"Backstory" Gentleman's Agreement (2001)

Directors:

Michele Farinola
Mimi Freedman

Writers:

Kevin Burns (writer)
Mimi Freedman (writer)

TV Series:

"Backstory" (2000)

Original Air Date:

21 October 2001

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Darryl F. Zanuck ignores the protests of his peers and makes a movie about antisemitism called Gentleman's Agreement (1947). |

Plot Keywords:

Novelist | Patriotism | Reference To Edward G. Robinson | Reference To Danny Kaye | Hollywood Mogul

Cast

Rudy Behlmer	...	Himself - Film Historian
David Brown	...	Himself - Former Studio Executive
Julie Garfield	...	Herself - Daughter of John Garfield
Mel Gussow	...	Himself - Biographer
Celeste Holm	...	Herself - Actress
Rino Romano	...	Narrator
John Schultheiss	...	Himself - Author
Arnold Schwartzman	...	Himself - Documentary Filmmaker
Darryl F. Zanuck	...	Himself (archive footage)
Richard D. Zanuck	...	Himself - Producer (as Richard Zanuck)

Directed by
Michele Farinola
Mimi Freedman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kevin Burns		writer
Mimi Freedman		writer

Produced by
Kevin Burns	....	executive producer
Joyce Caruso	....	field producer
Wendy Exley	....	associate producer
Michele Farinola	....	producer
Mimi Freedman	....	producer
Scott Hartford	....	senior associate producer: Prometheus Entertainment
Diane C. Najuch	....	associate producer (as Diane Najuch)
Erika Schroeder	....	coordinating producer: Van Ness Films
Michael D. Stevens	....	supervising producer: Van Ness Films (as Michael Stevens)

Original Music by
Tom Jenkins
Chris Many

Film Editing by
Abby Schwarzwalder

Production Management
Maria Broccoli	....	production manager
Andrew Giacometti	....	post-production manager
Kaki Kirby	....	executive in charge of production: Foxstar Productions

Art Department
Wade Lageose	....	graphic designer
Doug Whitney	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Damon Lance	....	sound
Daryle Sander	....	sound (as Daryl Sander)
Michael J. White	....	re-recording engineer
Alex Woodson	....	assistant sound re-recording engineer

Visual Effects by
Laura L. Brown	....	chyron
Lars Bunch	....	motion control photography: Arroyo Media
Martin Kauper	....	motion control photography: Arroyo Media
Leigh Thomas	....	chyron
Sean Williams	....	chyron

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerard Byrne	....	camera operator
Patrick Higgins	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Troy Bogert	....	assistant editor
Cary DeVore	....	junior assistant editor
Mark W. Jacobs	....	on-line editor
Darla Marasco	....	director of post-production
Ben Rishwain	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Paul Gordon	....	composer: series theme
Lloyd Hardy	....	music coordinator
Bill Mumy	....	composer: series theme

Other crew
Carlos Aguirre	....	media coordinator
Ben Applen	....	production assistant
Susan M. Bowles	....	production counsel: Foxstar Productions (as Susan Bowles)
Mimi Christensen	....	production coordinator: Prometheus Entertainment
Ryan Dager	....	production assistant
Laurence Ducceschi	....	researcher
Claudia Ellis	....	clearance coordinator
Rachel Ginnerty	....	unit publicist
Riba Gleich	....	researcher
Livia Hanich	....	director of physical production: Foxstar Productions
Terry James	....	accounting services: Oberman, Tivoli, Miller & Pickert, Inc.
Kevin Jones	....	production assistant
Jerianne Keaney	....	director of clearance
Marvin Paige	....	production consultant
Michelle Paymar	....	additional writer
Thomas Relerford	....	production secretary
Tyrone Richardson	....	media technician
Abby Schwarzwalder	....	additional writer
Erik Sequeira	....	media manager
Shawna Soper	....	production secretary
Leslie Stevens Suhy	....	researcher (as Leslie Stevens)
Linda Thomas	....	administrative assistant
Jose Valencia	....	media assistant
Steve Vaught	....	researcher
Daniel Wascou	....	media technician

Thanks
Alan J. Adler	....	acknowledgment: stills courtesy of, Twentieth Century Fox Archives (as Alan Adler)
Florence Dauman	....	acknowledgment
David Grant	....	acknowledgment: Twentieth Century Fox Library Services
Karen Hernandez	....	acknowledgment: stills courtesy of, Twentieth Century Fox Archives
Lacey Long	....	acknowledgment: still photographs courtesy of (as Lacy Long)
Robert Nott	....	acknowledgment
Jeffrey J. Osmer	....	acknowledgment: Twentieth Century Fox Library Services (as Jeff Osmer)

Production Companies

• Prometheus Entertainment
• Van Ness Films (in association with)
• Foxstar Productions (in association with)
• Fox Television Studios (in association with)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Library Services  acknowledgment (as Twentieth Century Fox Library Services)
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)  stills courtesy of
• Alan Ett Music Group  music arranged by
• Argos Films  additional footage courtesy of
• Arroyo Media  motion control photography
• Film Bank  additional footage courtesy of
• Fox Movietone News  additional footage courtesy of
• Frances C. Richardson Research Center at Twentieth Century Fox  acknowledgment
• Leo Caloia Film Archive  additional footage courtesy of
• Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences  acknowledgment
• Marvin Paige's Motion Picture and Television Research Archive  stills courtesy of
• Matchframe Video  post-production facilities
• Oberman, Tivoli, Miller and Pickert  accounting services
• Photo Fest  stills courtesy of (as Photofest)
• SabuCat Productions  additional footage courtesy of
• Sound Services  post-production facilities
• Twentieth Century Fox Archive  stills courtesy of
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation  "Gentleman's Agreement" courtesy of
• Twentieth Century Fox Photo Archive  stills courtesy of
• UCLA Film and Television Archive  additional footage courtesy of

Runtime:

24 min

Color:

Black and White | Color

Company:

Prometheus Entertainment

Movie Connections:

Features Elia Kazan: An Outsider (1982)

Good Look at the Controversial Classic

Backstory: Gentleman's Agreement (2001)

*** (out of 4)

Another good episode in the series, this one taking a look at the pressure on producer Darryl F. Zanuck as he refused to back down and went ahead on making GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT. The documentary talks about the other studio heads turning their backs on the novel and then begging Zanuck not to produce it fearing a backlash on Hollywood. From here we learn about the casting of Gregory Peck, hiring Elia Kazan and getting John Garfield to accept a smaller, supporting role. The film's glory and success at the box office and Academy Awards are discussed but so are the events following the movie including the House on UnAmerican Activities look at Hollywood and why many believe it killed Garfield. Fans of the film should be really entertained at this film because it really gives one a great idea of what was going on in the world at the time and there's talk about what impact the film did have before the country took a turn for the worse. Kazan's decision to name names is discussed and we get an archival interview with him where he talks about his decision. Rudy Behlmer, David Brown, Julie Garfield, Mel Gussow and Celeste Holm are all interviewed about the making of the movie.