“It would be nice sometime not to have to explain [anti-Semitism] to someone like Tommy. Kids are so decent to start with,” – Mrs. Green (Anne Revere), Gentleman’s Agreement
“You only assured him he was that most wonderful of creatures, a white Christian American. You instantly gave him that lovely taste of superiority, the poison that millions of parents drop into the minds of millions of children,” – Phil Green (Gregory Peck), Gentleman’s Agreement
I think Gregory Peck looks more like an alcoholic than a victim of oppression, but the Oscars had already covered that topic
Gentleman’s Agreement, the 1947 winner for Best Picture, continued the Academy’s late 40’s obsession with Important Social Issues, this time dealing with anti-Semitism. I didn’t expect much coming into this film except some ham-handed speeches and gnashing of teeth over the injustices of the world. And while those aspects are certainly present in Gentleman’s Agreement, the film is a lot more thoughtful and dives deeper into prejudice than a typical after-school special.
Phil Green is a grumpy, widowed journalist with a 10-year-old son and an aging mother. When he moves to New York to work for a prestigious liberal magazine, his first assignment is to uncover the boiling cauldron of anti-Semitism that lies in New York City. At first off-put by the idea, Green eventually decides to pose as a Jewish man himself to get in the meat of the story (despite being a well-respected journalist, apparently he was unaware of “undercover” reporting). Almost immediately, he is taken aback by the social slights he receives (no one mentions that the title of his expose “I Was a Jew For Eight Weeks” is incredibly pandering and derogatory).
Gregory Peck and Dorothy McGuire
The plot thickens with the moral queasiness of his girlfriend. Despite being a tremendous grump, Green instantly lands his editor’s pretty, forthright niece, Kathy Lacey (Dorothy McGuire). Kathy is sort of a closet racist, in that she stands for good values but says things like “You’re not actually one, are you Phil?” when Phil goes explains to her his plan to go undercover. Kathy is actually the meat of the story because it’s her unwillingness to act against prejudices that is the most interesting part of the movie and the most thoughtful approach to what prejudice in today’s society constitutes.
Gentleman’s Agreement is weighed down by a lot of preachy speeches towards the movie’s end, as well as the punches it pulls in terms of actually addressing anti-Semitism (the worst things that really ever happen to Phil are his kid gets teased and he’s denied entrance to a hotel). Phil’s ham-handed approach to dropping his religion into conversations to reveal himself (literally at one point he just blurts out “I’m Jewish) is also pretty laughable. The movie also takes way too long to set up Phil’s whole undercover scheme – nearly a third of the movie passes before he finally hatches his plot.
Phil and son Tommy (Dean Stockwell)
However, I thought that in certain places, the movie was also very thoughtful about prejudice. Kathy is not outwardly or intentionally racist, but her desire to fit in and not ruffle feathers by speaking out against prejudice or even pretending her fiancé is Jewish was very interesting and thought-provoking about our own prejudices, even today. Phil’s secretary, who is Jewish but pretends not to be, also provides an interesting character who proves prejudiced against her own culture. John Garfield, who has a small role as Phil’s Jewish veteran friend, was my favorite actor in the movie. He’s a friendly guy who doesn’t hide his culture but has also learned to tamp down his anger over slights, until it finally boils over in one memorable scene with a drunken bigot.
The thing I liked most about Gentleman’s Agreement was that I felt it really tried hard to explore all sides of prejudice and delve “into the underbelly of the thing” as Phil’s editor says. There are good and bad people and morals, but mostly shades of gray layered throughout the movie that I really appreciated. The movie is kind of slow and preachy at times, and held up against films like Schindler’s List and 12 Years a Slave, doesn’t even scratch the surface in dealing with racism and prejudicial behavior. But for its time, it was confrontational and thought provoking for a society glad-handing itself for preserving the world for freedom and democracy.
Trivia That’s Only Interesting to Me: Phil’s son, Tommy, was played by future Quantum Leap star Dean Stockwell.
Ironic Trivia: Even though the majority of the major Hollywood Studio heads were Jewish, Darryl Zanuck, a Christian, made Gentleman’s Agreement, even though several of the other heads asked him not to for fear it would “stir up trouble”, a scene mirrored in the movie when Phil describes his planned article.
Other Movies Released in 1947: The Bishop’s Wife*, Crossfire*, Miracle on 34th Street*, Great Expectations*, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer, Unconquered#
* Nominated for Best Picture
#Top Grossing Movie of the Year
Operation: Oscar 