Gentleman's Agreement

Pros: Coulda been a contenda but punches itself out early
Cons: Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, lame script

Gentleman’s Agreement (1947) A movie that was powerful in its day comes through as a bit dated and unbelievable due to an unconvincing performance by Gregory Peck. This is not to say that the film does not have its moments, just that Peck, in a ...

Pros: The supporting cast sparkles like champagne
Cons: The two leads (Gregory Peck and Dorothy McGuire) could use an injection of champagne

Looking at Gentleman’s Agreement’s gray, placid surface, you wouldn’t know that underneath is a seething, boiling stew of a sermon. At the pulpit: the Rev. Elia Kazan in full evangelistic fervor. Not that there’s anything...

Pros: great cast in a daring film for the period
Cons: it really stacks the scenes with a "message"

It's too bad about the Actor's Studio and the performers who show up in the message-driven movies like Gentleman's Agreement, because the movie exploits their talent to prop up a biased point of view.  The movie never really delves into character ...

Pros: Acting, important topic
Cons: Slow pacing, weakness in characters, direction, editing, dated

Elia Kazan has been known to direct controversial films that are supposed to convey very powerful messages and one such example is his classic film, On The Waterfront. While it was a good movie and the message of the film was delivered clearly,...

Pros: Excellent movie on bias issues. Set the stage . . .
Cons: It's black and white and some of those goofy music cues.

Most of us would “step up” (or would like to think we would) if we saw blatant violence directed toward someone especially if that act of violence were based on race, gender, sexual orientation. This might mean making the cell phone call from the...

Pros: Quite bold for its day about bigotry, Gregory Peck, Celeste Holm.
Cons: Some won't enjoy Peck/MacGuire relationship, because she has little backbone (for a while)

One of the most amazing things about the 1947 movie Gentleman’s Agreement is the fact that the issue of anti-Semitism was a taboo in American society. Sure, perhaps it would have made sense a few decades before this -- but, by 1947, you’d think that ...

Pros: Great message
Cons: Some very campy lines., Uses the medium poorly, Light on character development.

As I continue to review older films, I find myself surprised by how few films I have seen featuring the supposed greats of acting. So, for example, until tonight, the only other film I had seen with Gregory Peck was "To Kill A Mockingbird" (reviewed ...

Pros: Gregory Peck's powerful performance.
Cons: Occasionally heavy-handed.

There are two reasons I decided to watch this film. The first would be that it won the Oscar for Best Picture and I try to make it a point to see what the Academy was thinking at certain times in cinema history. It's rare that I agree with them regarding...

Pros: cast, script, direction, originality, themes
Cons: some supporting characters, sometimes heavyhanded

"Gentleman's Agreement" is a drama that explores prejudice against Jews. Not the kind of prejudice that is demonstrated in a fiery, defamatory speech, but the quiet kind, done to exclude Jews from a job, a home, or a social occasion. The film...

Pros: Daring for its time, sensitive portrayal of ever-present discrimination in society
Cons: The poorly executed romance detracted from an otherwise powerful film

Darryl Zanuck's "Gentleman's Agreement" (based on the novel of the same name by Laura Hobson) probed the depths of anti-Semitism in post-WWII America. The film was released in 1947, and won eight Academy Award nominations, including wins for Best ...