Gene Kelly as E.K. Hornbeck: Bringing H.L. Mencken to Life in Inherit the Wind
When Inherit the Wind (1960) was released, audiences met E.K. Hornbeck, a sharp-tongued journalist covering the Scopes Monkey Trial. Played by Gene Kelly, Hornbeck was a thinly disguised version of H.L. Mencken, the real-life reporter who covered the actual trial in 1925. It was an unusual role for Kelly, who was famous for musicals like Singin’ in the Rain and An American in Paris, but his performance as the cynical newsman is one of the film’s most interesting aspects.
H.L. Mencken and the Scopes Trial
Mencken was one of the most influential journalists of his time, known for his sharp wit and his open contempt for what he saw as anti-intellectualism. Covering the Scopes Trial for the Baltimore Sun, he coined the term “Monkey Trial” and portrayed William Jennings Bryan (the basis for Fredric March’s character, Matthew Brady) as an out-of-touch reactionary. His reporting was as entertaining as it was ruthless, making him both admired and despised.
Gene Kelly’s Unexpected Casting
Gene Kelly wasn’t the kind of actor people associated with Mencken. By 1960, he was known for his dance-heavy roles, where he played charming, energetic leads. But Inherit the Wind gave him a chance to do something different. As Hornbeck, Kelly dials down his usual warmth, delivering sarcastic one-liners with a smirk. His Hornbeck seems to enjoy making fun of Brady and the people of Hillsboro, and he rarely misses an opportunity to remind them how much smarter he thinks he is.
Kelly’s version of Mencken is a little different from the real one. The actual Mencken could be just as cutting, but he was also deeply engaged in the issues at hand. Hornbeck, by contrast, often seems like he’s just enjoying the show. That may have been a choice by screenwriters Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith, who streamlined the historical figures to fit the story.
The Legacy of Kelly’s Hornbeck
Even though Inherit the Wind is mainly about the courtroom battle between Spencer Tracy’s Henry Drummond (based on Clarence Darrow) and Fredric March’s Brady, Kelly’s Hornbeck serves an important role. He represents the press—both as a commentator and as someone shaping public opinion. In his final scene, when he dismisses Brady’s death and Drummond calls him out for his lack of empathy, the film makes it clear that Hornbeck’s cynicism is just another form of narrow-mindedness.
Kelly didn’t leave musicals behind, but Inherit the Wind showed he could take on a serious role and make it work. His version of Hornbeck is a fascinating take on Mencken—witty, detached, and always ready with a sharp remark, but not necessarily as invested in the trial’s outcome as the real journalist was.