Inherit the Wind Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Inherit the Wind Blu-ray Movie Review

Winner of the prestigious Darwin Award.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 12, 2022

Made-for-TV movies, the "Netflix Originals" of their day, have a spotty reputation due to budget and creative limitations but occasionally achieve greatness, from Duel to Brian's Song and, of course, The Night Stalker. Daniel Petrie's Inherit the Wind, an adaptation of the indispensable 1960 Stanley Kramer drama, splits the difference with two all-time greats at the front line -- Jack Lemmon as atheist interloper Henry Drummond, and George C. Scott as staunch creationist Matthew Brady -- but it comes up short in almost every other area, from direction and editing to the supporting roles. It's also notable for the final on-screen performance of Scott, who would pass away at 71 only four months after its TV premiere but, three years earlier, co-starred in a Broadway revival playing the Drummond character.

A plot run-though isn't needed -- if you don't know this one by heart already, the synopsis in Jeffrey Kaufman's review of the 1960 version's Twilight Time Blu-ray (which is out of print, although Kino's Blu-ray linked above is still very much available) will suffice, as the only changes here are minor. The source material makes it bulletproof -- also thanks in no small part to the bracing lead performances by Lemmon and Scott, especially at this stage in their lives -- but the whirlwind courtroom drama at the heart of Inherit the Wind doesn't make as big an impact here. The film's flow and direction feels flatter and stiffer, and gone are the effective scene transitions and keen edge that kept Kramer's film on its toes from start to finish -- this version actually runs about 10 minutes shorter but doesn't feel like it.

Yet the most glaring problem in this TV remake are Inherit the Wind's supporting performances, which range from awkwardly bad -- Tom Everett Scott as teacher Bertram Cates, and a woefully miscast Beau Bridges as visiting reporter E.K. Hornbeck -- to just kind of flat. John Cullum as Judge Coffey exudes about one-third the authority of Harry Morgan in the original, coming off as just barely bothered by the intermittent courtroom shenanigans. Brad Greenquist turns lead prosecutor Tom Davenport into an egg-headed Southern stereotype. But no supporting performance is worse than Lane Smith as Reverend Brown, whose overzealous early exchange with his strong-willed daughter Rachel (Kathryn Morris) -- a fiery highlight of the original -- is so off-target that it's hilarious. (Luckily Lemmon and Scott don't have as many rough patches, but it's clear that many scenes could've used another take or three.) Perhaps the only standout supporting performance is Academy Award-nominated Piper Laurie, who likewise brings a bit of gravitas to her role as Matthew Brady's conflicted wife Sarah. But if we're talking percentage points, that's pretty slim pickings.

Still, The Big Two carry most of this show and, with its late-period placement on their respective filmographies, Inherit the Wind is at least worth a look for die-hard disciples of Lemmon and Scott. I'd even go so far as to prefer their lead performances some of the time. But without them, this made-for-TV adaptation of Inherit the Wind has no legs to stand on... unlike the original, which had solid fundamental strengths in front of the camera and behind it. Either way, Kino's Blu-ray of the 1999 film will be appreciated by nostalgic fans and maybe even newcomers too, serving up a capable A/V presentation and a newly-recorded audio commentary -- neither were expected this late in the game.

Inherit the Wind Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Clearly shot on film rather than videotape, Inherit the Wind was a Showtime original production first shown at the then-TV-friendly 1.33:1 aspect ratio... but from the looks of Kino's exclusive 1.78:1 transfer, it was originally intended for the widescreen format. (Like most films that make such a transition, it was likely shot "safe" for TV and opened up slightly at the sides here, perhaps only losing a small amount of information at the top and bottom.) But screen shapes aside, this is a largely pleasing image although one likely not taken from a fresh new master, as fine detail is good at best and some of its visible film grain tends to take on a slightly clumpy digital appearance. Dirt and debris can be spotted at times but neither to any sort of distracting degree. Color reproduction is perfectly fine, with a mostly warm and earth-toned palette that represents the hot, humid conditions of its Southern summer setting. Image encoding likewise looks good on this dual-layered disc, though some of those inherent clumpy digital artifacts may be partially due to the disc itself. There's room for improvement but the image is better than expected at the very worst and, considering very few fans expected a Blu-ray release for this film, I doubt anyone's going to be disappointed here.

Inherit the Wind Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Kino's Blu-ray offers their standard choice of DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 options which, under the circumstances, are nearly identical most of the way through. I like both for different reasons: dialogue seems to resonate a bit more naturally with the stereo option, although the 5.1 track lets occasional bits and pieces of crowd ambience -- especially during the court case's more explosive moments -- sneak into the rear channels without overpowering. Both are capable options with clear dialogue, sporadic channel separation, and good balance between foreground and background elements including Laurence Rosenthal's original score, so the choice just depends on personal preference.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only.

Inherit the Wind Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with attractive cover art and no inserts, but Kino's default font choice means that this Blu-ray's spine exactly matches their edition of the 1960 film. Bonus features include a brand-new audio commentary and... not much else, which is still certainly better than nothing.

• Audio Commentary - It's very nice to see (hear?) a full commentary for this film... even from second-hand participants, which in this case include entertainment journalists Bryan Reesman and Max Evry. Most of their remarks and insights pretty much cover all the expected bases: similarities and differences to the original film version and play, the real-life Scopes trial that served as inspiration, the history of made-for-TV movies, cast and crew notes, and much more. An entertaining and light listen that fans and first-timers will enjoy.

• Trailers for several related Kino titles, including The Apartment and of course the 1960 original.

Inherit the Wind Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Daniel Petrie's made-for-TV adaptation of Inherit the Wind doesn't reinvent its source material, which is a good thing. But aside from the solid lead performances of Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott -- with the latter also being his last on-screen appearance -- this version can't help but run a fairly distant second to Stanley Kramer's 1960 original thanks to its somewhat flat direction and too many bad supporting performances to ignore. It's still worth a look for both fans of its lead cast and of course the source story, but you'll need to keep your expectations in check here. Luckily, Kino's new Blu-ray offers a decent amount of support including a satisfying A/V presentation and even a brand-new audio commentary, as well as a very reasonable price tag at the time of this review. Mildly Recommended.