TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

A wonderful adaptation of the Pulitzer-prize winner by Harper Lee. This is a film not to be missed by the whole family. A depiction of an imperfect world seen through the eyes of innocence.

Director Robert Mulligan's visual poetry reveals a slice of southern life in the deeply depressed 30's, set in a town very much resembling the author's hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. Here, things move in a slow, almost calculated pace. Even the creaky porch doors flap lazily in the wind.
  The opening credits regress to a forgotten yet familiar past, as a young voice hums a made-up song and the camera focuses on a child's hand scribbling with her crayons. Scattered marbles, jacks and collected trinkets in the background.

The wonderful acting of Mary Badham and Philip Alford captures the innocence as well as precociousness of the spunky 6-year-old Scout and her big brother Jem. As the two experience their everyday rambunctious adventures, you can almost imagine being there with them, rolling down the street in a spare tire or daring to approach the creepy house of crazy man Boo Radley.

Scout and Jem's father Atticus Finch is brilliantly portrayed by the superb acting of Gregory Peck. Peck won an Oscar for his remarkable performance as the respected town lawyer chosen to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman.

The most renown and still the best scene takes place when Atticus stands guard outside the jail and is approached by the town posse. The trial is another great scene revealing surprising truths. And the respect that Atticus commands becomes manifest.

"To Kill A Mockingbird" is an epic portrayal of universal truths and morals. The experience of loss of innocence, prejudice, and fairness are brought to life in this film. It will leave you contemplating how these themes live in and affect our lives now.

This film garnered eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. It was honored with three - for Best Actor (Gregory Peck), Best Adapted Screenplay (Horton Foote) and for best Art and Set Direction.

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