Thursday, July 22, 2004

Inherit the Wind

I was trapped in my house on Saturday. WAaaahhhh, it was driving me nuts. There was so much I needed to do, errands to run, fun to seek, but I couldn't. You see, the delivery people were scheduled to deliver my new bed between the hours of 9 and 12. Not, a big deal. I still had all afternoon to do all that I wanted to do. Right? Wrong!

While I was waiting for the bed people, the people who are painting the exterior of my apartment building knocked on my door and asked me if they could paint my front door. "Sure," I said. Thinking, why not I'm stuck here anyhow. Around 11, the bed arrived. The bed people set it up and off they went. Alright! Time for me to take a shower and get the heck out of Dodge. "Ummm...excuse me Mr. Painter man. How long until I am able to close my door." "Four or five hours," he responded, "but don't worry, I'll keep an eye on things." :::::muttering to myself::: "Yeah right you will!" So, I tried to busy myself doing things around my apartment. It worked for a while until I became sleepy. You see, I was so excited about my bed arriving that I could hardly sleep the night before. Alas, my door was ajar and there were strange men milling about the hall. I surely couldn't take a nap on my new comfy bed with my door ajar. As such, I decided to pop in a movie I had rented. It was an old black and white that I had not seen before by the name of "Inherit the Wind."

How fortuitous it was that I, by random chance, selected this particular movie to watch. Not only is it an absolutely incredible movie but this happens to be the month that the Scopes trial occurred seventy nine years ago. However, the movie is only loosely based on the trial. Personally, I think the loose relation was intentional. The movie makers wanted to propogate a much wider message as demonstrated by a line spoken by Spencer Tracy:

           "It's the lonliest feeling in the world. It's like walking down an empty street listening to your own footsteps. But all you have to do is to knock on any door and say,if you'll let me in, I'll live the way you want me to live and I'll think the way you want me to think. And, all the blinds will go up and all the doors will open. And, you'll never be lonely again." 

Some critics of the film felt the movie people were actually trying to reinterpret history with their adaptation of the movie, However, to me it seems that the critics have lost sight of the bigger picture. I think THAT picture looms even larger now in light of the proposition of a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages.

Another great line from the movie that I'm sure those nominated for the Most Masked Vulgarities Award will appreciate:

      "I don't swear just for the hell of it. Language is a poor enough means of communication. I think we should use all of the words we've got. Besides, there are damn few words that anybody understands."

If you haven't seen "Inherit the Wind," I highly recommend it, even if it's for the acting alone and not the message. Spencer Tracy was amazing! I guess it ended up being a pretty good Saturday after all.

Proverbs 11:29 - He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

Photo Courtesy of Filmsite.org

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw the movie so long ago that I barely remember it.....However, any movie with Spencer Tracy is worth seeing.

Anonymous said...

Hey! I will have to put that  movie on my list of "have to see's"  It sounds familiar....
I'm sorry you were trapped in your house all day...what a bore! but, it worked out in your favor :)

Anonymous said...

Spencer Tracy was an amazing actor, I'll have to check this one out :)

Sorry you were trapped in your house all day....but wooo you got your new bed!

Anonymous said...

That is such an incredible movie, and sometimes a weekend day at home is just what we need.  Tracy was such a great actor he could making chewing gum look interesting.  When he had a great script, there were no equals.

Anonymous said...

Good movie, I remember it well. So did you sleep better on you NEW bed? Hugs Lanny

Anonymous said...

Tracy as Clarence Darrow; March as Wm. Jennings Bryan..Just a great movie!!
And the guy from " Bewitched " Dick York, as Scopes!
Thanks for reminding me of this movie, Robbie.
Well, how`s the bed?  {Ooops, you`re probably sleeping!}
V

Anonymous said...

It is a fabulous movie, and I too love the quote ....     "I don't swear just for the hell of it. Language is a poor enough means of communication. I think we should use all of the words we've got. Besides, there are damn few words that anybody understands."

glad it turned out to be a good day. judi

Anonymous said...

OOh that was bad.  I dont know if I could have done it for 4-5 hours...john

Anonymous said...

I LOVE that movie.  But I hadn't thought of it for so long until now.  I hope sleeping in the bed has made you forget the craziness of that day.  And thank you so much, Robbie, for linking to my "new kid on the block" entry.  That is such a compliment, one that is tough to describe.

~~ jennifer

Anonymous said...

I hate to wait for a delivery person or repairman. I like to be free and waiting makes me feel like I am in a box and can't escape. LOL It is always fun to get something new for the house. Hope you are sleeping well these days. Paula

Anonymous said...

You dodged the "delivery man" bugaboo, but got done in by the "Hey, can I Paint Your Door" apartment maintenance time waster.  Glad you found a way to make it worthwhile.  Lisa  :-]

Anonymous said...

....shall inherit the wind.

Wow, that is so profound.  Like harnessing a butterfly or an unicorn.

Nice entry.


Anonymous said...

Wow, great entry Robbie.  This is a total link-fest.  So, how's the bed?  What color is your door?  I hate the thought of being trapped in my house.  Even if I don't have anywhere I need or want to go...it just sucks to know I can't!  The movie sounds great.  English right?  No subtitles I'm assuming.  I always gotta ask with you artsy-foreign film lovers. ;)

Anonymous said...

It's an excellent movie.  What people don't know is that the book Scopes was teaching was very bigoted.  His textbook said that Caucasians were "the highest type of al ... represented by the civilized white inhabitants of Europe and America."  Darwin made racist statements himself.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Law defines marriage as "the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a legal, consensual, and contractual relationship recognized and sanctioned by and dissolvable only by law".  So the proposed amendment is basically attempting to prevent an oxymoron.

Anonymous said...

Sucks to be trapped indoors.  I'm such a busy person and I get stir crazy if I stay inside too long - I love to take little shopping trips or just get out of the house for a drive sometimes.  Lately, we've been spending A LOT of time at home because we're trying to be careful with our budget and it's driving me BONKERS!!!!  Still, if you have a good movie to watch or the internet, it doesn't make it so bad.  Now, where are the bed shots???  :D

Anonymous said...

Sounds like your afternoon didn't go to waste, after all.  

I didn't know of the movie, much less the trial.  I clicked on your link though and read some background information.  Fascinating to think that the theory of evolution was controversial enough to be put on trial.  

We've changed a lot since then, but in other ways we haven't changed at all.  Anything new or unfamiliar is a source of fear and opposition.  But as the Scopes trial showed, there is no stopping progress.  It's just a matter of time.