Gentleman's Agreement
A principled writer adopts a Jewish identity to investigate American antisemitism and finds prejudice reshaping his work, friendships, and love life.
Overview
A powerful exploration of prejudice and identity in mid-century America.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- serious
- morally urgent
- confrontational
- classic cinema night
- historical reflection
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a compelling and important postwar social problem drama, strengthened by its performances and direct treatment of antisemitism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Philip Green pretends to be Jewish so his magazine articles can document antisemitism from an insider’s apparent position.
Green encounters exclusion and hostility in professional, residential, and personal contexts rather than only through overt extremists.
The film contrasts the recent defeat of fascism with antisemitism continuing in American communities.
The black-and-white presentation and grounded urban settings reinforce the film’s investigative, socially observant tone.
Films like Gentleman's Agreement, and why
Crossfire
shared social problem drama form, moral confrontation with prejudice, and postwar american setting
The Defiant Ones
shared anti-racism subject, serious ethical inquiry, and black-and-white classical style
To Kill a Mockingbird
shared examination of institutional prejudice through an outsider's personal experience and restrained drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Elia Kazan
- Release Date
- 1947-11-11
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (286)
Cast
- Gregory Peck
- Dorothy McGuire
- John Garfield
- Celeste Holm
- Anne Revere
- June Havoc
- Albert Dekker
- Jane Wyatt
- Dean Stockwell
- Nicholas Joy
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Gentleman's Agreement about?
- A principled writer adopts a Jewish identity to investigate American antisemitism and finds prejudice reshaping his work, friendships, and love life.
- What is Gentleman's Agreement like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Gentleman's Agreement as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Gentleman's Agreement violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Gentleman's Agreement.
- What did critics think of Gentleman's Agreement?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a compelling and important postwar social problem drama, strengthened by its performances and direct treatment of antisemitism.
- Which films are like Gentleman's Agreement?
- Films with a similar feel include Crossfire, The Defiant Ones, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
- How long is Gentleman's Agreement?
- Gentleman's Agreement runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Gentleman's Agreement?
- In United States, Gentleman's Agreement is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
