Gregory Peck

[kellinator]

"Well, I'm standin' in line in the rain to see a movie starring Gregory Peck,
Yeah, but you know it's not the one that I had in mind.
He's got a new one out now, I don't even know what it's about
But I'll see him in anything so I'll stand in line."

--Bob Dylan, "Brownsville Girl"

I was thinking last week about the AFI top heroes and villains list, and how right it was that Indiana Jones was number two and Atticus Finch was number one. Why those numbers? Because what it comes down to is: Most of us have accepted that we'll never be Indiana Jones. But we all want to believe that, given the chance, we could be Atticus Finch.

Rest in peace, Mr. Peck. And thank you.

Comments

[alfabettezoupe.livejournal.com]

i wanted to be a lawyer like atticus finch.

my third year at george washington, i had already declared pre-law and due to my taking classes during the summer years i was looking at graduating early. i went to a meeting for those going to law school. there were going to be tips and info on the lsat and ways to save money, etc.

the first speaker was one of the professors from gw's law school. he started out asking who wanted to be a lawyer to make money. a few hands went up. and he asked who was going into it to do good and be atticus finch and others of us including myself raised our hands. i'll never forget what he said next, 'you won't make any money, not for at first. and you'll never really do any good for anyone so get the atticus finch idea out of your heads. it's time to be realistic not idealistic.'

i switched majors to communications the very next day. a choice i have regretted everyday since. i shouldn't have let my fear that there wasn't a little bit of atticus finch in all of us overwhelm me.