November 11, 1947: "Gentlemen's Agreement" Premieres

Gregory Peck

November 11, 1947: The film Gentlemen's Agreement premieres, based on the recent novel by Laura Z. Hobson. It had been just 2 years since America defeated the greatest force for anti-Semitism the world has ever known. But the book and the film exposed America's own discrimination against Jews like nothing else ever has.

The term "gentlemen's agreement" refers to any unofficial, but still absolute agreement between a group to exclude people from joining the group based on race, religion, gender, or anything else. This included private clubs, hotels, and corporations. The choice of Major League Baseball team owners to exclude black men from playing, finally broken earlier that year with the debut of Jackie Robinson, had often been described as a "gentlemen's agreement." Such men are not gentlemen.

Producer Darryl F. Zanuck decided to make a film version of the novel after being refused membership in the Los Angeles Country Club, because it was incorrectly assumed that he was Jewish, which many Hollywood studio executives of the time were.

Before filming commenced, some of those executives, led by Samuel Goldwyn, approached Zanuck and asked him not to make the film, fearing it would "stir up trouble." They also warned that Hays Code enforcer Joseph Breen might not allow the film to pass the censors, as he had been known to make disparaging remarks about Jews. There was also concern that Dorothy McGuire's character being divorced would offend the National Legion of Decency, the Catholic group that had objected to racy films of the early 1930s, leading to the establishment of the Code.

The lead role was first offered to Cary Grant, but he turned it down. Gregory Peck decided to accept the role, although his agent advised him to refuse, believing Peck would be endangering his career. Jewish actor John Garfield agreed to play a lesser role in the film to be a part of it.

Widowed journalist Philip Schuyler Green (Peck) moves to New York with his aging mother (Anne Revere, identified only as "Mrs. Green") and his young son Tommy (Dean Stockwell, then 11, but who became a fine adult actor as well). Phil meets with magazine publisher John Minify (Albert Dekker), who asks Green, a Christian, to write an article on anti-Semitism.

At a lunch party, Phil meets Minify's niece, Kathy Lacey (Dorothy McGuire), who is actually the person who suggested the story idea. Phil then tries to explain anti-Jewish prejudice to his son. Realizing how difficult it is to explain these topics, he decides to write the story.

Phil and Kathy begin dating, and Phil adopts a Jewish identity to write the story from a fresh perspective. They agree to keep it secret that Phil is not Jewish. At the magazine, Phil is assigned a secretary, Elaine Wales. She turns out to be Jewish (as was her portrayer, June Havoc), but changed her name to get the job. After learning of Wales' experience from Phil, Minify orders the magazine to adopt hiring policies that are open to Jews. Phil meets fashion editor Anne Dettrey (Celeste Holm), who becomes a good friend and potentially more, particularly as strains develop between Phil and Kathy.

Having completed his service in World War II, Dave Goldman (Garfield), Phil's childhood friend, moves to New York, and lives with the Greens while searching a job and a home for his family. Being Jewish, Dave also experiences anti-Semitism. Housing is scarce in the city, but it is particularly difficult for him, since not all landlords will rent to a Jewish family.

While researching his story, Phil experiences several incidents of bigotry. When Phil's mother becomes ill with a heart condition, the doctor discourages him from consulting a specialist with a Jewish name. After hearing Phil is Jewish, the doctor becomes uncomfortable and leaves.

In addition, the janitor is shocked to see that a Jewish name is listed on the mail box. Furthermore, when Phil wants to celebrate his honeymoon at a swanky hotel, the manager refuses to register Phil, whom he tells to go elsewhere.

Tommy also becomes the target of bullies because of this. Phil is troubled by the way Kathy consoles Tommy, telling him their taunts of "dirty Jew" are wrong because he is not Jewish, not that the slur is wrong in and of itself.

Kathy's attitudes are revealed further when she and Phil announce their engagement. Her sister Jane invites them to a celebration in her home in the nearby suburb of Darien, Connecticut, which is known to be a community where Jews are not welcome. Fearing an awkward scene, Kathy wants to tell her family and friends that Phil only pretends to be Jewish, but he dissuades her. At the party, everyone is friendly to Phil, though many people cancel at the last minute.

Dave announces he will have to quit his job, because he cannot find a residence for his family. Kathy owns a vacant cottage in Darien, and Phil sees it as a solution to Dave's problem. Kathy, however, is unwilling to offend her neighbors by renting it to a Jewish family. Phil breaks his engagement to her, and announces he will be moving away from New York when his article is published. When it comes out, it is well received by the magazine staff.

Kathy meets with Dave and tells him how sick she felt when a party guest told a bigoted joke. However, she has no answer when Dave asks her what she did about it. She realizes that remaining silent condones the prejudice.

The next day, Dave announces that he and his family will be moving into the cottage in Darien and Kathy will be moving in with her sister next door to make sure they are treated well. Moved by this, Phil reconciles with Kathy. His mother, still recovering from her heart condition, tells Phil that his article has given her new hope for the future, a new motivation to get well.

The New York Herald Tribune described the film as a "brilliant blow against racial and religious intolerance." It won 3 Academy Awards: Best Picture for Zanuck, Best Director for Elia Kazan, and Best Supporting Actress for Holm.

The political nature of the film, however, upset the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which called Kazan, Zanuck, Garfield and Revere to testify before it. Kazan chose to "name names," which saved his career, but led to many actors refusing to work with him. His later film On the Waterfront is often considered his apology for that.

Revere, whose membership in the Communist Party was a barely-kept secret, refused to testify. Garfield was called in 1951, and appeared, but he refused to "name names." Both were placed in the Red Channels of the Hollywood Blacklist. Garfield remained there for a year, was called again to testify against his wife, Roberta Seidman, who made no secret of her Party membership. and died of a heart attack at the age of 39, before his second hearing date. HUAC had driven him to the grave -- although he was also a heavy drinker.

Albert Dekker died in 1968, Darryl F. Zanuck in 1979, Laura Z. Hobson in 1986, Anne Revere in 1990, Dorothy McGuire in 2001, Gregory Peck and Eliza Kazan in 2003, June Havoc in 2010, Celeste Holm in 2012, and Dean Stockwell in 2021. As events from the 2017 "United the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia onward have proven, American anti-Semitism is alive and well. It should be neither.

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November 11, 1947 was a Tuesday. Baseball was out of season. The Basketball Association of America, which became the NBA 2 years later, began its 2nd season the next night. No games were scheduled in the NHL.

There were 2 college football games played. New York University (NYU) beat Bucknell University, 19-6 at Yankee Stadium, And the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy beat Brooklyn College, 22-14 at Tomb Memorial Field in Great Neck, Long Island, New York.