HEY, BOO: Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird - Movie Review - 2010

HEY BOO: Harper Lee and "To Kill a Mockingbird" is Mary McDonagh Murphy’s biographical documentary about the beloved author of one of America's favorite novels.

Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. In 1960, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for To Kill A Mockingbird, her first and only novel, written under the name Harper Lee. In 1962, the cinema adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird won three Academy Awards.

To this day, Harper Lee is one of America's favorite authors. But for all her fame, for all these years, Lee has consistently been media shy. She's made few public appearances, and has refused all requests for interviews.

So, director Mary McDonagh Murphy's biographical documentary offers a much appreciated glimpse into the life and legacy of the beloved author. Archival footage and photographs are used to tell the story of Lee's childhood in the deep -- and segregated -- South, and the start of her lifelong friendship with Truman Capote, who was her neighbor -- and the acknowledged inspiration for the character of 'Dill' Harris in To Kill A Mockingbird. There are clips from the Oscar-winning movie, as well as interviews with celebrated literati and Lee fans, including Anna Quindlen, Tom Browkaw, James Patterson and Oprah Winfrey, among others. Lee's 99-year-old sister, Alice, gives a rare interview with memories of important moments in Harper's rather reclusive life.

Lee's compelling telling of her tale of racial prejudice in a town in the deep South is credited with having spurring on America's anti-segregation movement and creating social and political change. Over the years, she's won numerous prizes and awards, and this documentary is a fitting tribute to Nelle Harper Lee, an American treasure.

If You Like This Film, You May Also Like:

• Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
• Razzle Dazzle
• Hats Off
• Trumbo
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Film Details

• Title: HEY, BOO: Harper Lee and "To Kill A Mockingbird"
• Directors: Mary McDonagh Murphy
• Theatrical Release Date: May 13, 2011 (limited)
• DVD Release Date: July 19, 2011
• Running Time: 82 mins.
• Location: USA
• Language: English
• Distribution: First Run Features
• Official Website
• Trailer