moved away by standing still."
Scene Two[edit]
Scene Two occurs in the courtroom two days after the prayer meeting. It is afternoon, and very hot. The scene opens with the trial already under way. Brady examines witness Howard Blair. Afterward, Brady and Drummond exchange heated words about speech-making during the trial. Drummond attempts to cross-examine Howard, but Brady repeatedly objects to Drummond's questions (which the Judge sustains). Drummond presents a monologue in which he declares morality is meaningless but truth is valuable, then dismisses Howard from the stand.
Davenport calls Rachel as a witness. Under Brady's questioning, she reveals that Cates stopped attending Rev. Brown's church after Brown preached that a local boy who had drowned was not saved because he had not been baptized. Cates angrily shouts that Brown had really preached that the boy was burning in hell. The crowd shouts Cates down, but Cates continues until order is restored. Brady again questions Rachel, demanding to know if Cates denied the reality of God and compared marriage to the breeding of animals. Cates again interrupts her response, yelling that his statements to her were private and just questions—not statements of fact. Rachel weeps on the stand, and Drummond objects to the line of questioning. Brady ends his examination, and Drummond allows Rachel to step down without cross-examination.
Drummond attempts to call three scientists as witnesses for the defense, but the Judge denies his request. Drummond asks if the judge will permit testimony about the Bible, and the judge does. Drummond calls Brady to the stand as an expert on the Bible.
Drummond attempts to question Brady about his knowledge of the writings of Charles Darwin, but the Judge rules these questions out of order. Drummond then asks Brady about the truthfulness behind the story of Jonah and the whale and other Biblical accounts. Brady states they are all true, and Drummond accuses him of wanting to throw all modern science out of the classroom. Davenport objects to Drummond's line of questioning, but Brady declares that Drummond is only playing into his hands. Drummond submits that science has forced the human race to abandon its faith in a literal interpretation of the Bible. God gave man the ability to reason, so why can't he use that ability to question the Bible, Drummond asks. He also asks Brady if the ability to think is what distinguishes a man from a sponge. Brady responds that God determines who shall be a man and who shall be a sponge. Drummond declares that Cates only demands the same rights as a sponge: To think. The crowd in the courtroom erupts in applause.
Drummond changes his line of questioning. He asks Brady how old the earth is, and Brady replies it is about 6,000 years old. But if local rocks and fossils are millions of years old, Drummond asks, how can this be? Unnerved, Brady reasserts that the world was created in six days, as the Bible says. Drummond asks Brady if it isn't possible that, since the sun was not created until the fourth day, that the first "day" of creation wasn't in fact millions of years in length. Realizing that science and religion might be compatible after all, the crowd becomes vocally restive.
Brady responds by accusing Drummond of trying to destroy people's faith, and that God spoke directly to the authors of the Bible. Drummond asks him how Brady knows that God did not speak to Charles Darwin. Brady asserts that God told him that Darwin's works were not divinely inspired. Drummond mocks Brady as a "modern apostle" and concludes that no law can be just if its interpretation relies on the divine inspiration given to just one man, Matthew Harrison Brady. Brady is further unnerved, and declares that all men have free will. Drummond seizes on his statement, and demands to know why the law refuses to allow Bertram Cates to exercise his free will. Brady begins quoting the Bible at length, and Drummond continues to mock him. The crowd laughs at Brady. Drummond dismisses him from the witness stand, and Brady slumps in the witness chair while his wife rushes to his side and comforts him.
Act Three[edit]
The time is the day after the Brady/Drummond confrontation. It is early morning, and still very hot. Act Three consists of a single scene, and all the major characters are present. The courtroom is jammed with people, including several radio reporters and their bulky equipment. Cates asks Drummond if he will be found guilty. Drummond responds that when he was seven years old, he received a rocking horse named Golden Dancer as a gift. But it broke when he rode it the first time. Drummond advises him that appearances can be deceiving, and a clear-cut guilty verdict may conceal many things. He also implicitly criticizes Brady as all show and no substance. Their discussion ends. Before the trial begins, the Mayor speaks privately with the Judge in front of the bench. The mass media have been making the town look bad, and the Mayor asks the Judge to go easy on Cates should there be a guilty verdict.
The Judge opens the trial, and the jury enters. Cates is given permission to speak before sentencing occurs, and says the law is unjust. But his assertion is not a strong one, and he sits down without completing his statement. The Judge takes the verdict from the jury, and declares Cates guilty. He sentences Cates to a $100 fine. The crowd is angry at the verdict, but many in the crowd are also pleased. Brady denounces the sentence as too lenient. Drummond says Cates will pay no fine and will appeal. Outraged, Brady asks permission to speak to the crowd. But the Judge declares the proceedings over and the court adjourned. The Judge exits.
