To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) Film Review

To Kill a Mockingbird is an award winning book written by Harper Lee in 1960 and was eventually made into a film in 1962. The plot revolves around racism in Alabama during the 1930s. There are two different stories that you can focus on during the film. You can see what it's like to be a kid during this time by seeing the shenanigans that Scout and Jem get into. On the other hand, you can see what Atticus, Scout and Jem's father, has to endure while defending the accused black man, Tom Robinson, of rape.

Atticus Finch is given the task, since he is a lawyer, to defend Tom Robinson in a trial. Tom is accused of raping a white women and during this time, even if he is innocent, needs a lot of evidence to prove that he is not guilty. While this is going on, Jem and Scout become obsessed with a mysterious neighbor. They want to discover who this guy named Boo Radley really is because they've heard many stories about him. To backtrack, although color films were a thing at this point in time, the film was shot in black and white. This could have been done to even add to the effect of racism at this time. During the 1960s the civil rights movement was at its prime with people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X leading the way. So to show how this subject matter could be relatable, the movie could have been made for this reason. 

All in all the film does a good job in getting its message across. It addresses a real life issue successfully. It is also, overall, just a really good movie. There is an element of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat and the score only adds to that. It is original and ahead of its time. The reason that its ahead of its time is because before this there were not many films that would touch on the subjects of race in this matter. The film gets you hooked immediately with its interesting plot and continues to take you on a journey throughout. It makes you feel like you are part of the movie. For instance, where everyone is gathered in the courtroom to watch the trial of Tom Robinson. At this point you are very much invested in what is going to happen next. You are rooting for Tom and Atticus. This is what made the film compelling and entertaining.