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Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) is a lawyer in Macon County, Alabama, an area hit hard by the Great Depression. He oftentimes trades legal work for consumables from farmers and neighbors who can’t afford to use money. This starts to establish his unwavering generosity and amicable nature. A simple exchange with the loud, crotchety old lady next door, Mrs. Dubose (Ruth White), further exemplifies his ability to communicate decently with anyone and to show respect without question. He has two children, Jem (Phillip Alford) and Scout (Mary Badham), who scurry about the town getting into bits of trouble with newfound friend Charles Baker “Dill” Harris (John Megna), a puny boy staying in town for the summer. Although the kids have no money, nothing to buy, and nowhere to go, they craft their own fun with a mission to explore the nearby house of Boo Radley (Robert Duvall), a legendary boogeyman that supposedly attacked his parents with a pair of scissors, but was never sent to an institution. Meanwhile, Atticus is appointed as the defense attorney for Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), a black man indicted for raping the white daughter of Bob Ewell (James Anderson). Despite being right-handed and having no use of his left arm due to a cotton gin accident, Tom is still fingered by Mayella Violet Ewell (Collin Wilcox) as her attacker. When the trial begins, there’s no evidence of the crime having taken place, a dependence on unreliable witness testimony, an abundance of circumstantial evidence, and an all-white jury. While Atticus wishes to keep all the ugly things in the world away from his children, he’s unable to keep them out of the courtroom, where they behold a flawed system at work, fanned by prejudices. |
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The film is narrated by Scout after she’s grown up, recounting the events of her childhood in 1932 when she was just six years old. The older, unfamiliar voice is one of the very few elements that don’t fit seamlessly into the production (akin to True Grit’s [1969] purposeful dropping of the narration), although it does bookend the feeling and lesson of righteous social evolution over time. Based on Harper Lee’s acclaimed novel, with an Academy Award-winning screenplay by Horton Foote, To Kill a Mockingbird focuses just as much on the activities of the youngsters and their adventures with Boo as it does with racism and tensions in the South. In fact, the first half is dedicated solely to developing the characters and their places in a biased society, as well as to see dark events through the eyes of innocent outsiders. The second half presents a powerful, compelling courtroom drama that showcases ignorance, diversion of guilt, dreaded societal displacement, and standing up for justice even when it is conspicuously absent. Most of the film’s distinction can be attributed to the story itself, which is so masterfully orchestrated that it’s difficult not to be affected by the potency of its themes. While the runtime is longer than necessary, there’s attention to detail, faithfulness to the source material, and intentional pacing conveying the mood. And then there’s Gregory Peck, in his most memorable performance, giving a tour de force of bravery, honor and fairness. For this setting of adversity, Finch establishes a surprising amount of civility and reasoning that marks him as a role model of the grandest sort. With Peck’s portrayal (which also won an Oscar), the careful scripting and the manner in which the role is actualized, it’s no wonder Atticus Finch was named the #1 greatest screen hero of all time by the American Film Institute. - Mike Massie
In honor of its centennial anniversary, Universal Pictures proudly salutes 100 years of unforgettable films that have entertained audiences and touched the hearts of millions around the globe. In celebration of our first 100 years, Universal Studios Home Entertainment is proud to present a selection of our many beloved movies as part of an extensive year-long program that underscores the studio's rich cinematic history and indelible cultural impact. Blu-ray™ and DVD Bonus Features: Fearful Symmetry— A feature-length documentary on the making of To Kill a Mockingbird with cast and crew interviews and a visit to author Harper Lee's home town. Bonus Features Exclusively on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack: DIGITAL COPY: Owners of the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack can also download a digital version of the full-length movie from participating digital retailers to enjoy on a choice of popular electronic and portable devices. especially to take advantage of the tablets’ larger screen and high resolution display. Consumers will be able to browse through a library of Blu-ray™ content and watch entertaining extras on-the-go in a way that’s bigger and better than ever before. pocket BLU™ offers advanced features such as: ADVANCED REMOTE CONTROL: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease. |
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