To Kill A Mockingbird

MrsDoF and I, dinner, and a movie

MrsDoF and I went on a nice date last night, to the local Chinese restaurant for some excellent soup and eggrolls, then to The Normal Theater to see the 1962 adaptation of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird.

This is what we call a “great movie” not only because it is a compelling story beautifully filmed, directed, and acted, but also because it uplifts human values. 

The danger in watching a movie like this one is that it makes most of the drek oozing out of Hollywood today look like garbage.  But to be fair, most of the movies made in 1962 were probably crap, too.  Something this good just comes along once in a while.

Only suggestion I’d make to the Normal Theater volunteer staff is; the decent thing to do would be leave the house lights down for thirty seconds or so while the credits roll - to let viewers use their hankies in privacy. Both women and men cry at certain movies but men dislike anyone to know it.

Posted by George on 11/12/06 at 01:24 PM
Reviews • Movies •

  1. This is one of my favorite movies, possibly my number one.  Yes, it’s gorgeous.  The crispness, the clarity, the sound, the cinematography, the dedication to the book was all perfect.  One of the interesting stories I’ve read is that when Harper Lee saw Gregory Peck come into the studio in the white suit she wept, as he looked so very much like her father on whom she had based the character.  I absolutely adore this movie. I hope no one ever tries to remake it.  There would be absolutely no point. 
    You are lucky to have seen it on the big screen.

    Posted by jan  on  11/11/06  at  11:06 PM

  2. I read TKAM in grade ten; we watched the movie AFTER reading it.  It’s one of the few times the movie did not disappoint after having first read the book.  Wonderful film, I have not seen it in many years.  I should really order that and add it to my DVD collection.  I would love to see it on the big screen, but I doubt that will be likely in this city.

    Posted by Lisa W.  on  11/12/06  at  10:19 AM

  3. We ‘had’ to read the book in HS. No small thing for a HS in southern Louisiana! The real meaning didn’t set in until years later. I agree, the movie is one of the all time good ones; it was TV once while I was in Japan! I remember being so happy to get to watch a movie with ENGLISH. Then realized it was a rare treat indeed!

    Posted by Michele  on  11/12/06  at  02:16 PM

  4. There is a line in the movie, “Stand up Scout, your father is passing” that I latched onto as a guidepost for my life.  That simple sentence jolted me and from that point on, I wanted to be a person who would live in such a way that others would clearly see someone who had no time for evil.  I am not putting it well. I can’t write like my brother or sister in law!  Believe thought that this is not said from a standpoint of vanity or ego, but rather, a decision to come down on the side of courage and goodness in life.  Few of us will be great as Addicus was, but we can aspire and make the choices that protect others.

    I love the theme music to the film too.  One doesn’t hear it very often, but its simplicty is memorable.  It creeps into the heart and stays there.

    Posted by Stephanie Myers  on  11/12/06  at  04:09 PM

  5. I remember watching the film in either Junior High or High School (can’t remember which even though it was at most 12 years ago, I have a spotty memeory) and being blown away.  The movie had some incredible almost life changing impact on me.  Not because I was a racist or bigot, but because I wondered why others didn’t see what I saw in this movie.  Of course after we saw the film, the school bullying and hate still continued.

    What really floored me (at the time) was not just that I like a movie that was black and white.  But I like a film that didn’t have all the high powered action, blood, guts, gore, and swearing that today’s movies do.  The film just told a wonderful story, exceptionally well, and had good acting and directing.

    Posted by webs05  on  11/13/06  at  01:39 AM

  6. You left me with the happy impression that both of you enjoyed your date.  That is inspirational to read…  It is encouraging to read about couples whom continue to enjoy each other’s company and their marriage.

    My expectation for going to a view a “movie” is purely to be entertained. I neither expect a high quality literary story line nor deep meaning.  I reserve these expectations for my choice of Theater (stage performances) and books.

    Posted by Mrs SEB  on  11/15/06  at  03:13 PM

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