He did indeed win the Scopes trial; Darrow appealed based on a technicality (that the $100 fine was determined by the judge, not the jury). But how could Bryan have suffered politically from the Scopes trial? He died in his sleep in Dayton, right after the trial ended.

So:

True Colors

“I think you got it backwards pal: first you go to law school then you become a scumbag with no regard for the truth.”

Not a particularly good movie, but it is about lawyers and it’s not favorable, unlike too many of the movies above which idealize lawyers.

Not exactly a lawyer movie, but it does deal with corporations and the reasons for corporate behavior being what it is, so it’s kind of peripherally related to the Law, and the final scene, with Gregory Peck vs. Danny Devito, is truly one of the classic face to face showdowns of all time, worthy of comparison to any courtroom drama’s final summations.

And it does contain this lovely little gem of a quote about lawyers that makes my post fully OT even if you disagree with me on the above:

“Well, for someone who has nothing nice to say about lawyers, you certainly have enough of them around.”
“They’re like nuclear warheads. They have theirs, so I have mine. Once you use ’em, they f*** up everything.”
– “Other People’s Money” –

By my lights, 12 Angry Men is far and away the best courtroom film/play of all time.

The true story of the trial is essentially the movie Preston Surges never made. “Summer for the Gods,” by Edward J Larson is the only historically accurate book I’m aware of. After learning the true history of the trial, I found “inherit the Wind,” a movie I’d previously enjoyed, nauseating.

If you spend some time learning the true history of the trial,or just read Larson’s book, you will be amply rewarded.