Dear Members and Friends of Houston-Leipzig,
I just returned from Germany in time to remind you of our next monthly meeting this coming Thursday, July 17, at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall of Christ the King Lutheran Church, 2353 Rice Boulevard.
During the summer months, we all relax with our Houston-Leipzig at the Movies series, when we usually show German films. This month we make an exception by bringing you an American classic, in honor of a book and a movie that have endured for five decades and are perennial favorites – To Kill A Mockingbird. The book on which the movie is based was published on July 11, 1960; it was an instant bestseller, and became available as an e-book this year. The movie was equally successful; it was nominated for eight Oscars and received three, as well as three Golden Globe Awards, and ranks 25th of the 100 best American movies.
While the primary themes of To Kill a Mockingbird involve racial injustice and the loss of innocence, the story is told with warmth and humor. It is a coming-of-age story from the viewpoint of two children in the South, Scout and Jem Finch. While their father Atticus, a lawyer, defends Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of rape, the children are fascinated by a mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. Through the trial and their experiences in their hometown of Maycomb, Alabama, Scout and Jem learn about racism, tolerance, and acceptance in the 1930s Deep South told from a perspective of the racial upheaval in the 1960s.
When I saw the film again recently, I found it just as gripping and emotional as before, but I was also surprised at the fresh perspectives this century brings when one views the movie years later. Critics called the book “a novel of strong contemporary national significance” – the film is “considered one of the greatest ever made.”
We will have our customary food and beverage reception before the screening. More details will follow shortly. Please let us know as soon as possible whether you’ll be attending by replying to angelika@houstonleipzig.org, so that we can plan for the refreshments.
I hope to see all of you on Thursday for an interesting evening.
Best wishes
Wolfgang Schmidt
2014 President
Houston-Leipzig Sister City Association
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