Genre: Drama / History / Romance Director(s): Stanley Kramer Release Date: 25 June 1960 Movie rating: 8.2

A courthouse drama based upon the play of the same name written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, which in turn was based on real life events of the so-called “Scopes Monkey Trial” from 1925, “Inherit the wind” proved to be a strong advocate of the freedom of speech and the freedom of thought briefly after the heyday of the McCarthy era filled with paranoia and intellectual witch hunts on anyone who thought outside of the official dogma. Bertram Cates, a school teacher in a small southern town, is about to stand trial for teaching the theory of evolution to his students, which is a violation of state laws which prescribe the biblical teachings about the origin of man. The trial draws enormous media attention since on the side of prosecution sits Matthew Harrison Brady, a popular statesman and a 3-time presidential candidate, and on the side of the defense we have Henry Drummond, a respected and controversial legal expert, and a long time foe of Brady. The trial takes place in a fiery atmosphere where the local townsfolk seem to be ready to lynch both Cates and Drummond, and the presiding judge is clearly in favor of Bates. However, Drummond manages to turn the tide by giving a passionate speech about the contradictions within the bible, calling for freedom of thought. Cates is ultimately found guilty, but after Drummond’s speech which affected everyone who heard it he sentences Cates to a symbolic monetary fine.

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