To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Harper Lee, Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Robert DuVall, & Brock Peters

Book Vs. Movie: To Kill a Mockingbird
The 1960 Novel Vs. the 1962 Movie

The 1962 film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, directed by Robert Mulligan, is a powerful retelling of Harper Lee's classic novel. The story follows Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck in an Oscar-winning performance, as he defends Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), a Black man falsely accused of raping a white woman in 1930s Alabama.

The film is seen through the eyes of Atticus's young daughter, Scout (Mary Badham), and her brother Jem (Phillip Alford), who grapple with the harsh realities of racism and injustice in their small town. Key characters include Dill Harris (John Megna), Scout and Jem's imaginative friend, and Boo Radley (Robert Duvall), the mysterious neighbor who ultimately reveals his true character. The movie focuses on the moral courage of Atticus and the loss of innocence experienced by the children, capturing the essence of the novel’s themes in a more streamlined narrative.

Which version did we (the Margos) prefer? Have a listen to find out. In this ep, the Margos discuss:

• The amazing story of Harper Lee and her life and times.  
• America in the 1950s and race relations
• The 1962 Movie Cast: Gregory Peck (Atticus Finch,) Mary Badham (Scout,) Phillip Alford (Jem,) John Megna (Dill,) Frank Overton (Sheriff Heck Tate,) Rosemary Murphy (Maude,) Ruth White (Mrs. Dubose,) Brock Peters (Tom Robinson,) Estelle Evans (Calpurnia,) Paul Fix (Judge John Taylor,) Collin Wilcox (Mayella,) James Anderson (Bob,) Alice Ghostley (Miss Stephanie Crawford,) Robert Duvall (Boo Radley,) and Richard Hale as Nathan Radley. 

• Atticus counsels Scout 
• To Kill a Mockingbird original 1962 trailer
• “What kind of man are you?
• The children save Atticus.
• Scout attacked (Boo rescues her.) 
• Atticus cross-examines Mayella 
• Atticus leaves the courtroom
• Scout meets Boo Radley
• Sissy Spacek and the audiobook