Gentleman's Agreement (1947)

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writer:

Moss Hart (screenplay)
(more)

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Monya Andre	...	(uncredited)
Louise Buckley	...	Mother (uncredited)
Patricia Cameron	...	(uncredited)
Jack Conrad	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Curt Conway	...	Bert McAnny (uncredited)
Olive Deering	...	First Woman (uncredited)
Irene Dehn	...	(uncredited)
Jane Earle	...	Child (uncredited)
Morgan Farley	...	Resort Clerk (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Grace Field	...	Old Lady (uncredited)
Helen Gerald	...	Page Girl (uncredited)
Fred Godoy	...	(uncredited)
Wilton Graff	...	Maitre d' (uncredited)
Jane Green	...	Second Woman (uncredited)
Virginia Gregg	...	Third Woman (uncredited)
Tom Handley	...	(uncredited)
Joe Haworth	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Hallene Hill	...	Old Lady (uncredited)
Edna Holland	...	(uncredited)
Art Howard	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Bert Howard	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Mauritz Hugo	...	Guest at Anne's Party (uncredited)
Boyd Irwin	...	(uncredited)
Robert Karnes	...	First Ex-GI in Restaurant (uncredited)
Leo Kaye	...	Porter (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Nightclub Table Extra (uncredited)
Victor Kilian	...	Olsen (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Raymond Largay	...	(uncredited)
George Leigh	...	(uncredited)
Lewis Leverett	...	Father (uncredited)
Arthur Little Jr.	...	(uncredited)
Kathleen Lockhart	...	Mrs. Jessie Minify (uncredited)
Louise Lorimer	...	Miss Miller (uncredited)
Lee MacGregor	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Adrienne Marden	...	(uncredited)
Marion Marshall	...	Guest (uncredited)
Noel Mills	...	Mother (uncredited)
Marlyn Monk	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
Henry Mowbray	...	(uncredited)
Howard Negley	...	Joe Tingler (uncredited)
Gene Nelson	...	Second Ex-GI in Restaurant (uncredited)
John Newland	...	Bill (uncredited)
Stella Rae	...	Old Lady (uncredited)
Herbert Ratner	...	Father (uncredited)
Pattie Robbins	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
Roy Roberts	...	Mr. Calkins (uncredited)
Wallace Scott	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Hotel Lobby Extra (uncredited)
Laura Treadwell	...	(uncredited)
Robert Warwick	...	Irving Weisman (uncredited)
Jesse White	...	Elevator Starter (uncredited)
Frank Wilcox	...	Harry (uncredited)
Barbara Woodell	...	(uncredited)
Mary Worth	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Elia Kazan

Writing credits
Laura Z. Hobson		(novel) uncredited
Moss Hart		(screenplay)
Elia Kazan		(screenplay revision) uncredited

Produced by
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Arthur C. Miller		(as Arthur Miller)

Art Direction by
Mark-Lee Kirk
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Paul S. Fox
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Kay Nelson

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Raymond A. Klune	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Saul Wurtzel	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Don B. Greenwood	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Bell	....	sound editor (2009 restoration)
Alfred Bruzlin	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Matt Hovland	....	foley mixer (2009 Restoration)
Tony Margulies	....	foley artist (restoration)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Harmon Jones	....	editorial supervisor

Music Department
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestral arrangements (as Edward Powell)

Other crew
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	presenter
Michael Audley	....	dialogue director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1947) (USA) (theatrical)
• Oy Fox Films (1948) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1953) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Centfox (1963) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1964) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1964) (Finland) (TV) (TV1)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1979) (Finland) (TV) (MTV1)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox (1948) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)

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:

The movie mentions three real people well-known for their racism and anti-Semitism at the time: Mississippi Sen. Theodore Bilbo, who advocated sending all African-Americans back to Africa; Mississippi Rep. John Rankin, who called columnist Walter Winchell "the little kike" on the floor of the House of Representatives; and Christian Nationalist Crusade leader Gerald L.K. Smith, who tried legal means to prevent Twentieth Century-Fox from showing the movie in Tulsa. He lost the case, but then sued Fox for $1,000,000. The case was thrown out of court in 1951.

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:

Mrs. Green: I never realized pain could be so... sharp.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Facing the Past (2005) (V)

Groundbreaking

I hate to say it, but before I saw this movie, I did not realize that there was racism against Jews in the post war period. I couldn't understand it: why would Americans promote the very thing they fought against in the war? Then I was informed that they weren't fighting against racism or discrimination, but against the Nazi regime and genocide. There is a large difference between one person's opinion and a government policy. I'm a teenager, and the fact that Jews were still discriminated against was never mentioned to me. Maybe it should be better known. I am doing Modern History next year and we will be studying the Second World War, and I'm very glad I saw this film (despite its inaccuracies).

Anyway – now to the plot. Phillip Green (Gregory Peck) is a writer who pretends to be Jewish to find out about anti-Semitism. Through this, he learns how much people discriminate against Jews and it affects him deeply and changes his life.

I was never bored in this film. I am forever fascinated by Peck, who I've always remembered as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). This is only the second film I've seen with Peck in his younger days (it's quite a pleasure watching him). Celeste Holm also is amazing and I love how she can laugh so easily – very realistic. The only thing I wasn't satisfied with is the romantic choices by Peck's character. I wish he would have chosen the happy blonde Anne instead of the sappy, boring Kathy. Oh, how I was hoping he would choose Anne! Perhaps Dorothy McGuire was miscast; maybe someone else could have brought more energy to her character. John Garfield is fantastic as Green's Jewish friend.

This was ground breaking at the time and I really respect the people who participated in this film for taking a risk. Despite being made almost 60 years ago, I have not only learned from it but enjoyed it. Yes, there are some inaccuracies and plot holes, but I don't particularly care and it doesn't distract me. It's a great film, go see it.