Inherit the Wind (1960)

Nominated for 4 Academy Awards:

Best Actor: Spencer Tracy

Best Adapted Screenplay

Best Cinematography, Black-and-White

Best Editing

 

I feel like I’ve been seeing more of Spencer Tracy in these past few month than I did in the past, and since I’ve never been a fan nor a hater, I’m happy to discover this Oscar-nominated performance that features a clash of two Hollywood titans: Tracy vs Fredric March. I never really compared their acting styles, but in this film they are in a clear contrast, both their characters and the acting methods.

Tracy is natural, realistic, approachable, and delivers maybe the best I’ve seen him do from his Oscar nominated roles. March, who I usually love, is doing something very different here: he overacts his heart out under a lot of funny looking makeup. I am not sure what they were going for with his character; at times, he is sensational in this larger-than-life role, but at other times the overacting is too distracting and it ends up just looking silly. Not his finest work, for sure. The film itself is just fine, I was expecting a more exciting ending, but it’s great seeing the two giants go head to head, and March vs Gene Kelly is fun as well.

 

I give it: 7.5/10

IMDB LINK