To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Directed by: Robert Mulligan | 124 minutes | drama | Actors: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, John Megna, Ruth White, Paul Fix, Brock Peters, Frank Overton, Rosemary Murphy, Collin Wilcox, Robert Duvall

At the time, few studios were eager to adapt Harper Lee’s award-winning novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. After all, a story about a middle-aged lawyer with two children, and without (explicit) violence, romance or action, doesn’t seem like really golden film material. However, these unconventional ingredients and approach have managed to give the film a special kind of veracity. You get the feeling of really getting a glimpse into the lives of the characters in the film and being part of the community in that one Southern village, Maycomb.

The rustic, yet brooding atmosphere of Maycomb in the thirties is perfectly conveyed, something that Harper Lee himself testified at the time. This is admirable, as the village was not filmed on location, but was recreated on Universal Studios property.

Another important element in conveying the right feeling to the viewer is the beautiful music of Elmer Bernstein. His apparently simple, but ingenious piano melodies, composed to reflect a child’s perception of the world, evoke a moving, melancholic feeling.

Because children are central to ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. The themes of racism and civil rights that are largely the subject of the story reach us only as part of the children’s gaze. We follow these children in their growth process, as they slowly discover that the world is complex and has dark sides. They want to know how this world works and go in search of the unknown.

This means, on the one hand, that they want to know who their father is and what he is up to; especially when a process is going to take place that causes a lot of resistance among the population. On the other hand, this means that they explore their fears by trying to get closer and closer to Arthur “Boo” Radley’s house. The wildest stories are circulating in the community about the shy Radley, who is kept indoors by his eccentric father; he is portrayed as an actual monster. This also happens with the rape accused Robinson, who is immediately seen as immoral, deceitful and inferior simply because of his skin color. It is the fear of the unknown, the fear of the “other”. This other “must” be eliminated, even if he does no harm, in order to create a (false) sense of security or control.

However, this control over one’s own life stems rather from the opposite: becoming acquainted with, and attempting to understand, the other. This is what Atticus is trying to teach his kids, and what the actual theme of the movie is. His motto is that you can’t judge someone without walking in their shoes. Jem and Scout symbolize this realization with their own imaginative adventure with Boo Radley (also depicted as such, with dramatic music and shadows). Even this monstrous figure they want and will eventually get to know as he really is. Halfway through the film, for example, we see how Jem has in his possession a box with objects found in a tree cavity from Boo. He and Scout try to move around Boo using these objects. And the reverse is also true: among the objects are homemade figurines that should represent Scout and Jem.

Atticus is the ideal father, and an example to everyone in society in the way in which he always pursues and does the right thing. Not so long ago, this character was chosen as the greatest movie hero of all time and it’s not hard to see why. Gregory Peck plays this role in a cool, yet moving way and is extremely believable as the righteous lawyer. Another notable achievement comes from Mary Badham, who (like Phillip Alford, as Jem) had no acting experience at all, but here is utterly convincing as the boyish Scout, and has a natural interplay with Peck. The scene where she, while lying in bed, talks to Atticus about his pocket watch (and eventually her deceased mother) is truly magical. But pretty much everyone is excellent. Brock Peters is impressive as the emotionally overwhelmed Robinson, Frank Overton is as Bob Ewell, the father of the “raped” girl, the ultimate personification of evil, and Robert Duvall in his debut role as Boo Radley shows a great feat of subtle acting. He is only on screen for a few minutes, but leaves an indelible impression.

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is a uniquely idiosyncratic film. Nothing spectacular happens, long sections are devoted to seemingly irrelevant events, and the film doesn’t have a traditional happy ending (especially if you watch the film). [louter] considered court drama). However, the viewer who can accept this will be able to enjoy a rich, impressive film.