After 60 Years, a Must-Watch: To Kill a Mockingbird

Inspired by the book written by Harper Lee with the same title as the movie, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Robert Mulligan is a must-watch. The film is set at a time when human inequality and racism were making headlines, and there were many protesters against them. However, it depicts an American era where gender equality didn’t exist and everyone had some kind of racist thought (except for someone). This movie amazingly shows how gender inequality happens in some parts of our lives.

Released in December 1962, the movie depicts a story in 1932 in Alabama, where the narrative is from the eyes of the children of Atticus Finch, the lawyer who goes to his law office every morning. The narrative, coming from a 6-year-old girl, Scout, and a 10-year-old boy, Jem, depicts the reality of the story with the innocence of a child. After learning that her father is defending a Negro, Scout wonders why Atticus is doing such a thing and why they are Negro. Overall, Scout questions these people's identities not because she dislikes them but because she doesn't know.

After Scout and Jem make friends with a new neighbour named Dill, they talk about another neighbour that they call Boo. When they are walking across the house where Boo lives, Jem tells Dill that Mr. Radley, the father of Boo, keeps his son chained to a bed in the house and describes Boo breathlessly: "Judging from his tracks, he's about six and a half feet tall. He eats raw squirrels and all the cats he can catch. There's a long, jagged scar that runs all the way across his face. His teeth are yellow and rotten. His eyes are popped. And he drools most of the time." This then gives the idea that the children never actually saw Boo or even know that he is real, and that Boo might be an imaginary friend that they have. I cannot tell you more; you have to watch the movie first.

In addition to the amazing storyline, the acting and the sound design of the movie are great. The movie’s soundtrack is absolutely beautiful (by the way, you can listen to the soundtrack on Spotify or Apple Music; just search "To Kill a Mockingbird (Music From the Motion Picture)"). The soundtrack and the scenes go well with each other. In some cases, when there isn’t any music or any added sounds, the actors and the actresses really depict the emotion that they want to give. In the movie, there is a really long section where there is literally no added sound, but the emotion conveyed is really deep.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is, as I said, a masterpiece that everyone must watch. If not for the story and the message it gives, it should be watched for the artistic designs that are present in the movie, like the soundtrack, the sound design, the scene decor, and finally the acting that everyone in the movie did perfectly.

Made and written by Mehmet Kutay Bozkurt. All rights reserved.