Brady isn't a completely one-dimensional character in this film. We also see his sympathetic, human side when he makes his "he who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind" remarks to the preacher who curses his daughter in front of the congregation.
shareI am going to watch this film for the first time, but I saw that scene, and I was sad, terrified, and amazed. I did feel sorry for Brady when the crowd of tons of people, must have been hundreds, laughed at him, but at the same time, he was a snobbish jerk not that he did not have a soft spot and not that he was not intelligent, because he was, and he should have been more concerned with the punishment for Cates than what his followers thought of him. It was rather sad they turned against him like that, seemed like sort of mob mentality, and he broke down mentally and emotionally like that, but he was sort of pathetic, though they took advantage of that. Though, I think they did see his positive aspects as well rather than his pompous insecurity altogether. Overall, it is a good film - play and has a good message.
I recently read the actual trial this film and its remake are based on, and it states that BOTH Bryan and Darrow were belittled much. It is almost if you can say Drummond and Brady are the joker and clown respectively of the trial, Drummond is humorous and makes fun of others (joker) and Brady depreciates himself while others make fun of him (clown). According to the Wikipedia, the donkey Democrat Party was a caricature of the man William Harrison Brady was based on (William Jennings Bryan), which I guess is understand, so I guess the elephant symbol of the Republican Party might be the man Henry Drummond was based on, Clarence Seward Darrow, which I guess is also understandable.