In the chaos that ensues after the adjournment, Brady begins to deliver his speech and struggles to be heard. The crowd begins to leave, and the radio people turn off the microphones. Brady shouts even louder, trying to get the crowd's attention. Suddenly he collapses, and is carried out of the courtroom in a delirium. Hornbeck sneers at Brady and calls him a political loser. Cates asks Drummond if he won or lost, and Drummond says he won by bringing national attention to a bad law. Hornbeck says his newspaper will pay Cates' bail to keep him out of jail.
Rachel enters, and tells Cates that she moved out of her father's house. She tells Cates that she tried to read some of Darwin's book, which she shows to him, but didn't understand it. She apologizes to Drummond and says she was afraid of thinking because thinking could lead to bad thoughts.
The Judge enters and announces that Matthew Harrison Brady has just died. Drummond is deeply saddened. Hornbeck sarcastically criticizes Brady at length, sarcastically saying that he died of "a busted belly," but Drummond says Hornbeck is being unfairly critical of religious belief. They argue about Brady's achievements. Hornbeck accuses Drummond of being overly sentimental, and leaves.
Cates and Rachel depart to catch a train; they are leaving town to be married elsewhere. Rachel leaves behind Cates's copy of Darwin's The Descent of Man. Drummond picks up both the Darwin book and a Bible, and leaves the courtroom with both books in his briefcase.
Original production and revivals[edit]
Inherit the Wind opened with actors Paul Muni, Ed Begley, and Tony Randall produced and directed by Herman Shumlin on January 10, 1955. It debuted at Broadway's National Theatre on April 21, 1955.[8][9] It played on Broadway until June 22, 1957, where it closed after 806 performances. It was revived on Broadway twice: April 4, 1996 - May 12, 1996 and April 12, 2007 - July 8, 2007.[10] The 1996 revival starred George C. Scott (who played Brady in the later 1998 film version) as Drummond and Charles Durning as Brady. In April, Scott had to leave the show mid-performance due to ill health and was replaced by the show's producer, Tony Randall for that day. Randall played the Wednesday matinees for Scott from that point on.[11] His illness finally led to the revival's closure.[12] Christopher Plummer and Brian Dennehy starred in the 2007 revival.[13]
Other revivals[edit]
In the 1990s Jason Miller and Malachy McCourt starred in the Philadelphia production that broke that city's long run records.[citation needed]
In 2006 several scenes were translated in Italian for the first time by Luca Giberti for a series of Darwin-themed readings.[14]
Kevin Spacey (Henry Drummond) and David Troughton (Matthew Harrison Brady) starred in a 2009 revival at The Old Vic in London.[15]
Screen adaptations[edit]
Inherit the Wind (1960 film), directed by Stanley Kramer; starring Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly
Inherit the Wind (1965 film), a television film starring Melvyn Douglas and Ed Begley
Inherit the Wind (1988 film), a television film starring Jason Robards, Kirk Douglas, and Darren McGavin
Inherit the Wind (1999 film), a television film starring Jack Lemmon, George C. Scott, and Beau Bridges
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b BILL BLANKENSHIPThe Capital-Journal (2001-03-02). "Inherit the controversy". Cjonline.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
2.Jump up ^ "The Scopes Trial vs. 'Inherit the Wind' by Gregg Easterbrook". Beliefnet.com. 2011-02-17. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
3.Jump up ^ McCabe, Lyndsey. "Editor's Preface". Inherit the Wind. American Studies Program The University of Virginia April 1996. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
4.Jump up ^ Inherit the Wind: The Playwrights' Note
5.^ Jump up to: a b "Inherit the Wind, Drama for Students". Gale Group. 1 January 1998. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
6.^ Jump up to: a b Riley, Karen L.; Brown, Jennifer A.; Braswell, Ray (1 January 2007). "Historical Truth and Film: Inherit the Wind as an Appraisal of the American Teacher". American Educational History Journal. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
7.Jump up ^ Benen, Steve (1 July 2000). "Inherit the Myth?". Church and State. Retrieved 31 August 2012.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
8.Jump up ^ Inherit the Wind Makes a Broadway Entrance - 1955
9.Jump up ^ "PLAYBILL ARCHIVES: Inherit the Wind — 1955". Playbill.com. 2007-04-12. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
10.Jump up ^ The Broadway League. "Inherit the Wind on Broadway". Ibdb.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
11.Jump up ^ "Scott Leaves Stage During 'Inherit'; Randall Steps In". Nytimes.com. 1996-04-17. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
12.Jump up ^ 'WIND' MAY INHERIT CURTAIN SCOTT SCOOTS & SHOW COULD GO[dead link]
13.Jump up ^ Lawson, Mark (2007-04-12). "Showdown in Tennessee". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2007-12-02.
14.Jump up ^ "Il caso Scopes: processo alle scimmie". From the Extramuseum website. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
15.Jump up ^ Billington, Michael (2 October 2009). "Inherit the Wind; Old Vic, London". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
Further reading[edit]
Larson, Edward. Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate over Science and Religion. 2d ed. New York: Basic Books, 2006.
External links[edit]
 Wikiversity has learning materials about Collaborative play writing
Inherit the Wind at Internet Broadway Database


