Gentleman's Agreement
Gentleman's Agreement
NR | 11 November 1947 (USA)
Gentleman's Agreement Trailers

A magazine writer poses as a Jew to expose anti-Semitism.

Reviews
SpuffyWeb

Sadly Over-hyped

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Stellead

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

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Usamah Harvey

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

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Mandeep Tyson

The acting in this movie is really good.

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caitlinestes

Gentleman's Agreement is such an eye-opening film. I never realized that Jewish people were treated like this in the United States. It is awful that everyday things like renting an apartment was not allowed by Jews and kids like Tommy were bullied for being Jewish. It shows the viewer how hard it really was for Jewish people and how horrible they were treated. Gregory Peck does a great job playing Philip just like he did a great job as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. He really helps develop the story and fits the part so well. Every actor did a great job to fit their parts and it was very well made and expressed such an important event in history.

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HotToastyRag

Gregory Peck, the picture of American integrity, takes on the controversial issue of anti-Semitism in the first of his many groundbreaking films, Gentleman's Agreement. In his incredible career, he went on to tackle gambling addiction in The Great Sinner, unhappiness in Suburbia in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, and racism in To Kill a Mockingbird. To see a classic "Gregory Peck" role, rent at least one of those four.Greg plays a writer who uncovers the hidden anti-Semitic attitude in the "best areas" of America. He wants to expose this wrong, so he goes undercover as a Jewish man—I know, that sounds dated and offensive, but just give him a chance—and writes about his experiences with prejudice.At a time when America, and Hollywood, tended to sweep all problems under the rug, it was incredible that this movie was even made. Greg lives through some very eye-opening experiences. Friends of his confide in him and share their own anti-Semitic prejudices they've endured, and some aren't as open-minded as they seem to be. Joining the supporting cast are Dorothy Maguire, John Garfield, Ann Revere, Celeste Holm, Sam Jaffe, and Dean Stockwell. If you like movies about social causes or shedding light on the cobwebs in the room, rent Gentleman's Agreement and buckle up for an interesting, dramatic ride.

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evanston_dad

I have to admit that Elia Kazan's expose of anti-semitism that came out shortly after the end of World War II made me feel pretty ignorant. I didn't realize that anti-semitism, at least to the extreme that it's presented here, was quite so rampant so shortly after the war.Kazan's film was released at a time when Hollywood was in social issue mode, making one hard-hitting film after another -- "The Lost Weekend" and "The Best Years of Our Lives" won the two Best Picture Academy Awards immediately prior to "Gentleman's Agreement," which won that award itself in 1947. These films seem pretty dated and heavy-handed now, but I think films like this were necessary then and are still necessary now. A film like "Crossfire," which also came out in 1947 and also addressed anti-semitism, is a much more interesting examination of the topic than "Gentleman's Agreement," but there was a whole big movie audience out there who wouldn't ever have watched that film because it was a B noir with gritty production values and a screenplay that doesn't tell its audience how it's supposed to feel. "Gentleman's Agreement," on the other hand, stars the attractive and glamorous Gregory Peck and Dorothy Maguire, and it presents its points in such a tidily wrapped and happy package that an audience can feel both good about the way the film ends and about themselves for being so progressive and open minded for watching it in the first place.Peck was nominated for Best Actor, and he hits his marks, but he's a boring character, and his performance consists almost completely of sanctimonious speechifying. Maguire was also nominated for Best Actress, and while her character is probably the most aggravating, she's also the most interesting and probably most representative of the majority of filmgoers who would have seen this movie, liberal progressives who voice a lot of outrage but actually enable social injustice when it comes right down to doing anything important about it. The film goes after her for her complacency, and even gives her a pretty frank and blistering soliloquy in which she admits her relief and happiness at not being Jewish, not being poor, etc. -- in other words, an admission that she should feel guilty for her white privilege but doesn't because she likes it. Pretty strong stuff for the time, and crazily relevant today, when people put Black Lives Matters signs in their front yards but then send their white darlings to private schools to avoid having them go to school with blacks and hispanics.Celeste Holm, one of my favorite actresses of all time, won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her small role as a fashion editor who says what's on her mind. She lights up the screen every time she's on it, but the film doesn't give her much to do, and really her character could have been excised altogether without much changing the film. Anne Revere, as Peck's salt-of-the-earth mom, was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Elia Kazan, who was named that year's Best Director, provides uncharacteristically dull direction; the film is based on a novel, but it wouldn't have surprised me to find that it was based on a play, so stage bound does it feel. The film also scored nominations for Best Screenplay (Moss Hart) and Best Film Editing (Harmon Jones)."Gentleman's Agreement" sits squarely in the middle of Oscar's Best Pictures in terms of quality -- not nearly as good as some of the Academy's picks over the years, but not nearly as bad as some others.Grade: A-

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SnoopyStyle

Philip Green (Gregory Peck) is a widow with a son Tommy (Dean Stockwell). He is lured to a magazine to write a series on anti-Semitism by publisher John Minify (Albert Dekker). The publisher's niece Kathy Lacy (Dorothy McGuire) had suggested the idea in the first place. He is uncertain until he tries to explain it to his son. After his mother's near death experience, he realizes that he can't understand any experience unless he experience it himself. He comes up with a way to tackle the issue. He pretends to be Jewish to experience real racism.The subject was edgy for its time. Director Elia Kazan brings his skills to this movie early in his career. Gregory Peck is the personification of honor and goodness. He is perfect for the role. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the idea. Before that, the movie is a little bit slow. While the obvious racism is easy, it's the personal subtle racism that is more interesting. All the colors are painted. It isn't about ignorant backwoods rednecks. It is about all forms that is pervasive in everyday's life and no person is immune. And it has to be noted for its iconic status.

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