To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

Film: To Kill A Mockingbird

Director: Robert Mulligan

Country: USA

Released: December 1962

Runtime: 129 minutes

Genre: Legal Drama

Studio: Brentwood

Influenced: Spike Lee, John Singleton, Rob Reiner, Alan Parker, Steve McQueen, Barry Jenkins

Legal or courtroom dramas were emerging as an important new genre in American film, starting with Sidney Lumet's fine 1957 movie 12 Angry Men, arguably reachinf an all-time high with To Kill A Mockingbird, Horton Foote's 1962 screenplay adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that came out just two years previously. Director Robert Mulligan worked closely with Lee to ensure that the film captured the essence of the novel, and the result was a powerful and emotionally resonant work that remains a classic of American cinema. One of the reasons for the film's success was its strong performances, particularly that of Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. He brought a quiet dignity and integrity to the role that chimed with audiences, and his portrayal of a principled and compassionate father figure became an enduring cultural touchstone.

From a cinematic perspective, the film's main strengths are its powerful portrayal of racism in the South and its equally powerful performances, but there were also a few innovations, including the opening credits which are wonderfully put together. Rather than using traditional credits on a blank screen, the credits were integrated into a sequence of images that foreshadowed the themes and motifs of the movie. The inspiration for this sequence came from the title of the film itself, which refers to the idea of killing a mockingbird, a symbol of innocence, musicality and goodness. The images used in the credits, such as a close-up of a child's hands holding a dead bird, were meant to evoke this theme and prepare the audience for the emotional journey to come.

Another small innovation was the decision to cast child actors in the roles of Scout and Jem. This allowed the film to explore the themes of innocence and loss of innocence more deeply and effectively, as audiences were able to witness these changes in the characters firsthand. The story begins when Scout and Jem, along with their friend Dill, become fascinated with their reclusive neighbour, Arthur "Boo" Radley. They make it their mission to draw him out of his house, but their efforts are met with resistance from the rest of the town, who view Boo as a dangerous outsider. Meanwhile, Scout's father, Atticus, is a lawyer who takes on the case of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. Despite overwhelming evidence of Tom's innocence, the racist jury finds him guilty, and he is ultimately killed while attempting to escape from prison. 

Throughout both the novel and the film, Scout and Jem are forced to confront the harsh realities of racism and prejudice in their town (a fictional setting in Alabama). They witness the injustice done to Tom Robinson and come to understand the extent to which these issues permeate every aspect of their community. However, they also learn valuable lessons about courage, empathy and the importance of standing up for what is right. To Kill a Mockingbird was one of the first films to address the issue of racism in America in a frank and honest way, and its portrayal of the injustice faced by black Americans has had a profound impact on subsequent films that explore similar themes, from Mississippi Burning (1988) and A Time to Kill (1996) to 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Moonlight (2016). I was fortunate to read the book at school and watch the film as a child and it's stayed with me ever since.