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They seem 10 feet tall.
To Scout Finch, her father seems even taller than that.
Credit: Everett Collection
And as played by Gregory Peck, he is.
Its a period piece, to be sure.
But its lessons of tolerance, kindness, and compassion are timeless.
Peck was 45 when he madeMockingbird.
By then, he was already Hollywoods standard-bearer of onscreen stoicism and message-movie moral decency.
Hed been nominated for four Oscars, but Atticus was the role that would finally win him one.
Its not hard to see why.
Scout calls for her father to come outside, where he thanks the farmer.
When the man leaves, Atticus tells Scout that maybe next time she shouldnt come and get him.
I think it embarrasses him to be thanked, he tells her.
Its hard to imagine a tidier tutorial in empathy and the importance of a human beings sense of pride.
Without spelling it out, he teaches his kids that doing whats right isnt always easy.
Of course, no child ever appreciates that sort of thing in the moment.
Its only in hindsight that we understand it.
After Atticus has lost Robinsons trial, he exits the courtroom.
The black reverend whispers to Scout, Miss Jean Louise, stand up…your fathers passing.
To Kill a Mockingbirdis available for streaming onAmazon,iTunes, and Netflix.
