Gentleman`s Agreement is a 1947 American film based on Laura Z. Hobson`s 1947 bestseller of the same name. This is a journalist (played by Gregory Peck) who pretends to be a Jew to research widespread distrust and aversion to Jews in New York and the prosperous communities of New Canaan, Connecticut and Darien, Connecticut, Connecticut. He was nominated for eight Oscars and won three: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Celeste Holm) and Best Director (Elia Kazan). In the magazine, a secretary is assigned to Phil, Elaine Wales (June Havoc), who reveals that she too is Jewish. She changed her name to the position (her candidacy under her real Jewish name, Estelle Wilovsky, was rejected). After Phil Minify informed of the Experience in Wales, Minify ordered the magazine to adopt hiring guidelines open to Jews. Wales has reservations about the new policy, fearing that the “false Jews” will be abandoned and ruin things for the few Jews who now work there. Phil meets fashion editor Anne Dettrey (Celeste Holm), who becomes a good friend and perhaps more, especially as tensions develop between Phil and Kathy.
I`ve seen a lot of people describe this film as “a play of time” and a great film, but irrelevant in our time. But this film has lessons that any new generation should learn. The lessons taught in this film can be applied to other forms of prejudice such as sexism, racism and homophobia, among others. Even today, our society is full of “nice” people who hate bigotry and intolerance, but who stand idly by when they get there directly. If you watch this movie, it could change everything. Phil Green is a respected investigative journalist. He moved to New York after accepting a contract to write a detailed article for a magazine. The article is about anti-Semitism and is very current, because there is a lot of prejudice against Jews in the United States at the time.
However, this is not a new topic and Phil`s editor wants him to approach the subject in an original way. After much brainstorming, Phil decides to pose as a Jew to experience the prejudice up close. He is not ready for what he finds. Here`s a great and moving film — the best that`s come from an American studio in a few years. Dave announces that he has to leave his job because he cannot find housing for his family. Kathy owns an empty house in Darien, but even though Phil sees it as the obvious solution to Dave`s problem, Kathy is not ready to insult her neighbors by renting it out to a Jewish family. She and Phil are breaking up their engagement. Phil announces that he will be moving away from New York when his article is published. When he goes out, he is very well accepted by the magazine`s staff. Phil`s having a hard time starting his mission.
He realizes that he can never feel what another person feels, unless he feels it himself. He remembers living “in okie on Route 66” or in minor for previous writings, instead of tapping a man`s shoulder and making him talk. Then he decided to write: “I was Jewish for six months.” Parts of the film were filmed on site in Darien, Connecticut. [6] This film is about a journalist posing as a Jew to write an article about anti-Semitism in America. He discovers how this affects him and other people in his life. Shows how racism influences a person, especially subtle forms that can go unnoticed by many in today`s world.