Adaptation of the 1955 play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, previously filmed in 1960 and based on the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial. Tennessee science teacher Bertram Cates (Tom Everett Scott) is being prosecuted for teaching evolution. Agnostic attorney Henry Drummond (Lemmon) comes to town to defend Cates against respected, conservative prosecutor Matthew Harrison Brady (George C. Scott) who wants to keep religious teachings in the school.