This bird don't sing

Rating: 6/10 (12 May 2006)

This much-praised movie is about a lawyer and his children living in a racially divisive South in the 1930s. Although the central theme concerns the lawyer defending a black man accused of raping a white woman, much of the film is devoted to the exploits of the children as they play games and make trouble. Therein lies the problem. Watching the children at play is only mildly interesting. The focus shifts to the rape trial for a while and then its back to the children and a weird neighbor (Duvall), who seems to be from another movie. The film is poorly constructed, lacking focus. Peck is good as Finch, who is portrayed as a decent fellow but certainly not the greatest hero in American cinema as AFI would have us believe. Considering its reputation, a very disappointing film.