IMDb > To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
To Kill a Mockingbird
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To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) More at IMDbPro »

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Lawrence of Arabia (1962) -- AFI's 10 Top 10 - The 10 Greatest Films in 10 Classic Genres
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) -- Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge, and his kids against prejudice.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Harper Lee (novel)
Horton Foote (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for To Kill a Mockingbird on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 December 1962 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The most beloved and widely read Pulitzer Prize Winner now comes vividly alive on the screen! more
Plot:
Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge, and his kids against prejudice. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 3 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 12 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(38 articles)
Film School 101: Protagonists
 (From Atomic Popcorn. 1 November 2009, 4:57 AM, PST)

AFI Fest 2009: Something’S Gonna Live, North By Northwest
 (From Alternative Film Guide. 26 October 2009, 12:41 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
One of the most important films of all time more (335 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
129 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
USA:Approved (PCA #20267) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | USA:Not Rated (DVD) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:12 (f)
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The watch used in the film was a prop, but Harper Lee gave Gregory Peck her father's watch after the film was completed because he reminded her so much of him. more
Goofs:
Continuity: After speaking with Mrs. Dubose, Scout, Jem and Dill walk with Atticus towards the Finch home. When the camera angle shifts, Dill is no longer walking with them, but is all the way on the other side of the house walking towards them. more
Quotes:
Atticus Finch: Do you know what a compromise is?
Scout: Bendin' the law?
Atticus Finch: [slightly bemused] Uh, no. It's an agreement reached by mutual consent. Now, here's the way it works. You concede the necessity of goin' to school, we'll keep right on readin' the same every night, just as we always have. Is that a bargain?
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Sucker Free City (2004) (TV) more

FAQ

What was wrong with Boo Radley?
Is this movie based on a book?
What does the title "To Kill a Mockingbird" mean?
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204 out of 240 people found the following comment useful.
One of the most important films of all time, 9 November 2003
10/10
Author: FilmOtaku (ssampon@hotmail.com) from Milwaukee, WI

To Kill a Mockingbird is the movie based on the Harper Lee novel of the same name about Scout, Jem and their father, Atticus Finch who is an attorney in a small southern town. It is both a coming of age story about the children as well as a hard-hitting drama, as Atticus defends a black man who is on trial for the rape of a white woman.

This review is not an easy one to write, despite the fact that I have seen this film at least 10 times. The reason it does not come easily is that this is one of the most personally important films I have ever seen and is in my personal `Top Five of All Time'. I'm certain there is nothing that can be said about the film that has not already been repeated a multitude of times, so I guess the best thing to do is explain why the film is so important to me.

I first saw this film several years ago and was so profoundly affected by it that I immediately watched it again. Of course, the defense of a man wrongly accused of a crime is a common story line, but To Kill a Mockingbird stands out as an exceptional example for several reasons. Among them, the date that the film was released: 1962, on the cusp of the civil rights movement in America, and the fact that it takes place in the south in the 1930's. It is also far from the first film to explore the experiences of children and their own personal growth, but To Kill a Mockingbird stands out because of its sheer honesty and natural performances by the child actors portraying these rich characters.

But most of all, this film is special because of Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus Finch, a true hero. At the risk of sounding histrionic, my heart aches when I watch him on screen because he is such an incredible man, and is so inherently good. No matter how many times I have seen this film, I smile when I see his interaction with his children, and I well with tears when I see his incredible strength of character. (No easy feat to break through the armor of this cynical film geek who, if given the chance would remake at least a few dozen films with tragic endings.) I was sitting in my car listening to National Public Radio recently the day Gregory Peck died, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I sat and cried hearing the retrospective they offered – mainly because the man who portrayed my own personal cinematic hero was gone, but also because Peck lived his life with the same conviction as his best known role; a fact that makes Atticus Finch all the more tangible. The American Film Institute recently named Atticus Finch the number one hero of all time, a choice I consider both brave and insightful in an age where our heroes generally either wield weapons or have super human physical strength. Atticus Finch fights evil as well, but with his strong moral fiber and his mind.

To Kill a Mockingbird is generally required reading during the course of one's education. If you have not read it, do so. If you have not seen the film, do so; and share it with others. It is an exceptional film that stands the test of time and will remain an important addition to film history for as long as the genre exists.

--Shelly

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
who would star in the best remake? pushpop0203
Great movie but I didn't get one thing (spoiler alert) Od1n
Atticus was a bad lawyer Soujurn
What Bob Ewell Didn’t Anticipate… Cairo-5
I tear up during three scenes iwillbreakyourface
Quotes you will never forget teejeum
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