It’s all about the fabulous “Monkey Trial” that rocked America!

Schoolteacher Bertram Cates is arrested for teaching his students Darwin's theory of evolution. The case receives national attention and one of the newspaper reporters, E.K. Hornbeck, arranges to bring in renowned defense attorney and atheist Henry Drummond to defend Cates. The prosecutor, Matthew Brady is a former presidential candidate, famous evangelist, and old adversary of Drummond.

Cast & crew

Stanley Kramer

Director

Spencer Tracy

Henry Drummond

Fredric March

Matthew Harrison Brady

Gene Kelly

E.K. Hornbeck

Dick York

Bertram T. Cates

Donna Anderson

Rachel Brown

Harry Morgan

Judge Mel

Claude Akins

Rev. Jeremiah Brown

Elliott Reid

Prosecutor Tom Davenport

Paul Hartman

Bailiff Mort Meeker

Philip Coolidge

Mayor Jason Carter

Jimmy Boyd

Howard

Noah Beery Jr.

John Stebbins

Norman Fell

WGN Radio Technician

G

Gordon Polk

George Sillers

Hope Summers

Mrs. Krebs - Righteous Townswoman

Ray Teal

Jessie H. Dunlap

Renee Godfrey

Mrs. Stebbins

Florence Eldridge

Sarah Brady

J

John Alban

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

L

Leon Alton

Townsman (uncredited)