To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Movies picks. It’s also one of their 10 Best Courtroom Dramas (the actual best).
I re-read the book earlier this year for book club (one of my fellow members hadn’t read it) and it was just as wonderful as I remembered. I saw this movie well before I read the book (I was in advanced English the year the AP kids read it and AP the year the advanced English class read it in high school) but when I finally did read it, we fell in love.
The book (and movie) combine two of my favorite things: coming-of-age narrative and courtroom dramas. It’s set in the south and deals with all these hard issues but through the eyes of a child (so in that way, similar to Emma Donoghue’s Room—but even better).
And the movie has the added bonus of starring Gregory Peck who is, I believe, one of the best actors ever.
If you haven’t read or seen this, do so. NOW. You will be so happy you did.
Hard to argue with at all. Even though I think the film is so great, I couldn’t include it in the “better than the book” post for obvious reasons. Both book and film are so wonderful.
I agree with Steve. The film nailed the book, and the book was amazing: they were both born of skill and hard work, but there’s a certain intangible “lightning in a bottle” factor. Maybe the story was so important that the Universe gave everyone involved a nudge.
I’ve always liked Gregory Peck, and there is nobody else I can envision playing Atticus Finch. That said, if the Scout actress hadn’t been so spot-on, the film wouldn’t have worked so well. imho
I think everyone was just perfect. I didn’t see any area where improvements could be made.
Well, would it have killed ‘em to put in a car chase? ;-)