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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. Read critic reviews

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Gentleman's Agreement Photos

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Movie Info

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.
  • Genre:
    drama
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Elia Kazan
  • Producer:
    Darryl F. Zanuck
  • Writer:
    Moss Hart
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Twentieth Century Fox
  • Sound Mix:
    Mono
  • Aspect Ratio:
    Flat (1.37:1)

Cast & Crew

Gregory Peck
Philip Schuyler 'Phil' Green
Dorothy McGuire
Kathy Lacey
John Garfield
Dave Goldman
Celeste Holm
Anne Dettrey
Anne Revere
Mrs. Green
June Havoc
Ethel Wales, an Alias of Estelle Walofsky
Albert Dekker
John Minify
Jane Wyatt
Jane
Dean Stockwell
Tommy Green
Sam Jaffe
Professor Lieberman
Elia Kazan
Director
Laura Z. Hobson
Writer (Novel)
Moss Hart
Screenwriter
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
Alfred Newman
Original Music
Arthur C. Miller
Cinematographer
Mark-Lee Kirk
Art Direction
Lyle R. Wheeler
Art Direction
Paul S. Fox
Set Decoration
Thomas Little
Set Decoration
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Critic Reviews for Gentleman's Agreement

All Critics (45) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (34) | Rotten (11)

View All Critic Reviews (45)

Audience Reviews for Gentleman's Agreement

  • Mar 15, 2014
    Well made. Peck is at his best here, and the writing and direction are excellent. The ideas presented are timeless and crucial. When we do nothing we are making a choice, often a negative one.
    Morris N Super Reviewer
  • Sep 05, 2013
    We have Peck playing someone who is wronged (as opposed to helping someone who is wronged). Unlike his later portrayal of Atticus Finch, Peck doesn't really deliver in this film raising awareness of anti-Semitism. At times it is a bit paint-by-numbers.
    John B Super Reviewer
  • May 31, 2013
    A newspaperman lies and tells his co-workers that he's Jewish in order to experience prejudice. A strong performance by Gregory Peck is the main attraction to this film. That sonorous voice, his unflinching gaze, and his imperious demeanor make him the type of person who exudes integrity, and when he plays characters like Phil or Atticus Finch, actor and character become one. The film is reductive in its treatment of race/prejudice. I don't think one can truly understand prejudice by "playing Jewish." Yes, one can come close, and one can feel discriminated against in a cursory way, but I imagine that prejudice cuts deeper if one has a bone-deep connection with the discriminated against. Of course, I can't be sure. Also, the ending seemed ham-handed and maudlin, and I didn't think that what happened reflects what these people really would have done. Overall, Gregory Peck is always compelling even in films that aren't.
    Jim H Super Reviewer
  • Sep 10, 2011
    Very serious piece about silent prejudice, where the usual hallmarks of bigotry are hidden under a polished but greasy veneer of smiling good manners. Ahead of its time by decades at least, the crux of the tale interestingly happens inside of a blossoming love affair between two we-know-better-than-that cosmopolitans, ably delivered by Peck and (very underrated but nuanced and shining) Dorothy McQuire.
    Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
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