Gregory Peck won Best Actor for To Kill a Mockingbird, and Atticus Finch has since been named the greatest hero in American film, which says as much about the culture as about the performance.
The interesting work is where the decency cracks. Twelve O’Clock High is about a commander breaking down under the weight of sending men to die, and The Gunfighter plays a legend who cannot escape his own reputation.
He was nominated five times, produced several of his own films, and served as president of the Academy. Roman Holiday shows a light comic touch the reputation obscures.
