To Kill a Mockingbird (NR, 1962)

Based on Harper Lee's classic novel (which is often assigned to kids in junior high school), TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is set in a small Alabama town in the 1930s and follows the story of the Finch family -- 6-year-old Scout (Mary Badham), her older brother Jem (Philip Alford), and their widowed lawyer father Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck). Two parallel story lines follow Atticus' difficult decision to defend a black man who has been accused of raping a white woman, and the two young Finches' fascination with their mysterious -- and rumored to be dangerous -- recluse neighbor, Boo Radley (Robert Duvall). Atticus and his children face disapproval and worse from those who believe the accused is guilty, with or without a trial. And Scout and Jem discover that someone is leaving strange little gifts for them in a tree near their home.

This Hollywood masterpiece offers crucial lessons about prejudice and the fears that motivate it. Children will appreciate a movie that respects their intelligence and reaches for the heart without gimmicks and overly cute characters. Peck's Academy Award-winning performance anchors the movie, which is finely crafted with a perfectly balanced script by Horton Foote. A paragon of decency who stands for tolerance and non-violence at all costs, Atticus is also a loving, nurturing father who treats everyone around him, including his children, with respect -- the model parent.

Despite the ugly truths portrayed here, a gentle goodness pervades, even during the darkest of moments. Foote includes more than lynch mobs and courtroom fireworks; he also offers lower key, intimate moments. Like when young Scout questions her older brother about their deceased mother. Or, on a lighter note, when Scout fidgets during her first day of school; the tomboy can't get comfortable in her new dress.