Gentleman's Agreement
1947 Directed by Elia Kazan
Synopsis
Philip Green is a highly respected writer who is recruited by a national magazine to write a series of articles on anti-Semitism in America. He's not too keen on the series, mostly because he's not sure how to tackle the subject. Then it dawns on him: if he was to pretend to all and sundry that he was Jewish, he could then experience the degree of racism and prejudice that exists and write his story from that perspective. It takes little time for him to experience bigotry. He soon learns the liberal-minded firm he works for doesn't hire Jews and that his own secretary changed her name and kept the fact that she is Jewish a secret from everyone. Green soon finds that he won't be invited to certain parties, that he cannot stay in so-called 'restricted' hotels and that his own son is called names in the street. His anger at the way he is treated also affects his relationship with Kathy Lacy, his publisher's niece and the person who suggested the series in the first place.
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**Part of the Best Picture Project**
While many might be turned off in the head on way Elia Kazan's Gentleman's Agreement tackles the topic of antisemitism, it is nonetheless an important film that takes a look at the social malaise of the issue, and how unnatural it is.
Gentleman's Agreement deals with characters speaking in long winded monologues and having simple philosophical conversations about how people aren't so different, but its written in a way that feels mostly natural, and Kazan knows how to handle his actors, so although you know nobody really ever talks like this, it sure as hell sounds like they do.
It's not perfect, and does rely on heavy handedness to get its point across, but for its time, that was necessary, and even today, Gentleman's Agreement carries importance in how we treat others simply based on labels.
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A somewhat underrated and forgotten Oscar Best Picture winner which tackles the anti-semitism subject passionately.
This film is based on a literary sensation of the time, and is passionate about liberal subject matter, so it is no suprise it won (early Oscar bait?). The film is splendidly made, without particularly soaring other than the odd speech here and there. Those who disrespect Kazan films with bearing on his real life will likely find a lot to criticise here, as with On The Waterfront.
Personally, I can relate quite well to the subtle racism within the story. I've had a similar experience in my life, so it rang quite true. This film is important in how it tackles the subject, as…
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"Gentleman's Agreement" came out in a particularly weak Oscar year. I imagine it was a hard-hitting drama when it first came out, but after viewing it for the first time I found it to be a bit dated. While its subject matter is quite important and handled expertly by the great Elia Kazan, the film never really soars. Instead, it is restrained by its excessively wordy script that would have been better suited as a play.
Gregory Peck stars as Phil Green, a journalist assigned to do a series on anti-Semitism. He decides to pretend that he is Jewish for a few months, a decision that will come to effect not just him but his family as well.
For a…
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A somewhat underrated and forgotten Oscar Best Picture winner which tackles the anti-semitism subject passionately.
This film is based on a literary sensation of the time, and is passionate about liberal subject matter, so it is no suprise it won (early Oscar bait?). The film is splendidly made, without particularly soaring other than the odd speech here and there. Those who disrespect Kazan films with bearing on his real life will likely find a lot to criticise here, as with On The Waterfront.
Personally, I can relate quite well to the subtle racism within the story. I've had a similar experience in my life, so it rang quite true. This film is important in how it tackles the subject, as…
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The "Crash" of the 1940s
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Elia Kazan's Gentleman's Agreement is not without its flaws, but at its core, it's sincere. Peck is excellent, and Holm and Revere are both terrific, but the weak link in the cast is Dorothy McGuire, who never really gets the hang of her role. All the same, this is a well-meaning and somewhat powerful condemnation of prejudice.
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Powerful stuff. Elia Kazan was always able to take on the big things going on and he did it with this film when he addressed the issue of anti-Semitism and how people turn a blind eye to it and think that it is okay to say those sort of things. It won best picture which it deserved and it shows why Gregory Peck was one of the best actors ever. This subject matter is not really addressed in the films and movies that I have watched, so it is refreshing to see it done so well in this type of film.
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Elia Kazan takes on anti-Semitism. The film is about a reporter who pretends to be Jewish to write a story on anti-Semitism. He thinks it might be interesting but discovers it is much worse than he thought, even among people he thought he knew.
This is a good film. It does get preachy at times, almost like Kazan does not trust that the audience got the message. Well, I guess they did not since we are still dealing with the same problem. I would love to see this film remade but just this time about Muslims. Now would that not be something?!
It is interesting that Elia Kazan could preach so hotly for tolerance but then fail to live up to it during the McCarthy Era.
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Kazan tackles an important subject in Gentleman's Agreement - antisemitism. And even though it's not a problem today like it was then, it's still as important. Admittedly, I thought the film suffered in its pace - quite slow with elongated scenes. But in the same vein it's methodical and natural, both in dialogue and setting. And Gregory Peck absolutely makes it worth watching.
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This is a weak film with terribly overt messages and bad overacting... and yet, it tried so hard, that I can't quite crush it.
My full thoughts here:
www.everyeliakazanmovie.blogspot.ca/2013/03/gentlemens-agreement-1947.html -
without Garfield and Kazan's magic behind the camera this would be a complete dud
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More than a bit heavy-handed and preachy, it certainly made an effective point for its era. It's stuck in its era, however, and that's what I think keeps it from being great.