To Kill a Mockingbird

¶ … Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 screen adaptation of Harper Lee's novel of the same name. Set in 1930s Maycomb, Alabama, the novel and film depict Jean Louise "Scout" Finch's experiences during a controversial trial in which her father, Atticus Finch, was involved. Drawing upon personal experiences and recollections, Lee's novel, and the film depiction, depict a racially and morally segregated South. Through the use of narrative, mise-en-scene, and editing, director Robert Mulligan is able to convey a moving tale of the Finch family's experiences during the trial of Tom Robinson.

The story is told from Scout Finch's perspective as she comes of age during the trial of Tom Robinson. Scout is shown to grow as an individual as the movie progresses. Though Scout's innocence is slowly stripped away by the racism depicted towards Tom Robinson, and subsequently Atticus, the values instilled in her by her father allow her to defend her beliefs and convey what she has learned to others around her.

The film opens with a montage of trinkets collected by Jem Finch which will later be revealed to come from Boo Radley, a recluse that lives in the neighborhood. Though much of the discrimination is seen between black and whites, social status can be seen through the depiction of their lifestyles. For example, the Finch's home appears to be well maintained and included in the neighborhood. The Radley house, however, is dilapidated and unkempt. It also appears to be separated from the rest of the neighborhood. The streets of Maycomb also appear to be welcoming, free from any danger, save for a rabid dog that wanders into town. The most important scene, or series of scenes, in the film is set in the courthouse. The courtroom in which the trial of Tom Robinson is held appears to be free of any lavish decorations seemingly conveying that does not hide behind any facades; the split level courtroom further emphasizes the segregation of blacks and whites, though the location and positioning of the black community within the room appear to depict that they are of a "higher" moral standing than those that discriminate against them. Unlike other court depictions, the questioning of the witnesses and Robinson occur in the center of the room, creating a more intense feeling of interrogation.

The editing of the film helps to further drive the story. Shooting the film in black and white helps to exasperate the tension between social classes while commenting on the fact that the morality is not as simple as black and white and that there are many grey areas. The passage of time is marked by transitions in which a preceding scene fades into the next. Long shots are utilized to show the freedom that the children have within their neighborhood as they travel down the street and throughout town. The use of medium and medium close-up shots is best represented during the closing arguments of Robinson's trial in which Atticus tries to convince the jury to find his client innocent of the charges brought against him. High angle shots are also utilized in the courtroom scenes as the children look down at their father from the upper, segregated deck. One of the most remarkable uses of light and darkness occurs when Atticus is keeping watch over Robinson at the jail. Atticus sits by the jailhouse doors reading a book under a single beacon of light shining from a lamp which he was brought from home. Though much around him appears to be dark, Atticus stands apart from the crowd and offers hope to an innocent man. When the angry mob tries to overtake Atticus, it is his children, and Dill, that come to his aid, joining him and helping others be enlightened to innocence being lost and the morals that have come into question.