We're back to the winner's enclosure again with the social commentary
film that got the Best Picture award at the 1948 ceremony. The film
deals with the theme of anti-Semitism something that 20th Century Fox
boss Daryl F Zanuck felt strongly about at the time after being refused
entry to the L.A. Country Club on account of his religion. Zanuck was
approached by other studio heads, most of them being fellow Jews, to ask
him not to go ahead with the project as they feared it would stir up
trouble for them as well. The role of journalist Philip Green was
originally offered to Cary Grant but he turned it down and Gregory Peck
took the part against the advice of his agent. However in the end the
film triumphed against this initial adversity and went onto win three
Oscars - Picture, Director and Supporting Actress for Celeste Holm.
The
plot itself looks at Peck's Green a widowed reporter who moves to New
York with his son and mother to write for a new magazine. His boss tells
him to write about anti-Semitism and he eventually decides to go
undercover as a Jew to see how he is treated by various members of the
community. Throughout the film Phil deals with several incidents
including being treated differently by a doctor who is dealing with his
mother's heart condition and also sees his son being bullied at school
for having a Jewish father. Phil also romance's his
bosses niece Kathy who is aware of his article but advices him against
it. After a brief courtship they are to be married however Phil gets
annoyed at Kathy when she tells members of her family about her new
fiancée not being Jewish at all. Phil is again met with adversity when
he tries to book a honeymoon at a posh hotel but is told that they are
all booked up when they discover that he is Jewish. Phil's old friend
Dave, who is Jewish, comes to stay with him while he looks for a house
for him and his family however the Jewish Dave is met with adversity
when he finds a lot of landlords won't rent to Jews. Kathy then reveals
to Phil that there is a Gentleman's Agreement among landlords about not
renting to Jews something that astonishes him. The character of Kathy is
the film's most interesting as she admits to being against
anti-Semitism but at the same time doesn't do anything to stop it and
indeed admits to Dave that she didn't say anything when someone made an
anti-Semitic joke at a dinner she had. As well as Dave the film's only
other Jewish character is Elaine, Phil's new secretary, who reveals that
she has hidden her religion in order to get the job and later is
stunned when Phil reveals that he isn't actually Jewish. Elaine's role
in the film is to show that sometimes even Jews are made to feel ashamed
of themselves and want to escape the stigma attatched to be Jewish.
After Phil's article comes out he is praised but at the same time wants
to leave New York after breaking up with Kathy over her feelings about
his article. Phil is comforted by the magazine's fashion editor Anne, a
woman whom he had built up a friendship with throughout the film, who
tells him that Kathy is nothing more than a hypocrite and Kathy realises
why Phil was angry with her after a meeting with Dave. The film ends
with Phil arriving at Kathy's apartment presumably to reconcile with
her.
While not being entirely perfect Gentleman's Agreement was
still a fairly enjoyable film with a direct message but one that was
never hammered home. I felt that the message about anti-Semtisim wasn't
as blatant as it could've been and that the cast played their roles
well. Gregory Peck made Phil seem like a real human being although one
who may've been a bit too worthy for his own good, he was willing to do
good for all around him while at the same time encountering adversity.
For me though the supporting characters were much more interesting, I'm
not sure why Celeste Holm won the Oscar but her character is a breath of
fresh air, she is a woman in a man's world and floats through the room
dishing out insults and at the same time becomes a shoulder to lean on
for Phil. Also worth a mention are John Garfield and Anne Revere who
were both compelling as Dave and Phil's mother respectively. However my
favourite performance came from Dorothy McGuire as the mixed up Kathy,
her journey is the film's most interesting and Mcguire gives a layered
performance that earned her an Oscar nomination. Overall a well-written
and well-acted message film that I'm glad won the Best Picture award
because it proved it initial critics wrong if nothing else.
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