After all these years, I finally read the book To Kill a Mockingbird: 50th Anniversary Edition, soon to be followed up with this classic film.
Over the years, I had seen tidbits of this movie on TV, so it was a real treat to finally view it in its entirety.
Narrated in voice-over by “Scout,” we first glimpse the Southern lifestyle of the thirties as three children explore their neighborhood. They are obsessed with catching a glimpse of Boo Radley, about whom much has been whispered amongst the neighbors. Like many rumors, there is much more to the story, which will become apparent toward the end of the movie.
The stark black and white images perfectly depicted the settings and the deprivation of this small town world. Yet despite their lack of material trappings, the children found plenty to amuse themselves, utilizing their minds and their imaginations.
The themes of the film are fear, racism, and integrity—and the latter trait was depicted most notably by Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch.
The lessons in understanding and empathy came specifically from Atticus, as spoken to his children: You never really know a person until you walk for awhile in his shoes.
This film To Kill a Mockingbird (Collector’s Edition) is still very relevant, despite the fact that some race relations have been improved. The messages of acceptance and tolerance, as well as integrity, are still important today.
Five stars.
AN INTERIOR JOURNEY 
I watched this in school and watch it whenever I can. It never gets old!
Natalie :0)
http://www.thebookinn.net
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I can’t believe I had never seen the whole movie until now; and I hadn’t read the book until this year. I think that it happened like that because the book came out the year I graduated high school, so it wasn’t on the high school lists for me.
In college, for whatever reason, the professors were focusing on other books and authors. Thanks for stopping by, Natalie.
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I’ve never seen the movie. Heck, didn’t even know there was one! Will definitely add this to my Netflix queue. The book is one I only read recently (about two years ago) and was blown away by it. The moment when Scout is talking to Atticus about her teacher’s upset about the Nazis and the way she talked about the person Atticus was defending was utterly brilliant. That’s a message that still needs to be driven home today. Principles, not biases, are what is necessary for integrity and honor. Both things are worth striving for. Thanks for this post.
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Oh, I totally agree that the message is valid today. In spite of our so-called “progress,” there are still people who maintain their biases.
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you like the movie. It’s an old one, in black and white, but the actors convey the book very well.
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