Gentleman's Agreement: 1947

When I read the back of the DVD case for Gentleman's Agreement, I knew I would find the film interesting, but I didn't realize just how much the film would speak to my own feelings about tolerance and speaking up for others. Gregory Peck stars as Skylar Green, a writer who is known for going undercover and experiencing the truth. His new assignment is to write a series on anti-Semitism, a serious issue in the United States at the time this film was released. After throwing around various angles and finding nothing that works, Green realizes that the only way he can write this series is to pose as Jewish man and experience anti-Semitism. Throughout the course of eight weeks, Green quickly realizes just how much anti-Semitism has infiltrated society.

Perhaps the most important discovery Green makes is that it's the people who do not stand up for what is wrong who make anti-Semitism and hatred in general stronger. Early in the film, Green falls in love with Kathy Lacy, a woman who proclaims to support Jewish people and wants to fight against anti-Semitism. Yet as their relationship progresses and they become engaged, Green begins to realize that Kathy may want things to change but doesn't actually do anything to incite change. When Green learns about Kathy's home in Connecticut, he suggests that she allow his friend Dave Goldman to rent it so that his family may move to New York when Dave has an amazing job offer. Kathy reveals that there is a "gentleman's agreement" (see the definition here) that prevents the people in this community from selling or leasing their homes to Jewish people. This underhanded and secretive means of keeping the community homogeneous infuriates Green, as it should. Kathy acts completely helpless, and at this point, I began to despise her as well. Kathy becomes the ultimate hypocrite. Sure, she hates hatred, but she's not really doing anything to stand up against it.

Kathy's hypocrisy becomes even more apparent in a scene towards the end when she meets with Dave. During their meeting, Kathy relates hearing a crude joke at a dinner party that makes her sick, and Dave asks her what she did about it. Kathy looks shocked. Of course, she didn't say anything, and that's what Dave points out to her is the real problem with hate. When people don't stand up, don't say anything, that's the real issue. It makes me think about how in the past in my classroom, when students have used the phrase "that's so gay" to describe something they didn't like, I began saying that I didn't appreciate them using that word in my presence. The word soon disappeared from their vocabulary at least in my classroom, and I like to think that I caused them to reconsider using that phrase. At the very least, I stood up for what I felt was right.

Dave and Kathy, filmfoodie.blogspot.com

The scene that upset me the most was when Green's son Tommy comes home and tells him about the boys on the playground calling him names for being Jewish. Tommy has experienced hatred for the first time in his life, and Green must try to comfort his son while explaining hatred. It's a heart-wrenching scene, especially after seeing their father-son relationship grow up to this point. Tommy seems so happy-go-lucky, but as Green's friend Dave points out, it's when they get the kids that it hurts the most.

  

Tommy and Skylar Green, source: www.french-movies.net

In a time when hatred is still an issue in our society, Gentleman's Agreement is a must-see film for everyone. After seeing it, I now believe even more in the power of one person standing up and saying "that's enough." If we each did, then the impact would be multiple, and perhaps we would have less hate in our world: a goal worth reaching.