Following the life story of B. T Cates, a courageous science teacher, who has been arrested by the police for the accusation of teaching Darwin's theories, the thing that brings terrible for him, but by the help of a famous lawyer, who defends him, he manages to survive.
A most worthwhile film, if for no other reason, because it provides a great opportunity to watch Tracy and March go at it in a most entertaining fashion.
Atlantic City Weekly
April 20, 2007
An all time classic
Time Out
February 09, 2006
Tolerably gripping in its old-fashioned way, thanks chiefly to old pro performances from Tracy and March as the rival lawyers and ideologists.
Director Kramer at his most unbearably high-minded and ostentatious
EmanuelLevy.Com
March 18, 2008
Director Stanley Kramer can't overcome the trepidations of a verbose courtroom drama, so he lets his two actors, Spencer Tracy and Fredric March dominate and go at each other, pretending it's a deep play of ideas.
Spencer Tracy does his cuddly curmudgeon turn as Clarence Darrow; it's a lazy, vague performance, but its wit provides the only crack of light in the film's somber, gray overcast.
