To Kill a Mockingbird | Atticus Finch's Closing Argument

"Now, gentlemen, in this country our courts are the great levelers. In our courts, all men are created equal. I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and of our jury system. That's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality!"

Buy/Rent To Kill a Mockingbird!

Gregory Peck won an Oscar® for his brilliant performance as the Southern lawyer who defends a black man accused of rape in this film version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The way in which it captures a time, a place, and above all, a mood, makes this film a masterpiece. The setting is a dusty Southern town during the Depression. A white woman accuses a black man of rape. Though he is obviously innocent, the outcome of his trial is such a foregone conclusion that no lawyer will step forward to defend him – except Peck, the town's most distinguished citizen. His compassionate defense costs him many friendships but earns him the respect and admiration of his two motherless children.

© 1963 Pakula-Mulligan Productions, Inc. & Brentwood Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Cast: Gregory Peck, John Megna, Ruth White, Paul Fix, Brock Peters, Frank Overton
Produced By: Alan J. Pakula
Directed By: Robert Mulligan

[mcs-blsg]

This entire speech was done in a single take. That's unbelievable.

[MichellePrice]

When Harper Lee was on set, she saw Gregory Peck as Atticus for the first time and cried because he was exactly what she had pictured. She had based Atticus on her own father, and when he came out of costume for filming, she cried and he told her it was his honor to play Atticus, and he only hoped he could do the character justice.

[boringbill]

He basically fights in a fight he knows he cannot win, because the rules are rigged. The jury will never understand regardless of what he presents and does. He goes through hell even though, he knows he will lose due to the rigged system. A hero is this man.

[roguestar]

The camera watches him and never cuts to the jury for almost the entire scene. We are the jury.

[illbuyourniknak]

People in the South were trying to ban this book because “it made people uncomfortable.”

If this book makes you uncomfortable, I say good, that’s the point of the book.

[jadentrez]

"Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. Courage is knowing you are beaten to begin with, but you begin anyway, and you see it through no matter what." -- Atticus Finch

[deaver]

My dad, who was a lawyer, always said Atticus Finch was his favorite character. My mom is a high school english teacher and reads this book with her class every year. My dad died when I was 13 so I never got to ask him why this was his favorite, but hearing my mom talk about this scene and seeing this video helps me understand what my dad was striving to be.

[johnratican]

The actor who played Tom Robinson did the eulogy at Peck's funeral. I can imagine him doing that.

[scottyarbour]

Not only is Gregory Pecks performance phenomenal, note how Robert Mulligan put the camera where the jury is sitting. Atticus isn’t only making his case to the jury, but he’s speaking to us, the audience.

[joeylatino]

“In the name of God, do your duty. In the name of God, believe Tom Robinson.”
I got chills

[atticusmcfly]

The scene that made me fall in love with cinema. Atticus Finch and Gregory Peck are one and the same to me. A film that must never ever not be shown in middle school.

[alyssao]

I’ll never forget watching this in class with my classmates, when Tom was found guilty, the whole class got angry & started yelling at the smartboard screen

[_robin_]

also, Atticus's voice in this is just, amazing

[sosidecop]

For all you fans of superhero movies, look no further than Atticus Finch. The hero’s hero.

[malteseheart]

As a child, reading the book, the worst part was from Scout's pov, when she says a jury never looks into the eye of the one they have just judged. Gregory Peck was a genius.

[russellcampbell]

When you know you can't win but you give it your best shot = courage.

[chrisfinch]

I love the fact that Gregory Peck did this whole argument in one take. The way he acts on screen, in pretty much all of his roles, really make his films enjoyable to watch. Hollywood misses a classic legend like him.

[chipsthedog]

My son always refused to watch "old films" and movies that were in black and white were not even considered. During the lock down last year I finally persuaded him to sit through one with me. I chose 12 angry men and he absolutely loved it, a couple of days later he came downstairs from his room all hyped up about another film he had just watched it was of course to kill a mocking bird. He now has a list of old films he wants to see some recommendations from me and others he got off lists of top movies ever.

[lesliegmn]

I love the way Reverend Sykes said later, “Stand up, Miss Jean Louise. Your father’s passin’.”

[LPJack]

RIP Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003), aged 87
And
RIP Harper Lee (April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016), aged 89
You both will always be remembered as legends.