True To Its Source, While Also Adding Some Iconic Canon

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2017)

When judging a film based on a spectacularly popular novel, there are two things that I usually look for: 1. Does it stick to the compelling themes of the source material reasonably well? I don't need word-for-word and I don't even mind little changes here and there, but it should be faithful to the themes that made the literature iconic. 2. Does it add something unique to the equation? Print literature and film are too entirely different beasts to tame (just ask Stephen King about that!), and one doesn't necessarily (or even usually) translate well into the other. In essence, you can't just expect a movie to be successful because the book was likewise. The film-makers need to make sure the translation is fit for the big screen.
On both of those counts, "To Kill A Mockingbird" receives a solid "A" grade.
For a basic plot summary, this film focuses on a number of events transpiring in the small community of Maycomb, GA during the 1930s. Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), a lawyer, is called upon to defend a Negro man, Tom Robinson (Brock Peters) over allegations of rape from white woman Mayella Ewell (Collin Wilcox) and her father (James Anderson). While this race-fueled trial grips Maycomb, the children of Atticus have their own coming-of-age adventures. Jean- Louise, or "Scout" (Mary Badham) and Jem (Phillip Alford) make a new friend in out-of-towner Dill (John Megna), obsess over the neighborhood legend of Arthur "Boo" Radley, and try (as best they can) to come to terms with their father's work.
In terms of capturing the iconic themes of the novel, this film is able to accomplish that heady task, of which much credit can be given to director Robert Mulligan. In terms of getting the "gist" of the story, I could recommend either the book OR the novel (though I would highly recommended both!) and feel confident the message would come across in either format. It is also a film that can be enjoyed by children and adults in equal measure. Children will feel akin to young Scout, while adults will be taken in by the solemn themes interspersed with recollections of more "innocent" (or were they) and youthful days.
What makes "To Kill A Mockingbird" truly special, though, is that Peck's Atticus Finch is easily one of the most iconic film characters of all time. I can't imagine reading the novel now and not picturing him as Atticus. He's the father figure of all big-screen father figures. While Atticus was a powerfully-written character even in the novel, one could argue that Peck even transcends that literature and brings more depth to the character. The courtroom scenes featuring Atticus in this movie are truly riveting no matter how many times you see them.
Thus, I have to consider "To Kill A Mockingbird" to be one of my favorite all-time films. Even having seen it and read the book a number of times, it can still bring a tear to my eye and stir some pretty deep emotions. Both film and book complement each other perfectly.