Review of Gentleman's Agreement (1947) by Joe L — 25 Jun 2009

It fits into a certain category of post-war introspection, like the previous year's best picture winner, 'the best years of our lives,' though it doesn't hold a candle to that film's enduring relevance and unadorned honesty.

'gentleman's agreement' seems to be an early study where gregory peck and elia kazan cut their teeth before going on to make truly great work. the film is too heavy handed, especially in the third act, when every major character gets a big speech about the evils of discrimination.

I imagine it won the oscar because of timeliness, and because while heavy-handed, it opened up american eyes to the universal groupthink that allowed the holocaust to take place. I agree wholeheartedly with a reviewer who criticized the film for defending jewish people, but then completely failing to celebrate or explore that culture in the slightest.

it is a completely safe, waspish denouncement of prejudice that (by today's standards) takes no real risks at all.