In AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villans list, Atticus Finch beat Indiana Jones to the number 1 hero spot. Now I have a love, bordering on the unhealthy, for Indy yet I wouldn't disagree with that. Atticus probably couldn't beat-up a bunch of Nazis but his nobility is peerless.

One of my all-time favourite characters and Peck's greatest role by a mile.

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

Yeah, yeah, yeah - but when Buffalo Bill of Silence of the Lambs tries to actually put this credo into practice, everybody gets mad at him.

Seriously, though, sometimes I think evil (as in writing evil characters) is relatively easy. Normal and noble are hard - one reason is that they're frequently reactive, at least at the beginning of the story.

Atticus Finch is a character who has inspired me more than any other I've ever known.

We were taught 'To Kill a Mockingbird' at school, and whilst most books studied in the classroom are now forgotten, the lessons and ethics embedded deeply into that story stay with me now.

A man of deep integrity.

Certain qualities are highly prized by audiences: loyalty, love, sacrifice, fighting the good fight especially against overwhelming odds, not knowing when to quit. Atticus had a few of these.