Atticus Finch, portrayed by Gregory Peck, in To Kill a Mockingbird, has been my favorite cinema character of all time. I saw in him the integrity of an ordinary man, good father, who loves his family and dares to confront his neighbors for the sake of justice, knowing how dangerous it can be. He always reminded me of my own father. The performance of Mr. Peck is memorable.
Jean Valjean, the main character of Les Misèrables, by Victor Hugo, is another imposing character who left a deep impression on me from the moment I read the book. He redeems himself and is determined to do what’s right from the moment of his “conversion” until his death. I like the job Liam Neeson did in the 1998 movie. The scene when his long time pursuer Javert commits suicide and Valjean returns home free is really a masterclass of acting by Neeson directly with the gradual change of expression from anguish to the freedom so long pursued. Hug Jackman does a great job in the musical, but It’s different, he is conditioned by the songs he needs to sing. I prefer the other version.