Monday, June 11, 2007

To Kill a Mockingbird - 1962, directed by Robert Mulligan


About as good as it gets in novel adaptations. A flawless interpretation of one of the most popular novels ever written. Mulligan breathes life into Harper Lee's words, and every scene perfectly captures the magic found in reading it. Featuring what I consider to be the apex of all child actor performances in Mary Badham's Scout, and an award worthy turn by screen legend Gregory Peck, To Kill a Mockingbird gets everything right.

Widowed lawyer Atticus Finch (Peck) and his two children Scout and Jem, live in the racially divided town of Maycomb, Alabama. The story is told through the eyes of young Scout, who is making her own discoveries of friendship, mystery and youthful intrigue. Atticus has taken on the case of representing Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, and is receiving no support from his fellow townspeople. Meanwhile, the children, along with neighbourhood pal Dill, develop a sense of fear and fascination with the mysterious Boo Radley (Robert Duvall).

The story's innocent point of view is contrasted with the ignorance and racial intolerance of the townspeople. At times we are taken from the children's dallying to scenes depicting the lengths the townspeople will go to, to stack the odds against Tom. There are other scenes that relay this same contrast, and shows us how much better the world would be if we viewed things through the eyes of a child.

The movie's title describes the film's two central plots: the town residents' baseless fear and hatred towards Tom, and the children's unjustified fear of Boo. The connection is best described in the film from a quote made by Atticus:

Atticus Finch: I remember when my daddy gave me that gun. He told me that I should never point it at anything in the house; and that he'd rather I'd shoot at tin cans in the backyard. But he said that sooner or later he supposed the temptation to go after birds would be too much, and that I could shoot all the blue jays I wanted - if I could hit 'em; but to remember it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. Well, I reckon because mockingbirds don't do anything but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat people's gardens, don't nest in the corncrib, they don't do one thing but just sing their hearts out for us.

Then 10-year old Mary Badham delivers possibly the most natural screen performance I've ever seen - not to mention the best child performance. Her work here deservedly holds a place in my 10 Favourite Screen Performances of All-Time list. Gregory Peck is superb as her father Atticus, and underplays the role beautifully. It's hard to argue against his Oscar win. Robert Duvall's limited role as Boo is also deserving of mention.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a fascinating movie. It manages to be sweet without sugar coating, and enlightening without being preachy. The score thoroughly creates and maintains the right atmosphere, and the cinematography is impeccable. Few films manage to create this level of perfection, and To Kill a Mockingbird is one of 'em.

© 2007 Kim Bartlett

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