Life in the Deep South during the Depression...

Rating: 10/10 (27 May 2005)

I first saw this movie, and read Harper Lee's prize-winning novel, when I was in High School. And the subject matter has stood the test of time...
'To Kill a Mockingbird' would have to be one of the classic on-screen court-room dramas and Gregory Peck once said that his award-winning portrayal of Atticus Finch, a small-town lawyer during the Depression, was his crowning achievement as an actor.
The other character dominating the movie is 'Scout', Atticus' school-age daughter, who seems like she would rather be a boy at times. Her adult character (never seen on screen) acts as a narrator, quietly reflecting on and interpreting some of what we see.
'Jem' is Scout's older brother. Jem and Scout's mother had passed away previously and there is a touching scene early in the film where the children quietly remember their mother and are overheard by Atticus. At the same time Sheriff Tate arrives to offer Atticus the most difficult case of his career -- that of Tom Robinson.
Tom is an African-American and race relations in the 'Deep South' is another major theme of the film. Tom has been accused by a white woman, and will face a white judge and white jury. Some might say that the movie points to social inequalities and the fallibility of our judicial system.
The movie is filmed in black and white and this seemed wholly appropriate given the subject matter and austere setting. It's a poignant movie that can be enjoyed many times over...