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The Scarlet Letter (1995 film)

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Jump to: navigation, search


The Scarlet Letter
Scarletlettermovieposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Roland Joffé
Produced by
Andrew G. Vajna
Screenplay by
Douglas Day Stewart
Based on
The Scarlet Letter by
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Starring
Demi Moore
Gary Oldman
Robert Duvall
Edward Hardwicke
Music by
John Barry
Cinematography
Alex Thomson
Edited by
Thom Noble

Production
 company

Hollywood Pictures
Cinergi Pictures

Distributed by
Buena Vista Pictures

Release dates

October 13, 1995


Running time
 135 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$46 million[1]
Box office
$10,382,407[1]
The Scarlet Letter is a 1995 American film adaptation of the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel of the same name. It was directed by Roland Joffé and stars Demi Moore, Gary Oldman, and Robert Duvall. This version was "freely adapted" from Hawthorne[2] and deviated from the original story. It was nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards at the 1995 ceremony, winning "Worst Remake or Sequel."


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
4 Score
5 Reception
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

Plot[edit]
It is 1667 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and an uneasy truce exists between local Puritans and their neighbours, the Algonquian. Chief Metacomet (Eric Schweig) succeeds his father Massasoit as head of the latter just as a new colonist, Hester Prynne (Demi Moore) arrives overseas from England. As Hester waits for her husband - who is due to follow shortly after - she falls for a young minister, Arthur Dimmesdale (Gary Oldman). When it emerges that Roger Prynne has likely been killed by Native Americans, they become inseparable lovers.
Finding herself pregnant with Dimmesdale's child, Hester is imprisoned for her indiscretion. The minister intends to declare his sin and face execution, but Hester convinces him otherwise. Sentenced to wear a scarlet "A" for adultery, Prynne is ostracized by the public, and a drummer boy charged to follow her whenever she comes to town. Meanwhile, Hester's husband (Robert Duvall) resurfaces, having spent his absence in captivity as a prisoner of war. Learning of the scandal, he adopts the fictitious guise of "Dr. Roger Chillingworth" and begins seeking out her paramour.
The physician eventually murders a male settler leaving Hester's home and scalps him in an effort to implicate Algonquian warriors. Infuriated by this atrocity, the colonists declare war on the Indians and Roger, distraught by the severe consequences of his action, promptly commits suicide. Hester is nearly hanged with other undesirables in the ensuing outrage, but Dimmesdale saves her neck by confessing that he is the father of her child. As he takes her place on the gallows, the Algonquian attack Massachusetts Bay; both sides sustain heavy casualties. The Puritans are more concerned with concealing the conflict from England than harassing Hester any further; she finally abandons her scarlet letter and departs with Dimmesdale for Carolina.
Cast[edit]
Demi Moore as Hester Prynne
Gary Oldman as Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale
Robert Duvall as Roger Chillingworth
Edward Hardwicke as John Bellingham
Robert Prosky as Horace Stonehall
Roy Dotrice as Rev. Thomas Cheever
Joan Plowright as Harriet Hibbons
Larissa Laskin as Goody Mortimer
Amy Wright as Goody Gotwick
George Aguilar as Johnny Sassamon
Tim Woodward as Brewster Stonehall
Dana Ivey as Meredith Stonehall
Sheldon Peters Wolfchild as Moskeegee
Eric Schweig as Metacomet
Kristin Fairlie as Faith Stonehall
Sarah Campbell as Prudence Stonehall
Kennetch Charlette as Tarratine Chief
Jodhi May as Voice of Pearl Tallulah Belle Willis as Pearl (infant)
Scout LaRue Willis as Toddler Pearl

Production[edit]


 This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2010)



