Gentleman's Agreement

Released Nov 11, 1947

1h 58m

Drama

List

82%

83 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When journalist Phil Green (Gregory Peck) moves to New York City, he takes on a high-profile magazine assignment about anti-Semitism. In order to truly view things from an empathetic perspective, he pretends to be a Jew and begins to experience many forms of bigotry, both firsthand and through a Jewish friend, Dave Goldman (John Garfield). Phil soon falls in love with beautiful Kathy Lacy (Dorothy McGuire), but their relationship is complicated by his unusual endeavor.

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Critics Consensus

It occasionally fails to live up to its subject matter -- and is perhaps an 'important' film more than a 'great' one -- but the performances from Gregory Peck and Dorothy McGuire are superb.

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Richard Lawson

Vanity Fair

Caplan’s performance is the vital anchor of the series. Without her, and without Brodesser-Akner’s graceful writing for her to manipulate so dexterously, Fleishman Is in Trouble would feel a lot less substantial.

Nov 16, 2022

Full Review

Helen Bower

Detroit Free Press

Tangy and crisp as tossed salad straight from the refrigerator, [Celeste Holm]'s the smart package of chlorophyll that rids the air of unpleasant tension and makes it one-world fresh.

Nov 16, 2022

Full Review

Mildred Martin

Philadelphia Inquirer

The film has an urgency, a sincerity and a persuasiveness which, for this reader, the book lacked. Credit for this, it seems to us, goes primarily to Moss Hart and Elia Kazan.

Nov 16, 2022

Full Review

Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

The façade adds to a narrative that is both complex and intelligent, and it is a well-meaning film with a big heart even if it comes off a bit puffed up and self-congratulatory today.

Jun 27, 2023

Full Review

Harold V. Cohen

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The shoulder Gentleman's Agreement talks directly from has no chip on it, but it wears an epaulet of courage and straightens up in an eloquent plea for the common decency all mankind is heir to.

Nov 16, 2022

Full Review

Herbert Cohn

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

It states its case with such frankness, such screen grace and such persuasiveness that it will do more for man's understanding of man than the most militant haranguer. And not for an instant does it fail to be a captivating screen show.

Nov 16, 2022

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adam s

Thought provoking and relevant

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

joe m

It was a groundbreaking movie and courageous in how it exposes widespread unspoken prejudice. I can only wonder what people of color thought about this as segregation and Jim Crow laws were everyday life in America but never mentioned in this movie. I think that failure makes this movie seem somewhat hypocritical.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Pretty rousing in what could be deemed a slightly sanctimonious manner but that would be to overlook just how rampant explicit displays of racism would have been in 1940s America. Arguably the most interesting aspect is that the film focuses on anti-semi Tien as opposed to the even more oppressive racist restrictions in black lives at the time. Too early maybe. Anyway, not much else to say about the film as the strength lay less in the plot than the strength of the convictions.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This film is way ahead of its time and is applicable to prejudice of all forms. It also addresses the the often not discussed guilt by silence.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

david c

Pacing of the film has good and the acting even better. John Garfield was my favorite as Peck Jewish childhood buddy. And a very young Dean Stockwell was also impressive. Surprised at how relevant the message of not staying silent when others make fun of a minority. Wished I seen this film years ago. I would have been a better person because of it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

william d

It would be easy for a film about anti-Semitism to bash you over the head with caricatures of brutal bigots. Gentleman's Agreement isn't like that at all. The script is intelligent and nuanced and the cast is superb. The dialog gets a little preachy towards the end though, causing me to deduct a star.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Elia Kazan

Director

Gregory Peck

Philip Schuyler 'Phil' Green

Dorothy McGuire

Kathy Lacey

John Garfield

Dave Goldman

Celeste Holm

Anne Dettrey

Anne Revere

Mrs. Green

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Synopsis

When journalist Phil Green (Gregory Peck) moves to New York City, he takes on a high-profile magazine assignment about anti-Semitism. In order to truly view things from an empathetic perspective, he pretends to be a Jew and begins to experience many forms of bigotry, both firsthand and through a Jewish friend, Dave Goldman (John Garfield). Phil soon falls in love with beautiful Kathy Lacy (Dorothy McGuire), but their relationship is complicated by his unusual endeavor.

Director: Elia Kazan
Screenwriter: Laura Z. Hobson, Moss Hart
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 11, 1947, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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