Inherit the Wind Page #9

It is incontrovertible as geometry

to any enlightened community of minds.

in this community, Col. Drummond,

and in this sovereign state,

exactly the opposite is the case.

The language of the law is clear,

your honor.

We do not need experts

to question the validity of a law already

on the books.

Well, what do you need a gallows

to hang him from.

That remark is an insult

to this entire community.

And this community is an insult

to the world!

Your honor, I request permission

to withdraw from this case.

Mr. Drummond, you can't quit now!

Why not you were ready to 5 minutes ago!

Col. Drummond,

What reasons canyou possibly have

Well, there are 200 of them!

And if that's not enough,

there's one more...

I think my client has already been

found guilty.

Is Mr. Drummond saying that

this expression of an honest emotion

will in any way influence

the court's impartial

administration of the law

I say that you cannot administer

a wicked law impartially.

You can only destroy.

You can only punish.

And I warn you

that a wicked law, like cholera,

destroys everyone it touches,

its upholders as well as its defiers.

Col. Drummond...

Can't you understand...

that if you take a law like evolution

and you make it a crime to

teach it in the public schools,

tomorrow you can make it a crime

to teach it in the private schools

and tomorrow you may make it a

crime to read about it

and soon you may ban

books and newspapers.

and then you may turn

catholic against protestant

and protestant against protestant

and try to foist your own religion

upon the mind of man!

If you can do one, you can do the other!

Because fanaticism and ignorance

is forever busy

and needs feeding.

and soon, your honor...

with banners flying and with drums beating,

we'll be marching backward!

Backward!

Through the glorious ages of that

16th century

when bigots burned the man who dared bring

enlightenment and intelligence

to the human mind.

I hope counsel does not mean to imply

that this court is bigoted.

Well, your honor has the right to hope.

I have the right to do more than that.

You have the power to do more than that!

And I exercise that power.

Col. Drummond, I order you to show cause

tomorrow morning at 10:00

Why you should not be held in contempt

of this court.

And in the meanwhile,

I order that you be held

in custody of the bailiff.

bail is fixed at $2,000.

$2,000...

Why don't you make it $4,000

It's $4,000, Col. Drummond.

Your honor, my paper will post the bond.

Can you prove legal authorization

to make such a commitment for your employer

Well, I'll wire my paper immediately.

Fine. Until then,

Col. Drummond can avail himself

of our municipal accommodations.

Your honor

your honor, sir

I'll put up my farm for Mr. Drummond.

We have no way of ascertaining

the value of your farm, sir.

it ought to be worth that much.

The law demands that bond be posted in cash.

Your honor, my bank will honor the offer

on the security of this farm.

He has considerably more equity

in it than that.

Ahem.

Very well.

you can make arrangements

with the court clerk.

Who are you

my name is John Stebbins.

Court will adjourn

and reconvene at 10:00 a. m. tomorrow.

We'll hang Bert Cates

to a sour apple tree

We'll hang Bert Cates

to a sour apple tree

We'll hang Bert Cates

to a sour apple tree

Our god is marching on

glory, glory hallelujah

glory, glory hallelujah...

She'll sleep all right tonight.

Give her these pills tomorrow

and keep her in bed.

Thank you, John.

Rachel

Rachel

We'll hang Bert Cates

to a sour apple tree

our god is marching on

glory, glory hallelujah

glory, glory hallelujah

glory, glory hallelujah

His truth is marching on

We'll hang Bert Cates

to a sour apple tree

We'll hang Bert Cates

to a sour apple tree

We'll hang Bert Cates

to a sour apple tree

our god is marching on

We'll hang Henry Drummond

to a sour apple tree

We'll hang Henry Drummond

to a sour apple tree

We'll hang Henry Drummond

to a sour apple tree

Our god is...

glory, glory hallelujah

glory, glory hallelujah

glory, glory hallelujah

His truth is marching on...

trick or treat.

Oh, for Pete's sake.

Hooligans of the world, unite!

You've got nothing to burn

but your intellectuals.

Well, those are the b*obs that

make our laws.

It's a democratic process.

Well, I suppos e you have something

better to suggest.

We'll hang Henry Drummond

to a sour apple tree...

Looks like you're going out

in a blaze of glory, counselor.

Well...

you were pretty impressive

for a while there today, Henry.

"your honor, after a while

you'll be setting" man against man,

"creed against creed, et cetera, et cetera,

ad nauseam. "

Aw, Henry, why don't you wake up

Darwin was wrong.

man's still an ape,

and his creed's still a totem pole

when he first achieved

the upright position,

he took a look at the stars...

thought they were something to eat.

When he couldn't reach them,

he decided they were groceries

belonging to a bigger creature.

that's how Jehovah was born.

I wish I had your worm's-eye view

of history.

It would certainly make things a lot easier.

Oh-oh, no! Not for you!

No, no, you...

you'd still be spending your time

trying to make sense

out of what is laughingly referred to

as the human race.

Why don't you take your blinders off

Don't you know the future's already obsolete

You think man still has a noble destiny.

Well, I tell you, he's already started

on his backward march

to the salt and stupid sea from

which he came.

What about men like Bert Cates

Cates

The monkey who tried to fly

Cates climbed to the top of the totem pole

but... then he jumped,

and there was nobody there to catch him...

not even you.

You were there.

You saw what they did to my witnesses.

What you need is a drink.

What I need is a miracle.

A miracle

Here's a whole bagful...

courtesy Matthew Harrison Brady.

Your honor...

Your honor, I, uh...

I feel I owe you an apology.

Any remarks leading up

to the contempt citation

I regret very much.

I realize your honor is trying

to be fair and

I, uh... I'm very sorry for any remarks

that were made in the heat of the moment.

My friends...

Col. Drummond...

the man that I believe came into the world

to save mankind from sin

taught that it was godly to forgive.

I believe in those principles.

I accept Col. Drummond's apology.

I withdraw the contempt citation.

Thank you, your honor.

I, too, should like to add

that in the spirit of forgiveness,

I feel no animosity toward learned counsel

from Chicago.

He is well known to have ridden

hobbyhorses before

perhaps he'll return to his home

having learned a lesson.

We commend him to learn in his heart

the words of him who said,

"if you thirst, come unto me,

"and I will give you life. "

That's why he hasn't

an enemy in the world...

only his friends hate him.

Ahem.

Perhaps, ah, there is much to learn

from the learned counsel

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