Gregory Peck was an instant sensation at the cinema. He was nominated for Best Actor in his very first year of the movies for The Keys of the Kingdom (1944) and the hits just kept on coming: The Yearling (1946), Gentleman's Agreement (1947), Twelve O'Clock High (1949). The Academy became less interested in nominating him after that the 1940s but for his Oscar winning and most iconic role (To Kill a Mockingbird) but audiences never stopped loving him. He had key hit films for over 30 years in his big screen career.
Though he was a very politically active liberal he was never interested in running for office himself but he proved to be an influential politician within the industry itself as a key AMPAS president.
For this week's Hit Me With Your Best Shot, in honor of Peck's Centennial, we gave participants the choice between what are arguably his two greatest films, Roman Holiday (1953) or To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Both films were Oscar nominated for Cinematography in their years (as well as Best Picture). Click on any of the images to be directed to the corresponding article.
ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953)
6 participants
Both Princess Ann and Joe Bradley aren’t telling each other their true identities...
-Cinema Cities *first time Best Shot participant*
a unique look mixing Hollywood romanticism with a strangely authentic sense of place and time.
-Magnificent Obsession
What makes the film great is the chemistry among Peck, Hepburn and Eddie Albert (who played the amusing third wheel in most of the film).
-Sorta That Guy
At each new adventure, the lovers are drawn closer and closer together in the frame...
-Film Mix Tape
And here is where she earns that Oscar.
-I Want to Believe
a flip flopped Cinderella story
-Wick's Picks
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)
5 participants
1962 was a damn solid year for film, wasn’t it? Almost makes the 35th Academy Awards basically the award equivalent of Sophie’s Choice.
-Defiant Success
We're never this far away from anyone at any point in the film...
-Dancin Dan on Film
Someone asked me if I could have lunch with a fictional character who would it be? My answer is Atticus Finch.
-Rachel's Reviews
the early scenes of the movie are my favorites. They remind me of The Wizard of Oz’s Kansas scenes, a place that you simultaneously want to get away from and could totally see being someone’s home where the heart is.
-Scopophiliac at the Cinema
a movie that works well for almost all ages.
-Allison Tooey
P.S. I apologize for my own absence in this roundup but there is some cat drama offscreen chez moi. We're going to the vet in the morning so hopefully normal blogging shall resume shortly.
NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT: Witness (1985).