Shelburne, Nova Scotia waterfront showing grey paint finishes applied for the 1995 film.
The film was shot in British Columbia on Vancouver Island, in and around Campbell River (Beaverlodge Lands—now Rockland Road and North Island College/Timberline Secondary, Lupin Falls and Myra Falls in Strathcona Provincial Park, Little Oyster River, and White River), and in the Nova Scotia towns of Yarmouth and Shelburne in 1994. In Shelburne, the waterfront area was substantially altered to resemble a Puritan New England town in the mid-17th century. Some of the buildings on Dock Street retain the grey-tone paint finishes used for the film.
Score[edit]
Three original scores were written for this film. The first score was composed by Ennio Morricone and was quickly rejected. A second score was composed by Elmer Bernstein, but his music was set aside in lieu of the final score, composed by John Barry. Reportedly, star Demi Moore wanted a score by Barry from the start, so Morricone's and Bernstein's music were not going to be accepted, regardless of quality.
Barry's score was released on CD by Sony Records upon the film's release in 1995. A CD of Bernstein's rejected score was released by Varèse Sarabande in 2008. No recordings of Morricone's score have been released to the public.
Reception[edit]
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 14% approval rating, based on 35 reviews.[3] It won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Remake or Sequel and was nominated for Worst Actress (Moore), Worst Director, Worst Picture, Worst Screen Couple (Moore and either Duvall or Oldman), Worst Screenplay and Worst Supporting Actor (Duvall).[4] It grossed $10.3 million against a production budget of $50 million.[5]
In response to the negative criticism, and to the new ending, Demi Moore said that the story the filmmakers were trying to tell differed out of necessity with that of the book, which she said was "very dense and not cinematic". She noted the original story might be better suited to a miniseries on television, and that the story presented in this film needed a different ending, one that did not lose "the ultimate message of Hester Prynne" that its makers were trying to convey.[6]
See also[edit]
The Scarlet Letter – the original novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Easy A
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b "The Scarlet Letter (1995)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
2.Jump up ^ According to the opening credits
3.Jump up ^ The Scarlet Letter Movie Reviews, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes
4.Jump up ^ The Scarlet Letter (1995) – Awards
5.Jump up ^ The Scarlet Letter – Box Office Data, Movie News, Cast Information – The Numbers
6.Jump up ^ Jeffreys, Daniel (October 7, 1995). "You don't get to be Hollywood's best-paid actress by acting coy. Just ask Demi Moore". The Independent. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
External links[edit]
The Scarlet Letter at the Internet Movie Database
The Scarlet Letter at Box Office Mojo
San Francisco Chronicle review
Reading Hawthorne in a gender-biased academy (refers to this film version)


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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scarlet_Letter_(1995_film)









The Scarlet Letter (1995 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


The Scarlet Letter
Scarletlettermovieposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Roland Joffé
Produced by
Andrew G. Vajna
Screenplay by
Douglas Day Stewart
Based on
The Scarlet Letter by
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Starring
Demi Moore
Gary Oldman
Robert Duvall
Edward Hardwicke
Music by
John Barry
Cinematography
Alex Thomson
Edited by
Thom Noble

Production
 company

Hollywood Pictures
Cinergi Pictures

Distributed by
Buena Vista Pictures

Release dates

October 13, 1995


Running time
 135 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$46 million[1]
Box office
$10,382,407[1]
The Scarlet Letter is a 1995 American film adaptation of the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel of the same name. It was directed by Roland Joffé and stars Demi Moore, Gary Oldman, and Robert Duvall. This version was "freely adapted" from Hawthorne[2] and deviated from the original story. It was nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards at the 1995 ceremony, winning "Worst Remake or Sequel."


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
4 Score
5 Reception
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

