Classic books don't always beget classic films

Rating: 6/10 (21 December 2008)

A classic book about a noble theme doesn't guarantee a classic film. I started the DVD with high hopes but found the barely intelligible infantile antics of the first hour almost unwatchable. Did it have to take that long to introduce the unseen Boo Radley and announce an accusation of rape?
The courtroom scenes were excellent, as were almost all the moments when those irritating kids weren't running around, slamming doors, being stupid and shouting in high-pitched voices.
A child's words on a page, especially if precocious, don't easily translate to moving pictures. The film suffers from its attempts at faithfulness. The story is strong enough without the distractions of playground fights.
Fans of the film should visit the ridiculous 'Rotten Tomatoes' review by Emanuel (Mr Moustache) Levy. He seems to think Jem is a girl. He says that Boo is chained to a bed (not shown) and that he has yellow teeth (hard to spot in a black and white film), and that he drools.
The issues are important and an enduring embarrassment to the 'Land of the Free' (which was founded on slavery), but that's not enough to qualify the film for greatness. Judge the book on its merits and judge the film on its merits. On the screen, To Kill a Mockingbird would have worked much better as an adult story with the children as bit part players. It had its moments, but those kiddie scenes held it back.