To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Based on the classic novel by Harper Lee, this film presents the truth of American race relations earlier in the twentieth century, but sadly, not a whole lot has changed even now.

Attorney Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) lives with his two children, ten-year-old Jem (Phillip Alford) and six-year-old Scout (Mary Badham) in Alabama. The majority of the film is set in the early 1930s.

The two children spend most of their summer vacation with another young boy named Dill Harris (John Megna) who is staying next-door with his aunt for the summer. They mainly spend their time avoiding the Radley house - apparently their son 'Boo' is a maniac who is chained up in his room - and visiting Atticus at the courthouse (also somewhere they shouldn't be).

One night, Judge Taylor (Paul Fix) comes to visit Atticus. He asks him if he would consider representing a defendant named Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), due to be charged by the grand jury the following day.

Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) with Scout (Mary Badham) and Jem (Phillip Alford).

Atticus takes the case and, given that Robinson is African-American, this decision shapes the entire remainder of the film, as most of the townspeople believe him to be guilty purely because of the colour of his skin.

The story is actually told through the eyes of six-year-old Scout - as is the novel it is based on - so the audience can experience the story from her much-more-innocent point-of-view, seeing everything purely for what it is.

The screenplay, by Horton Foote, deals with this very well, and brings the same tone of Lee's brilliant novel across to the screen with apparent ease (I say 'apparent ease' because it probably wasn't easy). The characters of Atticus and Scout are particularly well-written, and their scenes particularly tear-invoking.

Elmer Bernstein's music is perfect throughout, predominantly reflecting the on-screen action. The motifs and developed themes recur at various moments throughout the film, triggering memories in the listener of earlier moments and subtly connecting them together, usually in more of a metaphorical way than a literal way.

Scout (Mary Badham) and Dill Harris (John Megna).

The cinematography is certainly worth mentioning here. Russell Harlan - no doubt in collaboration with the director - has shot the film in black-and-white, which I believe does several things all at once.

Firstly, although the film was made in 1962, it is set some thirty years earlier. The black-and-white gives the film a certain nostalgia of the time, and also more of a documentary feel than a fictional story. Considering the novel was at least inspired by Harper Lee's life as a young girl, there is a 'truth' to the story that you don't get with a purely fictional novel.

But I don't believe that this is the only reason for the decision to shoot in black-and-white (it is clearly a deliberate decision, though, as films were being made in colour before this film was made). Given that the film deals primarily with issues of race, the contrast one gets between the black and the white when filming in black-and-white also suggests this in a more subtle way. However, there is also the wider theme of prejudice dealt with here, with the avoidance by the whole town of 'Boo' Radley. I think too that the film is shot in black-and-white to highlight the idea that nothing in life is ever 'black and white' when it comes to any issues of this kind.

Atticus (Gregory Peck) and Tom Robinson (Brock Peters).

The performances of the cast are fantastic, particularly Gregory Peck and young Mary Badham, who I would call the two protagonists of the film. They cannot be singled out above all the rest of the cast, certainly, but they are probably the most noticeable. For example, Robert Duvall is incredible as 'Boo' Radley, and every other member of the cast is perfectly suited to their own role, too.

Director Robert Mulligan has made a truly wonderful film here, a true classic that will continue to be a classic for decades to come. If you haven't seen this yet - firstly, why not? - then you absolutely must avail yourself of the opportunity as soon as practicable. I believe one should watch this film on at least an annual basis.

10 out of 10.