Not all wonderful books translate into great films, but one of the exceptions is ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.' . When producer Alan J. Pakula and his director friend, Robert Mulligan, sent Hollywood star Gregory Peck a copy of author Harper Lee's first (and only) novel, he finished it at one sitting during the night. Then he called up the producer (Pakula) the next morning to say.. “If you want me to play Atticus (hero of the novel), when do I start? I'd love to play it.”
Peck had starred in a number of films based on well known books. ‘Duel in the Sun', ‘The Snows of Kilimanjaro'. ‘The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit', ‘Moby Dick', ‘Beloved Infidel' and ‘Guns of Navarone,' were among the classics and best sellers that had tested his histrionic skills.
But ‘To Kill a Mockingbird' was different. He did not have to ‘prepare' for the role of Atticus Finch, the honest, lovable small town lawyer from the southern town of Maycomb. “I felt it was something I could identity with without any stress or strain, I felt I could climb into Atticus's shoes without any play-acting, that I could be him,” he recalled later.
While the book won the Pulitzer for fiction, the movie won both critical and popular acclaim, fetching the Best Actor Oscar for Gregory Peck. A popular Hollywood joke that did the rounds went like this: Munching on a discarded roll of film, a goat told its companion, ‘The book was better'. In the case of ‘Mockingbird,' the joke could have been rewritten as ‘Wow! What a surprise, this is as good as the book!'
This summer, the U.S. will witness the 50th anniversary celebrations of the book's publication. School children and adults will organise reading sessions, enactment of scenes- particularly the famous court room proceedings- from what has come to be known as America's ‘national novel'.
Publishers of the book, Harper & Collins, plan to bring out four special editions of the book, which has consistently sold more than one million copies per year since its publication. Its popularity was further enhanced with the release of the Gregory Peck movie, as well as the more recent ‘Capote' and ‘Infamous' starring Sandra Bullock.
The last two films focussed more on the elusive 84 year old author, Harper Lee, who avoided interviews. This reticence could be attributed to reporters misquoting her in some very early write ups and so she developed a philosophy, that writers should not be familiar and recognisable. That was for the entertainers.
Universal appeal
Although there have been other best sellers and equally good movies, why does ‘To Kill a Mockingbird' continue to be so popular? Perhaps because this novel offers something for every kind of reader. The Boo Radley episodes and the interaction between the kids, Scout, Jem, and Dill are loved by children. More serious readers including historians appreciate the author's portrayal of American society of the deep South with its heavily racist overtones. Although the book deals with a heart-rending human tragedy in the false rape charges against a black man and his ultimate death, it is not judgemental and is remarkably free from bitterness. Certain things did happen which had to be told and the book did just that. Despite the themes of injustice and tragedy, the book leaves us with hope. This is entirely due to the character of Atticus Finch, one of the great modern fiction heroes. He is tolerant, understood that society could neither be absolutely good or rotten and that the future will always be bright. It is a simple, remarkable philosophy that still appeals to millions of readers all over the world.
What the book suggests, the movie delivers on the screen. After much searching for the ideal Maycomb town, the scene of action, the film was shot on 15 acres of the Universal Studio lot, where the town was created. The three child actors, who had important roles, got along famously with their screen father, Gregory Peck.
Harper Lee, who was delighted with the film version of her book, observed, ‘I can only say that I am a happy author. They have made my story into a beautiful and moving motion picture. I am very proud and grateful.”
The popularity of the movie was partly responsible for the book being prescribed for study in schools and colleges all over the world. I taught the book at Second Year BA level in an Ahmedabad college. Students in Gujarat, normally weak in English, generally steered clear of reading books but made an exception of ‘…Mockingbird.' For many of them, it was the first ‘book' they had ever read besides ‘guides,' and at least in my class of 25, Atticus emerged as an unlikely hero!
