One of the few films that is as good as the book

Rating: 9/10 (29 June 1999)

To Kill a Mockingbird has always been a favourite of mine. I may have done myself a favour years ago when I decided to read the Harper Lee book before watching the film. It still amazes me to this day how exactly similar Robert Duvall's Boo Radley was to the one I pictured in my mind.
Mulligan directed a fine film using a well established movie-star (Gregory Peck) and two children who hadn't been in any films previous to this. The performances of the children is of something beyond acting and it is this aspect that makes the film work so well. The film isn't overly long (which it could have very well been) especially throughout the courtroom scene.
The issues dealt with during the film were still very touchy at the time this film was released. Perhaps the fact that this film is seen from the young girls viewpoint helps to be almost completely unbiased. The scene in which the lynching mob tries to get at Atticus and Tom shows the innocence of Scout, especially during her discussion with the father of one of her classmates. The whole basis of this film is the innocence of the children and how they make their way through the adventures and fears of the summer.
I fully recommend this film to all.
9/10 stars.