Review of To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) by Alex M — 07 May 2016

Harper Lee's extraordinary depiction of the racial tensions of the American south through the eyes of an impressionable young girl is one of the greatest works of fiction the world has ever seen. Unfortunately, many great works of literature would ultimately go on to be adapted poorly to the big screen and the books themselves would not be given the proper cinematic treatment. The Huckleberry Finn film from 1960, for example, was just atrocious, barring anything a fan of it might say in its defense. But one of the all-too-rare successful novel adaptations to cinema was indeed To Kill A Mockingbird.

It remains one of the most magical movie experiences for me, and I know I'm not alone in that position. It did everything right: it properly adapted the material to best suit a motion picture format, but not at the expense of the heart and soul of the book itself. Everything that needed to remain intact did, and anything that needed to be adjusted for the film treatment was. But nothing else was done to the story. The filmmakers must have recognized that the story was already good enough on its own, and any major alterations would have only lessened the impact of the message and drama, not improved upon it. So, like any proper adaptation, they essentially left it alone. And the end result it simply magical.

Whether you're experiencing it for the first time or passing it on to a loved one, I guarantee you'll marvel and delight every single time at the unlikely adventures of Scout and her band of curious friends as they grow and mature in the heart of the roaring south at a very crucial era in history.