TONIGHT’S FILM – “To
kill a mockingbird” (1962)
- 24th
July, 2020
Tonight we are sharing a bit on the 1962 film “To kill a
mockingbird” which is based on the novel of same name by Harper Lee published
in 1960. Enormously popular, it was translated into some 40 languages and sold
more than 30 million copies worldwide. In 1961 it won a Pulitzer Prize. The
novel was praised for its sensitive treatment of a child’s awakening to racism
and prejudice in the American South.
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the fictional town
of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression. The protagonist is Jean
Louise (“Scout”) Finch, an intelligent though unconventional girl who ages from
six to nine years old during the course of the novel. She is raised with her
brother, Jeremy Atticus (“Jem”), by their widowed father, Atticus Finch. He is
a prominent lawyer who encourages his children to be empathetic and just. He
notably tells them that it is “a sin to kill a mockingbird,” alluding to the
fact that the birds are innocent and harmless.
When Tom Robinson, one of the town’s Black residents, is
falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, Atticus agrees to
defend him despite threats from the community.
The novel inspired numerous adaptations, the most notable
of which was the classic 1962 film starring Gregory Peck as Atticus. His
Academy Award-winning performance became an enduring part of cinema history.
Other adaptations included a Broadway play that was adapted by Aaron Sorkin and
debuted in 2018. [Read full description at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird]
Late Gregory Peck won his first Oscar in the best actor category
for this film. It is interesting to note that over the years Mr. Peck won five
nominations in the Academy Awards for best actor and he had started his
Hollywood career with the first film in 1944, but it was only for “To kill a
mockingbird” that he won the award.
Following are some related video links for the film:
1- AMERICAN
FILM INSTITUTE - AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains: #1 Hero - Atticus
Finch
2- Gregory
Peck talks about 'To Kill a Mockingbird' in 1963 interview
3- Harrison
Ford (‘Raiders of the lost Ark’) on TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and GREGORY PECK
COMPILED
BY:
S Roman Ahsan (24th July, 2020)
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