MovieChat Forums > Gentleman's Agreement Discussion > Antisemitism in this movie was relativel...

Antisemitism in this movie was relatively moderate

posted 12 years ago by ProudTraitor
11 replies | jump to latest

I was expecting more, considering the movie is 65 years old. With the exception of the angry soldier who assaulted Dave, hardly any characters were really antisemitic.

If the viewer hadn't known about antisemitism and how deep and severe it really is, he might see the main character as a self-righteous bigot who fights something that doesn't really exist, unneccessairly destroying the relationship with his fiance.

[–] movie-viking 11 years ago

Remember...only a few years earlier Eisenhower (and others) had filmed the living and dead victims in liberated Nazi concentration camps.

And before Hitler, yes there was petty antisemitism in Germany, but one charismatic leader (Hitler) whipped his people into a deadly killing antisemitism...

That is the horrible and unspoken background which helps me realize why the main characters anguish over the petty antisemitism in the film...

[–] fairyqueen 11 years ago

I thought that was the whole point. It's not just violent, evil Nazis who are anti-semitic, and anti-semitism isn't just the Holocaust or even violent attacks and blatant slurs. Even otherwise decent people can have prejudiced views that they have a hard time shaking (or even really realize that they have them). Plus, anti-semitism (and other forms of prejudice) can come through in subtle ways.

[–] cinecephale 10 years ago

I think the point of the movie is to show that antisemitism can be everywhere and takes a multitude of forms. That is why the film is interesting.

[–] AprilValen 10 years ago

With the exception of the angry soldier who assaulted Dave, hardly any characters were really antisemitic.

Hardly anti-semetic? Hmmm... so Phil's son getting beaten up and not allowed to play with the other kids isn't bad, being refused to rent an apartment isn't bad, not allowed to stay at the country club isn't bad... refusing people jobs isn't bad. Right, that was hardly antisemitism at all. Why didn't they shoot them in the streets or cart them off to concentration camps instead to show they really meant it?

The point is that people may not show their hate overtly but they allow it to continue in all those "acceptable" little ways. When those little ways continue, they pave the way for another Hitler to come along and try to annihiliate and entire people.

I think the point of the movie is to show that antisemitism can be everywhere and takes a multitude of forms. That is why the film is interesting.

And just substitute the word "prejudice" in general for antisemitism and you have something that resonates even today, 65 years later.

[–] shadycady 10 years ago

Good valid points.

The Divine Genealogy Goddess

[–] AprilValen 10 years ago

Thank you.

[–] oldmaddog 10 years ago

'And just substitute the word "prejudice" in general for antisemitism and you have something that resonates even today, 65 years later.'
Exactly.
Thank you April for saying it for me!

[–] AprilValen 10 years ago

You're welcome.

This film had a profound influence on me when I first saw it at about the age of ten. I've tried to follow its principles throughout my life. (Which can sometimes result in people on these boards getting annoyed with me when I point out their prejudicial or ableist speech here. Oh well, it's a small price to pay.)

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AprilValen 10 years ago

Thank you.

[–] CountJohn 10 years ago

The point of the movie was to show the kinds of subtle stereotypes and discrimination that take place that you could only understand by "being" Jewish.