Changes

'''Inherit the Wind''' is a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. It is a fictionalized, dramatic account of events that bear a resemblance to the [[Scopes Monkey Trial]]. The play was first presented on [[Broadway]] in 1955 and was made into a movie in 1960. It is a classic of the modern theater, and was remounted on Broadway in 2008 starring Patrick Denehey and Christopher Plummer.

'''Inherit the Wind''' is a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. It is a fictionalized, dramatic account of the [[Scopes Monkey Trial]]. The play was first presented on [[Broadway]] in 1955 and was made into a movie in 1960. It is a classic of modern theater, and was remounted on Broadway in 2008 starring Patrick Denehey and Christopher Plummer.

While the events and characters portrayed in the play are analogous to events of the [[Scopes Monkey Trial]], the play's authors indicate in their preface that the play "does not pretend to be journalism. It is theatre. It is not 1925. The stage directions set the time as 'Not too long ago.' It might have been yesterday. It could be tomorrow."<ref>http://www.novelguide.com/InherittheWind/toptenquotes.html</ref>.

While the events and characters portrayed in the play are based on the [[Scopes Monkey Trial]], the play's authors indicate in their preface that the play "does not pretend to be journalism. It is theatre. It is not 1925. The stage directions set the time as 'Not too long ago.' It might have been yesterday. It could be tomorrow."<ref>http://www.novelguide.com/InherittheWind/toptenquotes.html</ref>.

Nevertheless, the fictionalisation is virtually all in the direction of vilifying Christians.

David Menton, a [[Christian]] Anatomist and [[Creationist]] wrote:

David Menton, a [[Christian]] Anatomist and [[Creationist]] wrote:

*There is considerable evidence that the play and film are not simply inaccurate, but rather are highly biased in their intent. The historical inaccuracies are systematic and of a kind that presents a consistent bias of slanderous proportions against people who believe the Biblical account of creation.

{{QuoteBox|There is considerable evidence that the play and film are not simply inaccurate, but rather are highly biased in their intent. The historical inaccuracies are systematic and of a kind that presents a consistent bias of slanderous proportions against people who believe the Biblical account of creation.

*On the other hand, those critical of the miracles of the Bible are portrayed as eminently reasonable people who must suffer abuse, threats and ignorance from fundamentalist Christians.

*The evidence suggests that the inaccuracies in the play and film Inherit The Wind are substantive, intentional and systematic. Christians, and particularly William Jennings Bryan, are consistently lampooned throughout the play, while skeptics and agnostics are portrayed as intelligent, kindly, and even heroic. I cannot escape the conclusion that the writers of Inherit The Wind never intended to write a historically accurate account of the Scopes trial, nor did they seriously attempt to portray the principal characters and their beliefs in a fair and accurate way. <ref>[http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/682 Inherit the Wind: an historical analysis]</ref>

On the other hand, those critical of the miracles of the Bible are portrayed as eminently reasonable people who must suffer abuse, threats and ignorance from fundamentalist Christians.

The evidence suggests that the inaccuracies in the play and film Inherit The Wind are substantive, intentional and systematic. Christians, and particularly William Jennings Bryan, are consistently lampooned throughout the play, while sceptics and agnostics are portrayed as intelligent, kindly, and even heroic. I cannot escape the conclusion that the writers of Inherit The Wind never intended to write a historically accurate account of the Scopes trial, nor did they seriously attempt to portray the principal characters and their beliefs in a fair and accurate way.<ref>Menton, David, [http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/682 Inherit the Wind: an historical analysis], ''Creation'' 19(1):35–38, December 1996</ref>}}

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

| [[H.L. Mencken]]

| [[H.L. Mencken]]

|}

|}

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Fabrications in the movie include:

 

<big>'''Fabrications in the movie include:'''</big>

Bryan’s movie character betrays the trust of Scopes’s girlfriend, who is the local preacher’s daughter, and who is shattered by the breach of confidence. ‘Bryan’ is presented as a harsh and desperate man willing even to ‘sell out’ an innocent girl to achieve victory. In reality Scopes did not even have a girlfriend.

 

'''Bryan’s movie character''' betrays the trust of Scopes’s girlfriend, who is the local preacher’s daughter, and who is shattered by the breach of confidence. ‘Bryan’ is presented as a harsh and desperate man willing even to ‘sell out’ an innocent girl to achieve victory. In reality Scopes did not even have a girlfriend.

Distorting and parodying Christian morality, Bryan’s movie character claims that sexual intercourse is the ‘original sin’. In reality, there was however no mention made about sex at all during Darrow’s examination of Bryan.

 

'''Distorting and parodying Christian morality''', Bryan’s movie character claims that sexual intercourse is the ‘original sin’. In reality, there was however no mention made about sex at all during Darrow’s examination of Bryan.

Bryan’s character was portrayed as having a ‘head-in-the-sand’ approach to life by refusing even to read Darwin’s writings. In fact, Bryan was highly educated and had discussed Darwin’s books with leading evolutionists.

 

'''Bryan’s character was portrayed''' as having a ‘head-in-the-sand’ approach to life by refusing even to read Darwin’s writings. In fact, Bryan was highly educated and had discussed Darwin’s books with leading evolutionists.

In real life, Scopes was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine, which Bryan charitably offered to pay on his behalf. The play however, has ‘Bryan’ protesting that the fine ought to be much harsher.

 

'''In real life''', Scopes was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine, which Bryan charitably offered to pay on his behalf. The play however, has ‘Bryan’ protesting that the fine ought to be much harsher.

In the fabricated closing scenes, ‘Bryan’ is portrayed as a defeated and broken man, insanely reciting Scripture in a sweat-laden frenzy of madness, before dramatically dying in the courtroom. He is looked upon with pity by the calm and reasonable evolutionists, and those gathered from the press.

'''In the fabricated closing scenes''', ‘Bryan’ is portrayed as a defeated and broken man, insanely reciting Scripture in a sweat-laden frenzy of madness, before dramatically dying in the courtroom. He is looked upon with pity by the calm and reasonable evolutionists, and those gathered from the press.  

[[category:Plays]]

[[category:Plays]]

[[category:Movies]]

[[category:Movies]]