Gentleman's Agreement (1947)

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writer:

Moss Hart (screenplay)

Release Date:

February 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred.

Plot Keywords:

Jewish | Racism | Anti Semitism | Magazine | Jew

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Philip Schuyler Green
Dorothy McGuire	...	Kathy Lacy
John Garfield	...	Dave Goldman
Celeste Holm	...	Anne Dettrey
Anne Revere	...	Mrs. Green
June Havoc	...	Elaine Wales
Albert Dekker	...	John Minify
Jane Wyatt	...	Jane
Dean Stockwell	...	Tommy Green
Nicholas Joy	...	Dr. Craigie
Sam Jaffe	...	Professor Fred Lieberman
Harold Vermilyea	...	Lou Jordan
Ransom M. Sherman	...	Bill Payson

Also Known As:

Laura Z. Hobson's Gentleman's Agreement (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (video rating) | Brazil:Livre | West Germany:12 (f) (w) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1990) | UK:U (tv rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:S | Spain:13 | USA:Approved (PCA #12488) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Darien, Connecticut, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Shooting started in late May 1947 and took 3 months. The film opened in November of that year to overwhelming critical favor.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Phil is taking Tommy to meet his (Phil's) mother at Saks Fifth Avenue, they stop in front of the statue of Atlas outside Rockefeller Center. In the shot of the two of them talking, with Fifth Avenue in the background, Saks is directly behind them, diagonally across the street on the right, with St. Patrick's Cathedral on the left. But when Phil looks at his watch and tells Tommy they'd better leave to meet grandma, the two hurry off back north along Fifth Avenue - in the completely opposite direction of the plainly visible Saks.

Quotes:

Kathy Lacey: You can't help that you were born Christian instead of Jewish. It doesn't mean you're glad you were. But I am glad. There, I said it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in First Daughter (2004)

Kudos to John Garfield!

This movie was very well done, and in my opinion should be shown to young people at school. That way it can help to prevent prejudices and bigotry from taking root in future generations. As John Garfield's character in the movie showed: discrimination and racial intolerance can be eliminated if we fight it. Garfield's willingness to take a supporting role in this movie because of the power of its message should compel the skeptics to watch this movie.

The sterling cast meshed together perfectly. Gregory Pecks gentility was exactly what the lead role in this movie had to have. Dorothy Mcguire was also excellent at conveying her emotions in such a demanding role. Its too bad that Garfield and Mcguire are not as well known as other Golden age stars.