Movies will make you jump to the edge of your seats, they will make you laugh so hard until your red in the face, and they will pull your heartstrings until they snap. Movies are a very powerful and controversial part of our lives. "To Kill A Mockingbird is a very compelling and influential film.
This legendary movie was once a novel by Harper Lee. It was masterfully turned into a memorable movie by writer Horton Foote, producer Alan Pakula and director Robert Mulligan in 1962. Gregory Peck played Atticus Finch and was credited for his outstanding performance by many critics. The two children, Mary Badham as Scout and Phillip Alford as Jem played a very significant role because most of the movie was seen through the eyes of these children. This was a very clever idea, illustrating a child's innocence and misunderstanding during a perplex time period, the 1930's. The fascinating but rather peculiar character of Dill was played by John Megna. Not much is said by Brock Peters who plays the accused Tom Robinson, but his short performance is said to be very captivating in many reviews. This movie was renowned actor Robert Duvall's debut in film. He plays a very important character, which proves wrong all of the ignorance displayed throughout the movie. His ending presentation is exquisite, starting off his long career in movies.
This movie takes place during The Depression, where racism was overt and debt was ordinary. To capture the atmosphere in these times, when color in films was available, black and white was used. To really catch and comprehend the mood, Mulligan and Peck visited Monroeville, Alabama, the site the story took place in. They observed local folks and locations like the Court House.
As early as April 1962, while the movie was still recording, petitions from Monroeville, Mobile and Birmingham Alabama were being sent to the Universal International studios. These were created to gain the right of premiering "To Kill A Mockingbird.