To Kill a Mockingbird is a
drama film based on the
novel of the same name by
Harper Lee. It was directed by
Robert Mulligan and stars
Gregory Peck in the role of
Atticus Finch.
In 1995, the film was listed in the
National Film Registry. It also ranks twenty-fifth on the
American Film Institute's
10th anniversary list of the greatest American movies of all time, and #1 on
AFI's list of best courtroom films.
Plot
"Scout" Finch (
Mary Badham) is a six-year-old tomboy growing up in Maycomb,
Alabama in
1932, in the depths of the
Great Depression. Along with her brother "Jem" (
Phillip Alford), and their friend "Dill" (
John Megna), she leads a carefree life. Their father is
Atticus Finch (
Gregory Peck), a widower, and an attorney with deeply-held principles. When young Tom Robinson (
Brock Peters), a black man, is falsely accused of raping a white woman (
Collin Wilcox) Atticus is appointed to defend him, although a guilty verdict from an all-white jury is expected by everyone – which is exactly what happens, even though Atticus shows that Tom is innocent. Atticus tries to have the verdict overturned, but Tom tries to escape from jail and is killed. To get back at Atticus, the father of the supposed rape victim (
James Anderson) attacks Scout and Jem, but Boo Radley (
Robert Duvall), a mentally retarded neighbor whom the children have made fun of and built up into the local
boogeyman, saves them by killing their attacker. The Sheriff decides to promulgate that the death was accidental, and Boo is not put on trial.
[IMDB Plot summaries][TCM Full synopsis]
Cast
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Production and reception
The character of Atticus in this movie has been deemed the #1
greatest hero of American film, as rated by the
American Film Institute.
[AFI's 100 Years List] It is also
Robert Duvall's big-screen debut, as the misunderstood recluse Boo Radley. The movie was nominated for eight
Academy Awards, winning three. In 1995,
To Kill a Mockingbird was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry by the
Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Phillip Alford, who played the role of Jem, did not initially want to audition for the part. However, when his mother informed him that he would miss a half day of school, he quickly changed his mind. Additionally, he became upset during the filming of the scene at the breakfast table, when
Mary Badham, who played Scout, had trouble performing the scene properly. By way of retaliating, during the scene where Jem rolls Scout in a tire, he intentionally rolled the tire toward an equipment truck.
[To Kill a Mockingbird Movie Page]
According to Kim Hamilton, who played the part of Helen Robinson in the movie, Gregory Peck was the consummate gentleman. She recalled a scene where her character collapses after hearing the news of her husband's death, and Peck, as Atticus, picks her up and carries her into the house. "He was such a gentleman," she says. "I never forgot that."
Critical reception
Gregory Peck's performance became synonymous with the role and character of Atticus Finch. Alan J. Pakula remembered hearing from Peck when he was first approached with the role: "He called back immediately. No maybes. The fit was among the most natural things about a most natural film. I must say the man and the character he played were not unalike."
[Nichols, Peter. "Time Can't Kill 'Mockingbird'; [1]." New York Times: February 27, 1998. pg. E.1] Peck later said in an interview that he was drawn to the role because the book reminded him of growing up in
La Jolla, California.
[King, Susan. "How the Finch Stole Christmas; Q & A WITH GREGORY PECK." Los Angeles Times: December 22, 1997. pg. 1] "Hardly a day passes that I don't think how lucky I was to be cast in that film," Peck said in a 1997 interview. "I recently sat at a dinner next to a woman who saw it when she was 14 years old, and she said it changed her life. I hear things like that all the time."
[Bobbin, Jay. "Gregory Peck is Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird." Birmingham News (Alabama): December 21, 1997 Pg. 1F.]
Upon Peck's death in 2003,
Brock Peters, who played Tom Robinson in the film version, quoted Harper Lee at Peck's eulogy, saying, "Atticus Finch gave him an opportunity to play himself". Peters concluded his eulogy stating, "To my friend Gregory Peck, to my friend Atticus Finch, vaya con Dios."
[Hoffman, Allison, Rubin, H. "Peck Memorial Honors Beloved Actor and Man; The longtime star is remembered for his integrity and constancy." Los Angeles Times: June 17, 2003. pg. B.1.] Peters remembered the role of Tom Robinson when he recalled, "It certainly is one of my proudest achievements in life, one of the happiest participations in film or theater I have experienced."
[Oliver, Myrna. "Obituaries; Brock Peters, 78; Stage, Screen, TV Actor Noted for Role in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'; " Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: August 24, 2005. pg. B.8.] Peters remained friends not only with Peck but with Mary Badham throughout his life.
The
American Film Institute named Atticus Finch the greatest movie hero of the 20th century. Additionally, the AFI ranked the movie second on their
100 Cheers list, behind
It's a Wonderful Life, and twenty-fifth on the list of
greatest American films of all time.
In June 2008, the AFI revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community.
To Kill a Mockingbird was acknowledged as the best film in the courtroom drama genre.
In 2007, Hamilton was honored by the
Harlem community for her part in the movie. She is the last surviving African-American adult who had a speaking part in the movie. When told of the award, she said, "I think it is terrific. I'm very pleased and very surprised."
["Harlem community honors 'Mockingbird' actress" from the USA Today.]
Taglines
- The most beloved and widely read Pulitzer Prize Winner now comes vividly alive on the screen!
- The most beloved Pulitzer Prize book now comes vividly alive on the screen!
- If you have read the novel, you will relive every treasured moment...If not, a deeply moving experience awaits you!
Awards and honors
Academy Awards
The film won three Oscars
Golden Globe Awards
It won three Golden Globes as well
Others
In 1995,
To Kill a Mockingbird was entered into the
National Film Registry by the
Library of Congress, deemed as "culturally, aesthetically and historically" significant
American Film Institute recognition
Notes
External links
wikiquote
Robert Mulligan
American films
