The sheer definition of a classic and possibly the most important film ever made

Rating: 10/10 (4 September 2015)

I'm not the only reviewer to state how important this film is. I have seen it before but its been years. I fell in love with the book when I read it in High School and the film is probably one of, if not thee, most beloved adaptations to film ever made and its easy to see why. The same heart and soul that brings the book to life comes through in the film equally and that is no easy feat. Its a coming of age film, but its also a film completely and utterly indicative of its time and locale. You're not watching a movie, you are completely involved in this little town and in the Finch family. You are standing right there with Scout and Jem and you are in silent awe of the powerful and yet subtle man that is Atticus Finch. Gregory Peck was likely born to play this role as was several of the other characters. The film is so mysterious in the way they approach Boo Radley that you are literally a kid on the street with them anxious and curious about Radley. For whatever reason we don't see the accused Tom Robinson until well through halfway the film. Despite being black and white, there is something vibrant and completely powerful about the setting of the film. And the closing battle in the courtroom is easily one of the most awe inspiring scenes in cinema history period.
Gregory Peck was an icon of Hollywood long before this and long after. I'm not sure I've even see other work by him yet. His portrayal of Atticus Finch is easily the most respected performance in cinema and its easy to see why because it is just a natural, fluid performance. He's quiet, stoic, low key and yet behind all of this you see the fire and passion for justice, a wild side of youth, the fierce protective streak he has for his children, the sadness of losing his wife...the performance is mesmerizing. You would think anyone else acting with him would pale in comparison but not the case at all. Mary Badham (Oscar nominated performance) and Phillip Alford give two of the best young person performances I've ever soon. They are completely amazing as siblings Scout and Jem. Their chemistry is untouchable, their performance mesmerizing, and the three of them (with Peck) are unbelievable. Even still this doesn't count on the amazing cast performance from the supporting characters. John Megna, Frank Overton, Brock Peters, Estelle Evans, Collin Paxton, Richard Hale, James Anderson and Robert Duvall (in his debut performance) make what is one of the best casts of a film ever. They make this little dirt poor town come to life and you don't feel empathy for them as much as you just feel like you are there experiencing it.
Nowadays when a director comes exclusively from Television, I find that they have a really hard time translating stories into feature length films as opposed to serialized like TV. Director Robert Mulligan did come from Television and yet it seems like he had this ability to take an entire series worth of character development and make these characters come to life in just over two hours. He tells a lifetime of a story in one feature film and its unforgettable. That is what makes To Kill A Mockingbird a classic...you watch it and you will never forget it. Lines that Scout and Atticus speak, Peck's infamous closing dialogue at the trial, Boo Radley's appearance...you can just watch this again and again and take something different away from it or experience it as though you were watching for the first time. If you wonder where Hollywood Magic has gone...watch this and see when that Magic was at its height. 10/10