To Kill A Mockingbird

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To Kill A Mockingbird

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To Kill A Mockingbird

Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, John Megna, Phillip Alford, Brock Peters

An American film classic, based upon a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (Horton Foote won the Oscar for adapting the screenplay). In the rural American south during the depths of the Depression, two child...( read more  read more... )ren watch as their principled father takes a stand against intolerance.

Id: 10901665

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To Kill A Mockingbird Recent Reviews

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To Kill A Mockingbird Recent Reviews
  • moonrivers
    March 6, 2009
    moonrivers
    ZOWIE and how! an investigation of a youthful coming of age southern-style, with a twist of racial zenophobia thrown in...it's a big scary world out there, if we let it be...

    excellent acting thruout rounds out this absolute must-see!
  • imperatrix
    February 11, 2009
    imperatrix
    I'd read the book in school beforehand (amazing book!), probably explains why I didn't find the film all that great. But still, the film is is quite good, but then I don't really like black and white films anyway...
  • kiriyamakazou
    January 9, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    Probably the most genius decision when making this film was the choice of narrative structure. We see things through the eyes of the children. This allows time for us to get to know the characters before any indication of the main plot. It takes its time but never drags. The film...( read more) also avoids much of the needless build up found in other courtroom dramas. We see how society reacts to the case without being bogged down my legal mumbo jumbo. The film also avoids needless sentiment and presents its themes with confidence and maturity. The sub-plot is just as fascinating and lends itself to a chilling and unforgettable end.
  • sononothing
    January 6, 2009
    sononothing
    Based on Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill A Mockingbird is the story of a few summers with Jem and Scout Finch (Philip Alford and Mary Badham) in a sleepy Alabama town during the early 1930's and how they see things such as the spooky Radley house down the street...( read more) and their father Atticus' (Gregory Peck) defense of a wrongly accused black man.

    This film is just as strong and poetic as the literature its based upon. Gregory Peck becomes the soul of Atticus Finch, a man not to emotional yet he always knows the right thing to say. This is probably Peck's best work and creates a tangible vision of an American hero on the level of a John Wayne, just without the calvary.

    There isn't much action in the film yet the story flows with its unforgettable characters and the portrayal of the world these children exist in. This is one of the rare instances where the film deserves as much praise as the novel its based upon.
  • BiologyBabe2012
    December 30, 2008
    BiologyBabe2012
    Instant upgrade!
  • kfthajer
    January 4, 2010
    kfthajer
    A rare example of a film that exceeds the quality of the book. Bold words - but Gregory Peck was just born to play Atticus Finch.
  • jonnycrumley
    January 4, 2010
    jonnycrumley
    Great movie staring screen legend Gregory Peck. To Kill A Mockingbird is set around the American south during the time of the depression, where a defence lawyer tired of racial intolerance defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white local girl. I loved the story's narra...( read more)tive, and how the story was split into two parts. Peck's wonderful performance was complemented by his impressive supporting cast, young and old, and I also liked the cinematography and Elmer Bernstein's score. If you liked Mr Smith Goes To Washington, or the more recent A Time To Kill. You'll most likely love this.
  • marian22223
    January 3, 2010
    marian22223
    if you see the movie and don't read the book .. then it's a verry good movie.
  • Tecnoandre
    December 27, 2009
    Tecnoandre
    To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) is a much-loved, critically-acclaimed, classic trial film. It exhibits a dramatic tour-de-force of acting, a portrayal of childhood innocence (told from a matured adult understanding), and a progressive, enlightened 60s message about racial prejudice,...( read more) violence, moral tolerance and dignified courage.

    The Academy Award winning screenplay was faithfully adapted by screenwriter Horton Foote from the 1960 novel of the same name by Harper Lee - who had written a semi-autobiographical account of her small-town Southern life (Monroeville, Alabama), her widower father/attorney Amasa Lee, and its setting of racial unrest. [This was Lee's first and sole novel - and it won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960.] The poor Southern town of deteriorating homes was authentically re-created on a Universal Studios' set. Released in the early 60s, the timely film reflected the state of deep racial problems and social injustice that existed in the South.

    The film begins by portraying the innocence and world of play of a tomboyish six year-old girl named Scout (Mary Badham) and her ten year-old brother Jem (Phillip Alford), and their perceptions of their widower attorney father Atticus (Gregory Peck). They also fantasize about a 'boogeyman' recluse who inhabits a mysterious house in their neighborhood. They are abruptly brought out of their insulated and carefree world by their father's unpopular but courageous defense of a black man named Tom Robinson (Brock Peters) falsely accused of raping a Southern white woman. Although racism dooms the accused man, a prejudiced adult vengefully attacks the children on a dark night - they are unexpectedly delivered from real harm in the film's climax by the reclusive neighbor, "Boo" Radley.

    The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture (producer Alan J. Pakula lost to the epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962)), Best Director (Robert Mulligan), Best Supporting Actress (Mary Badham, sister of director John Badham, known for Saturday Night Fever (1977), Stakeout (1987), and other films), Best B/W Cinematography (Russell Harlan), and Best Music Score - Substantially Original (an evocative score by Elmer Bernstein). It was honored with three awards - Gregory Peck won a well-deserved Best Actor Award (his first Oscar win and fifth Oscar nomination) for his solid performance as a courageous Alabama lawyer, Horton Foote won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar (Foote won a second Oscar for Tender Mercies (1983)), and the team of Art Directors/Set Decorators also received the top honor. [Although Gregory Peck's inspirational performance as Atticus Finch turned out to be a perfect highlight to his long career, Rock Hudson was actually the studio's first choice for the role.]

    Relationships formed during filming would last for the remainder of Gregory Peck's life -- he received the pocketwatch of Harper Lee's father; he became the surrogate father to Mary Badham; and Brock Peters delivered Peck's eulogy after his death in June of 2003.
  • dianashanahan0905
    December 26, 2009
    dianashanahan0905
    it's one of those classic movies that you can't help but love.

    Although I didn't watch the whole thing because my stupid english teacher didn't have enough time.
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