Once again, our judges found this movie stands the test of time as one of the greatest legal films. Gregory Peck’s performance as Atticus Finch is a joy to behold. Horton Foote’s screen adaptation of the Harper Lee novel is riveting, chronicling Finch’s quest to challenge the racism of Depression-era Alabama as he defends a disabled black man (Brock Peters) falsely accused of rape. Finch is a character to admire: courageous, contrary, morally grounded and a father. The story unfolds through the eyes of Finch’s 6-year-old daughter, Scout (Mary Badham), who witnesses an extraordinary trial and the ugliness and vulnerabilities of humanity.

Trivia: The courthouse in Monroeville, Alabama, which served as the model for the one built on set, is now a museum dedicated to the book, movie and author Lee.

See our August 2018 cover story: “The 25 Greatest Legal Movies.”