As part of their Arts4Freedom programming, Holland Zeeland Indivisible is pleased to host two classic films in Holland in September: Inherit the Wind and The Great Dictator.

Inherit the Wind

Historian Jeanne Petit, chair of the Hope College History Department, and dramatist Norman Bert, professor emeritus of theatre at Texas Tech University, will provide commentary.

Inherit the Wind, originally released in 1960, features Spencer Tracy and Fredric March. Written in response to the McCarthy years, it was a fictionalized account of the Scopes Monkey Trial in Tennessee in 1925. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert said, “It is Inherit the Wind, among all of director Stanley Kramer’s films that seems most relevant and still generates controversy.” The film earned four Academy Award nominations and was a Top 10 Films award winner from the National Board of Review. 

Admission is free; a cash bar and popcorn will be available.

Holland Zeeland Indivisible, Out on the Lakeshore, the Hope College History Department, In Memory of Luke Silvasi, and others. Maggie Einhaus, project lead for the film screenings, says, “We’ve selected these films for their timeless relevance. We hope people will come ready to be both entertained and intrigued!”

Arts4Freedom is designed to give voice through the arts to people of all ages to celebrate the experiences, cultures, and identities that shape the fabric of our nation. Free expression and independent thinking are both core to our American experience: We elevate both through this series of events.