A wonderfully adapted classic to the big screen. Atticus personifies the true American hero

Rating: 9/10 (16 May 2015)

"Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passing."
To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those rare classic films that actually manages to hold up to its source material. Harper Lee's novel is so touching and powerful that it would've been a shame if the film didn't do it justice, but after 50 years I can honestly say that it holds up as a true classic. The story is told through the point of view of a young innocent girl who sees her attorney father as a hero and that is what makes this story so easy to engage with. It's a film that focuses on social injustice and it is told through an innocent child's perspective which gives it a fresh spin. The courtroom scene is powerful and moving, but everything that leads up to it is also very fascinating. Watching the children play and gossip about their mysterious neighbor is sort of a parable for the social injustice that the story tackles on later in the film. It's as if Lee were trying to show us how primitive and childish society had become during that time of racial segregation. The film is wonderfully directed by Robert Mulligan and perfectly adapted by Horton Foote. After I return from my vacations I will try to write a more thoughtful and insightful review, but for now I wanted to point out some of my initial thoughts about this inspiring movie. I can finally understand why this is Clark Kent's favorite movie because Aticcus FInch is simply the personification of that superhero. Gregory Peck gives a masterful performance, but he did have a great character to work with.