A breath of thoughtful air..

Rating: 10/10 (2 January 2011)

I first watched 'To Kill a Mockingbird' when I was about ten. At that time my big hero was John Wayne who would normally be the good guy that would gun down the baddies. Yes, there were the offerings of right and wrong in these films and were, as ever, compounded by violence, which was,as it is now, an attraction TKAB has it's hero in the guise of Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), a lawyer in a racially divided Alabama town. To me, at my tender age, this character became a different hero who portrayed strength and conviction without violence or aggression. I was continually drawn in by Peck's wonderful performance as the Lawyer Finch. The guidance, patience and moralising he offers to his young motherless children, Jem and Scout. His display of unwavering duty in the face of adversity whilst preparing to defend a young black man who is accused of rape. Also,Finch offers great restrain in situations that would have given John Wayne the right hump. All in all, I was able to take on board the goodness of this character, not in a 'Goody-Goody' sense, but seeing another way of being tough and strong. There are good performances from Phillip Alford and Mary Badham who play Jem and Scout. They are central to the whole story and their characters offer a blend of honesty, naivety and adventure not to mention a strong sense of curiosity, particularly concerning the goings on involving their father who they continuously refer to as Atticus. I saw the film for a third time just recently, and loved it just as much as when I first saw it. I would also recommend the book by Harper Lee on which the film is based.