And that’s a fact, Jack.
You’re a middle-aged man and you just now watched TKAM? That’s even worse!
From your question in the OP, it sounds like you think the phrase “to kill a mockingbird” predates the book, but I’m pretty sure the book is what introduced it.
Yet. The 3-D, CGI, Surround-Sound, force-feedback, LED-screen, fully-interactive remake will be released in 2012.
… in COLOUR!
Just like to point out that Boo Radley was played by a very young Robert Duvall!
As an aside, the Korean translation of the book title amounts to “Killing Parrots.” We use the same word for mockingbirds and parrots. As a teacher I’ve gotten questions about whether parrots are commonly seen in the wild in Alabama.
Are they?
(I saw them frequently in L.A.)
In (more or less) his first movie role. He is listed as having an uncredited, unconfirmed part in Somebody Up There Likes Me, then several appearances in TV series, then Mockingbird.
I’ve never seen it either - just read the book.
My sixth grade teacher damn near got fired for assigning the book back in 1969. I remember her coming into class a couple of days after assigning it, almost in tears, telling us that the book was “inappropriate”.
Ah, the good old days.
ETA: Needless to say, that was all it took to make sure I read it.
Wow. What state was that in?
They used to be common. But not since the late 1800s.
This was in Oklahoma, which may explain a bit.
I believe it was his first movie.
The state of ignorance and fear, where many school boards reside.
My 7th grade English teacher saw me reading it and wanted to make sure I checked with my parents to make sure they thought it was appropriate for me to read at that age. Not because of the racism, or the scapegoating and murder of an innocent man, or the attempted murder of two young children, or the old drug addict. No, what she was worried about was the fact that Tom was being tried for [distressed whisper]rape.[/distressed whisper]
The mind reels. But I can see how some people might think the book is a bit…heavy for the average 6th grader.
Aside: My wife and I recently listened to the audio tape, and the story seemed twice as long with a bunch of extraneous stuff beyond the story we recall reading! For example, late in the audio book, the bit of Scout being a ham in a school play and Halloween? Also, late in the audio, Scout’s brother’s teacher makes a mention about the Holocaust? …Also, Scout (I believe) being punished and must go read to some old lady? We don’t recall any of this! Could there be an abridged version out there, or what?
Do other SDopers recall this?
Some of this I remember from the book and some I don’t. What I remember for sure is that the book has a lot more subplots than the movie.
I have read the book just about every year since I was 12- about 30 years. Those subplots are certainly in the book. Jem reads to Mrs Duboise after killing her flowers. It was in retailiation for her making snide comments about Atticus.
The whole book is less specifically about Tom’s trial but about the factors that influence Scouts coming of age.
I recently read the book and the Holocaust bit is in Scout’s class - the kids are asked to present on a current issue and one of the kids does a presentation on Hitler. Scout is confused because her teacher denounces the Holocaust but at the same time makes racist remarks regarding the Robinson trial.