Inherit the Wind (1960)
Blu-ray Company Release: Twilight Time
Starring : Spencer
Tracy, Fredric March, Gene Kelly, Dick York, Donna Anderson, Harry Morgan,
Florence Eldridge, Claude Akins, Elliott Reid, Paul Hartman, Jimmy Boyd, Noah
Beery Jr, Norman Fell, Hope Summers, Ray Teal, Renee Godfrey,
Plot: Courtroom drama based on the real-life Scopes “Monkey”
Trial of 1925. A defense attorney (Spencer Tracy) faces off against a
fundamentalist prosecutor (Fredric March) in the case of a young schoolteacher
(Dick York) brought to trial for breaking a “wicked law” that forbids the
teaching of evolution in local public schools. Creationism versus evolution is
the still-relevant theme of the film, which passionately asserts “the right to
think.
My Review and Thoughts:
Film Review: (5/5)
Cinema masterpiece. This is one of great pieces of cinema
history. A true triumphant of cinema mastery. Thought provoking and stunningly
directed and acted. A story that stays with you and gives a lingering
impression of film as true art. I am so happy Twilight Time Blu-ray has honored
this great film with the outlet of allowing viewers to experience it in a crisp
and vibrant clarity like it’s never been seen before.
Twilight Time did an utterly beautiful job. I can't believe
how perfect it looks. This is a film that I have always returned to over and
over again. It's a film that showcases what acting truly can be. It's a film
defined by history because it traces a moment in history and brings it to life
in film form. This is the fictionalized version of a real moment in history the
one and only famous 1925 trail known as the Scopes Monkey Trial. Now I live in
Tennessee and so this is always a huge subject in my states history. The low
down of the story is in real life a substitute teacher named John Scopes taught
the idea of evolution. Now this was against the law in 1925 in Tennessee and so
there was more or less a big show trail. But the film itself uses this subject
but in reality there is another purpose to the film.
It’s showcases and uses
the underling subject of McCarthyism which was one of the worst moments in
American History. Now McCarthyism is the idea to accuse one without evidence.
Mainly people where accused of being communists and spies and using the idea of
treason without any regards to facts. Many people where accused and destroyed
and blacklisted during these years of 1950 to 1956. It was a sad day in history
with this horrible means of persecution without merit and so Inherit the Wind
uses that subject as a backdrop accusing the teacher of teaching evolution.
McCarthyism or the Scopes Monkey Trail was basically put, a means to control and
halt public knowledge. It was to keep fact covered up by fiction. It was a
means to keep the public in the dark and not to further knowledge of the real
facts.
Starring some of the all-time greats of cinema. The master
and one of a kind performer that I consider beyond the idea of just an actor, and that’s the master of acting, the one and only Spencer Tracy who is the definition
of acting. Also starring Fredric March, Gene Kelly, Dick York, Harry Morgan,
Donna Anderson, Claude Akins, Noah Beery Jr, Florence Eldridge and Jimmy Boyd.
With a cast as important as that there is no need to showcase how important
the performances are because there are movies that stand out as being flawless
in acting performances and Inherit the Wind is one of the them. Not only is the
story important and the overall film and direction to the art of cinema but it’s
the acting that aces it. This is a film I hold high on the pedestal in the art
of dialogue and interactions between the performers. It’s a fine piece of
written word and also a fine piece of performing art.
Directed by a master of cinema the extraordinary Stanley
Kramer who has given us the likes of The Defiant Ones and Judgment at Nuremberg
and most of all Inherit the Wind. The tour-de-force dialogue and performances
give to the viewer a style of real life happenings. Even though the film is a
classic black and white, it seems real and it is as important as when it came out, as
it is now. Kramer always had away with creating and expressing shocking and
touchy subjects. He explored the darker tones of life and subjects that touched
the nerves and emotional attitudes of people. He always touched the ideas of
racism and war and evolution and the greed of peoples. He created some of my
favorite films of all time and Inherit the Wind is one of them. Twilight Time
Blu-ray honored Kramer with this excellent special edition Blu-ray. Twilight
Time recently released one of his other powerhouses of true thought
provoking cinema 1961’s Judgment at Nuremberg which you can read my review
here: Like Nuremberg Twilight Time aced and utterly floored me with their mastery
for creating a wonderful Blu-ray release of Inherit the Wind.
This is based on the play which has the same name written by
Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. I want to make something clear this is
not based in historical reality because many things were added and created for
entertainment value but the basis of the subject and the idea is real and so
the movie expresses itself into a believable reality that shines in an
understanding of this dark days of humanity were the logic of science and fact
or better yet to accuse and destroy ran rampant in human society.
This is truly a fascinating film that still causes the viewer
an emotional reality as they are watching. It was nominated for four Academy
Awards but I still can’t understand how it did not become nominated for best
feature film or how it did not win for best actor. It’s a film that should have
won every award and more. It’s a touchy subject even today with evolution and
creation battling it out and I cannot imagine what it was like back in the day
when this movie came out. Being from Tennessee the Scopes Trail was a main
subject growing up in my school years. This was a movie that was shown in my
history class even though they change a lot of the facts and reality to the
real story itself, it is still a representative of the subject and also of the
idea of control by not being able to express all sides of beliefs.
Audio/Video: (5/5)
This is the best I have ever seen it. I remember the VHS
version and even seeing the DVD version was not anything to talk about but
seeing it so lovingly crafted on this Blu-ray is spectacular and truly
something to talk about and own.
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 1.85:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
1960 / B & W
127 MINUTES
Extras: (2.5/5)
Something I absolutely love about most of the Twilight Time
Blu-ray’s is the special feature of the isolated score. The mastery of the
films music score is always a plus. I loved being able to experience the music
score in an isolated format on this Special Edition 3,000 unit production. A
true plus for any movie buff and most of all music buff.
Hearing Composer and songwriter Ernest Gold’s music mastery
on this disc is ear numbing perfection. He had away with capturing ear candy. An
excellent means to cause reaction through his musical mastery.
Yeah I would have liked to have a commentary but just having this film on Blu-ray is the greatest special feature ever.
Isolated Music & Effects Track
Original Theatrical Trailer
Booklet insert by film historian Julia Kirgo. Always a treat
to read these little insert booklets. I look forward to them.
Overall Product Review: (4/5)
Can’t write my praise more then I already have. It’s a shining
Blu-ray that expresses perfection. Something that should be owned. A
masterpiece film of acting. An equally masterpiece production of a Blu-ray.
INFO:
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beautiful releases on top quality Special Editions.
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