To Kill a Mockingbird

This is the first in a new regular series in which we invite our Premium VIFF+ supporters to nominate a favourite movie to share.

This month, Margot Pratt has chosen Robert Mulligan’s beloved film adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

Margot says, “It’s a timeless film that hasn’t seen a big screen in years. The story is told through the memories of a 9 or 10-year old girl. Perfectly written, cast, shot… Everything!”

A white woman accuses a black man of rape in a Southern town during the Depression. Though he is obviously innocent, the outcome of his trial is such a foregone conclusion that no lawyer will step forward to defend him – except Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), the town’s most distinguished citizen.

The film, like the novel, was embraced as a paradigmatic work of liberal inclusiveness, but more recently has been criticized for telling the story through a white lens (even as conservative elements in the USA have sought to have the book banned from school libraries). It’s a superbly crafted piece, and was nominated eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Gregory Peck won the Best Actor award and it’s his signature role.