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To Kill a Mockingbird (Universal: 1962) |
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Directed By:
Robert Mulligan
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Written By:
Horton Foote
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Based On:
To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee
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Starring:
Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford
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Profanity: Mild-to-Moderate |
Violence: Mild |
Sex/Nudity: Mild
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Review:
To Kill a Mockingbird is the classic tale of two young children, Jem and Scout, who have to face the shameful realities of racism in 1935 Alabama when their father, Atticus, chooses to defend in court a black man who was falsely accused of raping a young white woman, the daughter of local Bob Ewell. To Kill a Mockingbird was first written as a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee in 1960; and the movie, which followed shortly thereafter, is a very accurate, yet synthesized adaptation of the same story. Fans of the book may argue that the movie doesn’t quite reach the standards that had already been set by the book, but I would argue otherwise. While the novel certainly has great elements which have been understandably cut from the film, the film contains several elements which certainly add to particular features of the story. For example, the acting of Gregory Peck brings to life the character of Atticus Finch with a phenomenal performance, and Elmer Bernstein’s soundtrack for the film is perhaps one of the most beautiful movie scores that I have ever heard. Certain key scenes from the book have even been adapted to the movie in such a way that seems to supersede the book in emotional power, including an unforgettable confrontation between Atticus and Bob Ewell. There are so many other positive comments that can be made about this film, but they simply would not do the movie justice. If there’s one thing that is certain, To Kill a Mockingbird is undoubtedly one of the greatest book-to-film adaptations that has ever been achieved.
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Score:
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Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (Warner Brothers: 1948) |
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Written and Directed By:
John Huston
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Based On:
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, a novel by B. Traven
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Starring:
Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt, Walter Huston
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Profanity: None |
Violence: Mild-to-Moderate |
Sex/Nudity: None
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Review:
The most interesting aspect of this movie is the characters. The least interesting aspect of this movie is the plot. The Treasure of the Sierre Madra is not about a search for gold as much as it's about three men who are searching for gold. Fred Dobbs is a poor man who is greedily suspicious of anyone who even looks at him the wrong way. Bob Curtin is an honest man without the ulterior motives that Dobbs thinks he has. Howard is a crazy prospector who leads the other two men into the mountains as he warns them about the dangerous emotional changes that gold can have upon those who discover it. Together, these three men are in constant conflict with each other, thanks largely to the ever-growing greed of Dobbs, who becomes increasingly estranged from his companions with each passing day. With a good first act, a slow second act, and a good third act, The Treasure of the Sierre Madra is an entertaining film; but with a script that stretches its story to an unnecessary 126-minute length, this movie is probably one of the weaker "great classics" that I’ve seen.
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Score:
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