beautiful Scout, great Peck

Rating: 10/10 (11 October 2005)

There are films that are important to understand. And there are films that you understand are important. From the third frame, you know; you know because the tracks to your limbs from the nerve-centre in your brain close down for engineering works, and your attention thereby freed repulses attacks from any other thought-source with vicious ruthlessness. You leave the cinema feeling cleanly dirty. And you can pronounce that how you want.
This film is full of people doing noble things. There are some ignoble ones as well, but somehow they don't matter - and it illustrates so powerfully the inability of the liar to sustain his cause under the feeblest pressure that this is only surpassed by the way it handles truth as something to be expressed in between the script.
Ah! the script!! In an earlier review of this film, one which bit the dust when my video recorder decided to remind me that I hadn't watched the second half again yet by taking itself off pause, I quoted a few lines. Now I don't want to quote lines any more: context isn't so important, but implication that the script has peaks and troughs is a dangerous business: what can you afford to ignore in this movie? That's if you can take your eyes off Mary Badham as Scout long enough to realise that there are other fine performances in this movie. But somehow, you come out knowing that Gregory Peck is a noble man who deserves the luck of having such a violent daughter with an insatiable appetite for outdoing her sibling. Who, in terms of the Deep South at least, is heroically noble to resist the sort of savagery that we are always left with the impression formed a staple part of the alleged-rape-victim's upbringing. I say alleged because I don't need to say any more. And if you still don't understand that, watch what Peck does after he has proved that Mr Ewell is left-handed. Or what Mr Cunningham does when he is confronted and exposed.
I began by saying that there was a class of films that you just know are important. There are films you can find many reasons to watch. But the really great films don't let you find reasons not to make you watch them again. To improve yourself in life? Either make a stock exchange fortune, or imagine yourself getting the reception that Atticus gets when he leaves the courtroom after the verdict.
I've gone ten because forty-seven would have been an excess. And spoiled the integrity of this website.
I don't normally do positive discrimination, but I'm going to make an exception. Well, it's positive discrimination only in terms of feeling I had to mention something about Tom Robinson, or indeed, the reverend, or indeed any of the other coloured characters. Boo Radley isn't an especial hero in the film; nor Scout, nor indeed Atticus Finch. Poverty for them does not preclude happiness. They are merely doing jobs. Even when Atticus takes it in the face from the alcoholic, it is nothing compared to the suffering of a group of people who are systematically oppressed. The heroes of this film are people under pressure, using their situation to encourage others to create less pressure in the hope of awakening nobler deeds. Try the defendant for size.
Peace,
Fernsy