A 1962 movie directed by Robert Mulligan based on the book of the same name.
< read all 2 reviewsThe action is seen through Lee's persona, "Scout" (Mary Badham), the younger of the two Finch children. The trial becomes the focal point of the narrative, with the courtroom becoming Finch's pulpit. His eloquent appeals for justice and racial tolerance are directed to everyone in the town, not only to members of the jury. As directed by Robert Mulligan, all members of the cast perform brilliantly. Of special interest is the screen debut of Robert Duvall as Boo Radley, a mysterious recluse who eventually becomes significantly involved in the plot. Thanks to Peck's skills under Mulligan's direction, this is not a "preachy" film. Finch is as credible to those who see this film as he is to those in the town in which he and his children live. When making word associations with the name Gregory Peck, intelligence, integrity, and dignity immediately come to mind. All three describe Finch. Credit must also be given to Horton Foote who wrote the highly literate screenplay based on Lee's autobiographical novel. This is a great film primarily because it contains a great performance by Peck and because (through Finch) it makes a power appeal to the best that is within us, whatever the color of our skin may be.
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To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American drama film based on the novel of the same name by Harper Lee. It was directed by Robert Mulligan and stars Mary Badham in the role of Scout and 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. In 2003 the American Film Institute named Atticus Finch the greatest movie hero of the 20th century.
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 ...