MovieChat Forums > Inherit the Wind (1960) Discussion > One of the least historically acurate fi...

One of the least historically acurate films dealing with US history.

posted 10 years ago by DarnFineCoffee
12 replies | jump to latest

To begin, let me say that I am no creationist. I also really appreciated the superb acting and the wonderfully intense dialogue throughout the film. However, the film totally distorts William Jennings Byran. The man was no right-winger or conservative, he was a classic rural populist (and borderline socialist) guy from Nebraska who, like most rural people in that era--most of whom were fundamentalists--were old-earth creationists.

Moreover Byran was not so much a bible-thumper as he was a man concerned for the future of morality in America. While I disagree with WJB that evolution should not be taught in schools, WJB was absolutely right that evolution and science would have a damaging effect on morality. Over the years we've abandoned faith for science. And while WJB's time was in now way perfect--rampant with racism and bigotry--our lack of faith has, in my opinion, made our world morally desolate.

Liberals today call their lawyers the moment someone teaches faith or god in school and conservatives likewise flip out when their faith is challenged. It's too bad we couldn't find a happy medium between faith and science, allowing students to be exposed to both side by side. I think WJB was more right than he was wrong. Too bad hollywood made him out to be a horrible glutenous man whose intelligence was lowly, what a disservice to our history.

They'll talk to you about individual freedom. But when they see a free individual, it'll scare em. - Easy Rider

[–] kevin-bergin 8 years ago

Scopes was a substitute teacher, which partly explains why he was willing to take a risk and teach Darwinism. After all, he was not likely to be in the state pension, did not have a tenure track position, etc. As the song says "freedom's just another word for nothing else to lose."

What I discovered in my reading, he was a little resentful-the real life Scopes, not Cates-that those big shot lawyers Darrow & Bryan came to town and dominated the media.

After the trial:
(Scopes) accepted a scholarship at the University of Chicago for study in geology. He worked for Gulf Oil of South America. He married and was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church. In the 1930s, he took a position as a geologist with the United Gas Corporation. He lived to the age of 70. (Tompkins, 1965)

HEY, DON'T GET YOUR HISTORY FROM HOLLYWOOD!

Tompkins, Jerry R. (1965). D-Days at Dayton. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press.

"It's the system, Lara. People will be different after the Revolution."

[–] TheArgentinian (7074) 2 years ago

"WJB was absolutely right that evolution and science would have a damaging effect on morality."

I can't take this post seriously when I read this fear-mongering shit. Some of the worst people on Earth are extremely religious.

[–] mikethemartian (6723) 2 years ago

I’ve never read a biography of William Jennings Bryant but my understanding is that he was the basis for the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz.