This is a fictionalized retelling of the Scopes Monkey Trial, and although they did rewrite the events somewhat, the basic details are there: a high school science teacher (Dick York) teaches the basics of evolutionary theory in defiance of a town law prohibiting the teaching of evolution, and it becomes a cause celebre*.

And is it ever a knockout! Filmed in black and white, with Fredric March arguing the William Jennings Bryan anti-evolution side, and Spencer Tracy playing the character based on Clarance Darrow. Gene Kelly does a tremendous job as a newspaper reporter who is just there for the story.

The story is well-written, fast paced and besides the actors mentioned above, Claude Akins plays the rabid local minister, and Harry Morgan is the judge.

A good drama, rent it if you haven't seen it before.

*The story I heard about the real Scopes trial is that a bunch of town leaders were sitting around in a bar talking about how they could get some money into the town, and they talked Scopes into teaching a class on evolution so they could arrest him, it would get in the papers and generate a little publicity...but then things got a little out of hand, to say the least!