Plot[edit]
It is 1667 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and an uneasy truce exists between local Puritans and their neighbours, the Algonquian. Chief Metacomet (Eric Schweig) succeeds his father Massasoit as head of the latter just as a new colonist, Hester Prynne (Demi Moore) arrives overseas from England. As Hester waits for her husband - who is due to follow shortly after - she falls for a young minister, Arthur Dimmesdale (Gary Oldman). When it emerges that Roger Prynne has likely been killed by Native Americans, they become inseparable lovers.
Finding herself pregnant with Dimmesdale's child, Hester is imprisoned for her indiscretion. The minister intends to declare his sin and face execution, but Hester convinces him otherwise. Sentenced to wear a scarlet "A" for adultery, Prynne is ostracized by the public, and a drummer boy charged to follow her whenever she comes to town. Meanwhile, Hester's husband (Robert Duvall) resurfaces, having spent his absence in captivity as a prisoner of war. Learning of the scandal, he adopts the fictitious guise of "Dr. Roger Chillingworth" and begins seeking out her paramour.
The physician eventually murders a male settler leaving Hester's home and scalps him in an effort to implicate Algonquian warriors. Infuriated by this atrocity, the colonists declare war on the Indians and Roger, distraught by the severe consequences of his action, promptly commits suicide. Hester is nearly hanged with other undesirables in the ensuing outrage, but Dimmesdale saves her neck by confessing that he is the father of her child. As he takes her place on the gallows, the Algonquian attack Massachusetts Bay; both sides sustain heavy casualties. The Puritans are more concerned with concealing the conflict from England than harassing Hester any further; she finally abandons her scarlet letter and departs with Dimmesdale for Carolina.
Cast[edit]
Demi Moore as Hester Prynne
Gary Oldman as Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale
Robert Duvall as Roger Chillingworth
Edward Hardwicke as John Bellingham
Robert Prosky as Horace Stonehall
Roy Dotrice as Rev. Thomas Cheever
Joan Plowright as Harriet Hibbons
Larissa Laskin as Goody Mortimer
Amy Wright as Goody Gotwick
George Aguilar as Johnny Sassamon
Tim Woodward as Brewster Stonehall
Dana Ivey as Meredith Stonehall
Sheldon Peters Wolfchild as Moskeegee
Eric Schweig as Metacomet
Kristin Fairlie as Faith Stonehall
Sarah Campbell as Prudence Stonehall
Kennetch Charlette as Tarratine Chief
Jodhi May as Voice of Pearl Tallulah Belle Willis as Pearl (infant)
Scout LaRue Willis as Toddler Pearl

Production[edit]


 This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2010)



Shelburne, Nova Scotia waterfront showing grey paint finishes applied for the 1995 film.
The film was shot in British Columbia on Vancouver Island, in and around Campbell River (Beaverlodge Lands—now Rockland Road and North Island College/Timberline Secondary, Lupin Falls and Myra Falls in Strathcona Provincial Park, Little Oyster River, and White River), and in the Nova Scotia towns of Yarmouth and Shelburne in 1994. In Shelburne, the waterfront area was substantially altered to resemble a Puritan New England town in the mid-17th century. Some of the buildings on Dock Street retain the grey-tone paint finishes used for the film.
Score[edit]
Three original scores were written for this film. The first score was composed by Ennio Morricone and was quickly rejected. A second score was composed by Elmer Bernstein, but his music was set aside in lieu of the final score, composed by John Barry. Reportedly, star Demi Moore wanted a score by Barry from the start, so Morricone's and Bernstein's music were not going to be accepted, regardless of quality.
Barry's score was released on CD by Sony Records upon the film's release in 1995. A CD of Bernstein's rejected score was released by Varèse Sarabande in 2008. No recordings of Morricone's score have been released to the public.
Reception[edit]
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 14% approval rating, based on 35 reviews.[3] It won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Remake or Sequel and was nominated for Worst Actress (Moore), Worst Director, Worst Picture, Worst Screen Couple (Moore and either Duvall or Oldman), Worst Screenplay and Worst Supporting Actor (Duvall).[4] It grossed $10.3 million against a production budget of $50 million.[5]
In response to the negative criticism, and to the new ending, Demi Moore said that the story the filmmakers were trying to tell differed out of necessity with that of the book, which she said was "very dense and not cinematic". She noted the original story might be better suited to a miniseries on television, and that the story presented in this film needed a different ending, one that did not lose "the ultimate message of Hester Prynne" that its makers were trying to convey.[6]
See also[edit]
The Scarlet Letter – the original novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Easy A
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b "The Scarlet Letter (1995)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
2.Jump up ^ According to the opening credits
3.Jump up ^ The Scarlet Letter Movie Reviews, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes
4.Jump up ^ The Scarlet Letter (1995) – Awards
5.Jump up ^ The Scarlet Letter – Box Office Data, Movie News, Cast Information – The Numbers
6.Jump up ^ Jeffreys, Daniel (October 7, 1995). "You don't get to be Hollywood's best-paid actress by acting coy. Just ask Demi Moore". The Independent. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
External links[edit]
The Scarlet Letter at the Internet Movie Database
The Scarlet Letter at Box Office Mojo
San Francisco Chronicle review
Reading Hawthorne in a gender-biased academy (refers to this film version)


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Categories: 1995 films
English-language films
1990s romantic drama films
American romantic drama films
American films
Films directed by Roland Joffé
Films based on The Scarlet Letter
Films shot in Nova Scotia
Films shot in Vancouver
Cinergi Pictures films
Hollywood Pictures films
Film scores by John Barry (composer)







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