Honor for To Kill a Mockingbird---50 yr celebration of film (filming, scene)

[greatblueheron]

From CNN.com/entertainment

Harper Lee's Pulitzer prize-winning novel was made into film 50 yrs ago. With themes of good & evil, racism, social injustice, intolerance, the film remains a testament to our past and our global situation even now.

Another theme: fatherhood-Atticus Finch was a father/attorney/community member with highest integrity, teaching Scout we must walk in the shoes of others before blindly judging others; and, not to kill mockingbirds, as all they do is bring sweet song into our lives...there is nothing untoward about them.

Black Tom Robinson, (the mockingbird), played by Brock Peters, was wrongly convicted of rape of a white woman, even with evidence in his favor.

Forever ingrained in my mind-I saw this film as a young girl: Atticus walking up the aisle after his client, Robinson, was found guilty...
sad, slow but with the respect of the on-their-feet black community for his dedication and courage...

Stand up, Scout...your father is passing by...

[Ketabcha]

My favorite book and favorite movie.

I remember that same scene, GBH, and it brings tears to my eyes just remembering it. Atticus Finch is my idea of the perfect person. He has always been number one on my list of great fictional characters.

I recently read an interview with the woman who protrayed Scout in the movie. She had never seen a movie when filming started. She and Peck remained friends until his death.

There is some violence in the book and move but when I think of To Kill A Mockingbird I always smile. It was such a sensitive story and so well presented.

[greatblueheron]

I feel it affected me greatly...social injustice of any kind is so painful...just a miserable crime. 50 yrs later I still believe integrity is the most honorable quality.

Yes, Atticus would be an ideal dad, neighbor, community member. Someone who always strives to do the right thing has all my admiration.

Originally Posted by Ketabcha

My favorite book and favorite movie.

I remember that same scene, GBH, and it brings tears to my eyes just remembering it. Atticus Finch is my idea of the perfect person. He has always been number one on my list of great fictional characters.

I recently read an interview with the woman who protrayed Scout in the movie. She had never seen a movie when filming started. She and Peck remained friends until his death.

There is some violence in the book and move but when I think of To Kill A Mockingbird I always smile. It was such a sensitive story and so well presented.

[soupson1]

One of my favorite movies also. Robert Duvall was great as Boo Radley. The Tom Robinson case suggests that it’s all too possible for people to look at someone and still not see that he’s a human being just like them.
Boo starts out a monster and ends up a man, but he never rejoins the Maycomb community. Or perhaps, in taking an active interest in the Finch children, he already has: perhaps his character suggests that the bonds that hold a community together can be more than just social ones.

[greatblueheron]

Glad you brought up Boo. He certainly did end up a man, and a good one. I too think his interest in the children helped him...that feeling of attachment/responsibility towards someone...

BTW, the biography of Harper Lee was one of the most interesting bios I have read...her childhood friend, as you might know, was Truman Capote---that small town produced some stunning writers!

Originally Posted by soupson1

One of my favorite movies also. Robert Duvall was great as Boo Radley. The Tom Robinson case suggests that it’s all too possible for people to look at someone and still not see that he’s a human being just like them.
Boo starts out a monster and ends up a man, but he never rejoins the Maycomb community. Or perhaps, in taking an active interest in the Finch children, he already has: perhaps his character suggests that the bonds that hold a community together can be more than just social ones.

[Cinebar]

My favorite movie....and book, too.

I can't imagine any other actor who could have portrayed Atticus better than Gregory Peck did. An absolutely stunning portrayal; really, all the actors did such a great job of bringing their characters to life.

My kids have all been big fans, too, and they all had already read the book by the time it was a class assignment.

I'm going to have to look for Lee's biography.

[greatblueheron]

Gregory Peck=Atticus Finch

His daughter said in an interview that he WAS Atticus in real life, too.

[Icy Tea]

Robert Duvall is an incredible actor. I was just watching him in another Gregory Peck movie, one set in a mental hospital during WW2. That had a great diverse cast.
Duvall was also in one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, one where he is an oddball clerk who escapes into a Dollhouse in a museum. On the topic of social injustice, he was going to be fired for not "fitting in" at work. I don't think that would work today. Scout( the actress) was also in a Twilight Zone episode where she and her brother escape to a paradise world( by swimming) where an old woman takes care of unwanted neglected children. Another favorite.

[greatblueheron]

Agree---and he opts for unusual roles... I would not have recognized him in Mockingbird if not for the credits.

Originally Posted by Icy Tea

Robert Duvall is an incredible actor. I was just watching him in another Gregory Peck movie, one set in a mental hospital during WW2. That had a great diverse cast.
Duvall was also in one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, one where he is an oddball clerk who escapes into a Dollhouse in a museum. On the topic of social injustice, he was going to be fired for not "fitting in" at work. I don't think that would work today. Scout( the actress) was also in a Twilight Zone episode where she and her brother escape to a paradise world( by swimming) where an old woman takes care of unwanted neglected children. Another favorite.

[maf763]

Originally Posted by greatblueheron

Glad you brought up Boo. He certainly did end up a man, and a good one. I too think his interest in the children helped him...that feeling of attachment/responsibility towards someone...

BTW, the biography of Harper Lee was one of the most interesting bios I have read...her childhood friend, as you might know, was Truman Capote---that small town produced some stunning writers!

The character of Dill (who was more prominent in the book than the movie) was based on Capote.