Based on Harper Lee’s novel about racism in The Deep South, the movie had Gregory Peck in an Academy Award winning role, as Atticus Finch, the idealistic lawyer, who defends a black guy arrested on charge of raping a white girl. Atticus Finch has been rated as the #1 Screen Hero by AFI in its special, "100 Years, 100 Movies, 100 Heroes & Villains".
Gregory Peck has had a reputation of playing the good, honest character on screen, notwithstanding an occasional Boys From Brazil, where he played the Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. In real life too Peck had a reputation for being a true gentleman, courteous, a man of true integrity. Atticus Finch was a role he was born to play.
Not many know that Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, felt Gregory Peck resembled her own father. The first scene that was shot, showed Peck returning home to greet his kids, she was a guest on the sets. And began to cry, when Peck asked her the reason, she said he reminded her of her father.
The character of Atticus Finch was modelled on Lee’s father, Amasa Lee, an attorney and Alabama state legislator, whose defence of a black client in 1923, was the inspiration for the novel. Peck met her father, while filming the movie, and had a good bonding too. When her father passed away, she gifted Peck her father’s watch and chain, which he wore to the Academy Awards ceremony.
The other character was Scout, Atticus Finch’s daughter played by Mary Badham. Having lost both her parents, mother when she was a child, father just after her marriage, Peck became a father figure to her in real life too, calling her up, checking on her. To her he was a real role model.
And finally Brock Peters, who played Tom Robinson, the black man, whom Peck’s character defends in the movie. Peters who was a big fan of Peck, was stunned when he learnt he was to act beside him. After the movie, Peck and Peters became close friends, and when he passed away in 2003, the eulogy was delivered by Peters.
Eldred Gregory Peck. A legend of five decades. How do we start?
In art there is compassion, in compassion there is humanity, with humanity there is generosity and love. Gregory Peck gave us these attributes in full measure. To this day the children of 'Mockingbird' ... call him Atticus.
Gregory Peck had acted in some of the most memorable movies of Hollywood, more often than not playing the straight, honest, idealistic hero, who can do no wrong. And among all his movies, To Kill A Mockingbird would be one of his greatest ever. He was born to play Atticus Finch.
How playing Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird changed my life