An Excellent Coming of Age Story

Rating: 10/10 (21 March 2006)

If there was ever a film about the innocence of children and the things they had to go through while growing up, this is that film. It is the quintessential coming of age story and it will never be forgotten.
Gregory Peck plays Atticus Finch, the father of Jem and Scout. His wife passed when the children were very young and Scout doesn't remember much about her. Atticus must serve as father and mother to both of them while still trying to maintain dignity and respect as he defends a black man in 1930s Alabama.
The film is based on Harper Lee's book of the same name. There are many differences between the film and novel, but the main points are kept in tact. The book had many lessons for everyone including racism and equality. The film takes those two main points and marvelously tells a tale of the prejudices inside us all.
Not only is racism a factor, but also just how we look at the social classes and even people who are just different in mannerisms. To Kill a Mockingbird is many lessons wrapped into a two hour movie, but those two hours pack so much of a wallop that you'll be shaken and engrossed at many parts of the film.
Each character is developed exactly the way Lee intended. Robert Mulligan's direction is nearly flawless and Gregory Peck's performance as our hero is one of the greatest in all of cinematic history. It's definitely the best film of 1962 and one of the five best of the '60s. If you have any compassion for your childhood, I urge you to see this excellent film.