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To Kill a Mockingbird Overview:

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) was a Crime - Drama Film directed by Robert Mulligan and produced by Alan J. Pakula.

The film was based on the novel of the same name written by Harper Lee published in 1960.

SYNOPSIS

One of the most beloved of classic movies speaks at once with the wisdom of years and with childlike innocence, capturing both voices flawlessly. Foote's adaptation of the Lee novel gives us a story of quiet courage and unexpected deliverance from the point of view of Scout (Badham), a six-year-old girl in the Depression-era South. She and her brother live with their widowed father Atticus (Peck), a lawyer and well-respected pillar of the community. Their world of play also contains the mystery of Boo Radley (Duvall), the reclusive boy next door rumored to be chained to his bed by his vicious father. The children's world parallels the serious business of Atticus's defense of a black man accused of attacking a white woman. The dignity of the accused and Peck's impassioned defense aren't enough to overcome the jury's racism. But the real attacker wants revenge, and the adult business and the children's world collide on a dark wooded path. All the performances seem to emerge from the dusty southern ground and the atmosphere clings like August heat. A beautifully realized drama cherished with each new generation.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

To Kill a Mockingbird was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1995.

Academy Awards 1962 --- Ceremony Number 35 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorGregory PeckWon
Best Supporting ActressMary BadhamNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Alexander Golitzen, Henry Bumstead; Set Decoration: Oliver EmertWon
Best CinematographyRussell HarlanNominated
Best DirectorRobert MulliganNominated
Best Music - ScoringElmer BernsteinNominated
Best PictureAlan J. Pakula, ProducerNominated
Best WritingHorton FooteWon

To Kill a Mockingbird BlogHub Articles:

Gregory Peck is Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Gregory Peck is Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) is an American drama directed by Robert Mulligan. The screenplay is by Horton Foote, and is based on the best-selling novel by Harper Lee. The book won the 1960 Pulitzer Prize for literature. The film stars Gr... Read full article


Field Trip: "To Kill a Mockingbird" on the Big Screen

Field Trip: "To Kill a Mockingbird" on the Big Screen 60th Anniversary of a ClassicExperience one of the most significant milestones in film history like never before with To Kill a Mockingbird. Gregory Peck stars as courageous Southern lawyer Atticus Finch--the Academy Award-winning performanc... Read full article


To Kill a Mockingbird (1962, Robert Mulligan)

During To Kill a Mockingbird’s exceptional opening titles, I wondered how it was possible the film was going to look so amazing yet had no reputation for being some exquisitely, precisely directed piece of cinema. Then up came Stephen Frankfurt’s credit for title design, which kind of dulled my ... Read full article


Win Tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: To Kill a Mockingbird” (Giveaway runs now through Mar 9)

... Read full article


To Kill a Mockingbird: The Casting of Scout and Jem

The Filming of To Kill a Mockingbird: The Casting of Scout & Jem Exclusive Excerpt from “Why to Kill a Mockingbird Matters” Another Big Thank You to author Tom Santopietro for hand-picking another excerpt for us – this time about the casting of Scout and Jem – from his book “W... Read full article


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To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes:

Atticus Finch: I must be losing my memory. I can't remember whether Jem is twelve or thirteen. Anyway it'll have to come before the county court. Of course it's a clear cut case of self defense. I'll ahh, well I'll run down to the office...
Sheriff Tate: Mr. Finch do you think Jem stabbed Bob Ewell - is that what you think? Your boy never killed anyone.
[Atticus and Sheriff Heck Tate look at Boo]
Sheriff Tate: Bob Ewell fell on his knife - he killed himself. There's a black man dead for no reason; now the man responsible for it is dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch. I never heard tell it was against the law for any citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did. But maybe you'll tell me it's my duty to tell the town all about it and not to hush it up. Well, you know what'll happen then? All the ladies in Maycomb, including my wife, will be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. To my way of thinking, taking the one man who's done you and this town a big service and dragging him with his shy ways into the limelight - to me that's a sin... it's a sin. And I'm not about to have it on my head. I may not be much Mr. Finch, but I'm still sheriff of Maycomb County and Bob Ewell fell on his knife. Good night, sir.

Scout: Hey Miss Dubose.
Mrs. Dubose: Don't you say "hey" to me you ugly girl!

Scout: May I see your watch? "To Atticus, My Beloved Husband." Atticus, Jem says this watch is gonna belong to him some day.
Atticus Finch: That's right.
Scout: Why?
Atticus Finch: Well, it's customary for the boy to have his father's watch.
Scout: What are you gonna give me?
Atticus Finch: Well, I don't know that I have much else of value that belongs to me... But there's a pearl necklace; there's a ring that belonged to your mother. And I've put them away, and they're to be yours.

Sheriff Heck Tate: Didn't you know your daddy's the best shot in this county?

Jem: Atticus says cheating a black man is ten times worse than cheating a white.
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To Kill a Mockingbird Facts
Atticus Finch is modeled on Harper Lee's own father, Amasa Lee, an attorney whose 1923 defense of a black client inspired the novel's trial. Gregory Peck met with Amasa Lee - then 82 years old - and formed a strong bond with him. Unfortunately Lee died during filming, so his daughter Harper gave Peck his watch and chain. Peck was wearing that same watch and chain at the Academy Awards the following year when he won the Oscar for Best Actor.

Ruth White would spend 4 hours getting into old age make-up, only for most of her scenes to end up cut from the film as they tended to slow it up.

Despite the novel winning the Pulitzer Prize, the studios were not interested in buying up the film rights as they deemed it lacking in action, there was no love story and the villain doesn't get a big comeuppance. Producer Alan J. Pakula disagreed however and persuaded director Robert Mulligan that it would make a good film. Together they were able to convince Gregory Peck who readily agreed.

Cast members Mary Badham (Scout), Robert Duvall (Boo), Frank Overton (Heck Tate), Collin Wilcox Paxton (Mayella), and William Windom (Mr. Gilmer) all appeared in episodes of the original The Twilight Zone TV series.

When he attended the Academy Awards, Gregory Peck was completely convinced that his friend Jack Lemmon would beat him to the Best Actor Oscar for his searing portrayal of an alcoholic in Days of Wine and Roses.

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