Movie Review: “Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’”

May 16, 2011

This remarkable documentary is devoted to the Pulitzer Prize novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” written by Harper Lee. It is used as a primer in many schools, and over 50 million copies have been sold since its publication in 1960.

Harper was born in Monroeville, Alabama. For a time, Truman Capote lived there as well, and they became childhood friends. After writing her book, Lee went to Kansas with Capote where he wrote “In Cold Blood,” a book about the 1959 murders of the Clutter family. Lee conducted interviews of local residents regarding the slayings. According to Harper’s 99-year-old sister, Alice, who still practices law, Harper and Truman later had a falling out because he was envious of her success. However, Capote wrote to his friends in New York City asking that they look after Harper when she moved there. They did indeed and gave her enough money allowing her to quit her job at an airline and write her book.

Hand in hand with the triumph of her book was the movie of the same name in which the protagonist, Atticus Finch, a lawyer modeled on Harper’s father, was played by Gregory Peck. Those of you who have either read the book or seen the film will recall his remarkable child, Scout, who had adult insights on the human condition, particularly the oppression of blacks.

Harper willingly gave interviews after the publication of her book. She stopped doing so at a later date conveying she did not think she had been treated well by the media. She also declined to be interviewed for this documentary.

“Hey, Boo” is one of the best documentaries I have seen in many years.