Inherit the Wind Blu-ray review

Inherit the Wind is one of Stanley Kramer’s best films amongst an already amazing filmography and features a fine performance by Spencer Tracy.

 

 

Inherit the Wind
(1960)

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Genre(s): Drama
Twilight Time | NR – 127 min. – $29.95 | December 9, 2014

MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Stanley Kramer Writer(s): Jerome Lawrence and Robert Lee (play); Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith (screenplay) Cast: Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Gene Kelly, Dick York, Donna Anderson, Harry Morgan, Claude Atkins, Florence Eldridge DISC INFO: Features: Theatrical Trailer Digital Copy: No Number of Discs: 1 Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 1.0) Video: 1080p/Widescreen 1.85 Subtitles: English SDH Disc Size: NA Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Region(s): A, B, C

 

PLOT SUMMARY

Producer-director Stanley Kramer’s Inherit the Wind is a classic courtroom drama based on the real-life Scopes “Monkey” Trial of 1925. Here, a Clarence Darrow-like defense attorney (SPENCER TRACY) faces off against a fundamental prosecutor (FREDRIC MARCH) in the case of a young schoolteacher (DICK YORK) brought to trial for breaking a “wicked law” (in the words of Tracy’s civil libertarian lawyer) that forbids the teaching of evolution in local public schools. Creationism versus evolution is the still-relevant theme of the film, which passionately asserts “the right to think.”

SPECIAL FEATURES – 0.5/5

Unfortunately not much is included save for the Theatrical Trailer (4:05; SD) and an essay booklet.

VIDEO – 4.5/5

Inherit the Wind arrives on Blu-ray presented in its original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a well done 1080p high-definition transfer. The picture looks fantastic with stark blacks and whites with no major instances of dust marks, scratches or other imperfections. It’s a nice looking transfer given to Twilight Time.

AUDIO – 4.25/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track provides for clear dialogue levels throughout while other parts, like the score from Ernest Gold, is pretty good for being a singular channel. Having not sampled any previous releases, I can’t make a comparison but have to think, as with the video, it’s a solid upgrade.

OVERALL – 3.5/5

Overall, Inherit the Wind is one of Stanley Kramer’s best films amongst an already amazing filmography and features a fine performance by Spencer Tracy. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time offers fantastic audio and video transfers but falls short in the bonus features department making this a so-so recommendation especially considering the price point on this release…

 

Published: 12/15/2014