Gregory Peck: 10 essential films

Look at me, Grandpa, I'm in space!

Gosh he's so handsome in OP's pic. Fuck, man. Do guys like him exist anymore?

Guys like him didn't even exist then. He was a singular, miraculous one-off.

Men are all fuckbois now.

r3 Literally his grandson at r2. So yes, they still exist. But you need to have his genes, that's all.

Cape Fear

To Kill a Mockingbird

I own these two on DVD. GP was lovely from young to old. For me, the Handsomest Movie Star Man Award is forever a tie between GP and Cary Grant. I can't choose one over the other. Gregory Peck seemed to be a more upright, stable partner and parent than Cary Grant, who had a seriously fucked up early life and a lot to recover from to be a well-functioning person. However, since the award is for 'Handsomest,' these personal qualities do not factor into the judging and the competition remains a toss-up.

He's the straight Cary Grant, basically, right? Love him.

The Guns of Naverone

The Boys From Brazil, probably his only real "villain" role.

Love him! Great actor, plus he was a liberal and gay-friendly.

I've seen all the 10 films listed.

I always hated "Spellbound".

Peck (right) with his father c. 1930

Not essential, but delightful, "Designing Woman" with Lauren Bacall.

Peck in Spellbound was probably one of the most gorgeous guys in a movie ever

Gregory was said to be a horse hung homosexual!

Yes, "Spellbound" is ridiculous, but absolutely worth watch for Peck and Bergman as The World's Most Beautiful Psychiatrists.

But there is absolutely no chemistry between Peck and Bergman.

He was hot. check out 12 o’clock high to see him in military uniforms, the keys to the kingdom to see him as a priest, Great actor.

R18 It doesn't matter, I just like to stare at them like I would any other scenic wonder.

Bergman always looked butcher than his male costars.

Gregory Peck shown in 1955 on the set of the film, "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit."

Gregory Peck in The Big Country

Gregory Peck in 1944

Peck in Days of Glory (1944)

Peck in The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)

Duel in the Sun

Gregory Peck [Yellow Sky, Duel in the Sun, The Gunfighter, Only the Valiant, The Big Country, The Bravados, How the West Was Won, The Stalking Moon, Mackenna’s Gold, Shoot Out, Billy Two Hats, The Old Gringo]

Gregory Peck shared Joel McCrea’s ability to project a basic American style of decency, although his brand of that quality was a little flintier and less self-effacing than McCrea’s. His ultimate cinematic expression of that quality is probably as southern lawyer Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). It made him convincing in playing reforming outlaws (Yellow Sky [1948], The Gunfighter [1950]), but less so in portraying bad guys (Duel in the Sun, 1947). He was a big star, both comfortable and convincing at the center of a large-budget production (The Big Country [1958]).

He didn’t make many westerns in the 1960s, part of his period of greatest stardom—only appearing in How the West Was Won (1962), as one among many stars. Toward the end of the decade he appeared in a fairly good western thriller (The Stalking Moon [1968]), but like others he didn’t fare well as the genre, and his career generally, moved into a twilight period. He showed up in such turkeys as Mackenna’s Gold (1969) and Billy Two Hats (1974). Shoot Out (1971), which is watchable but not remarkable, is probably his best western from this period. In his last western, he starred as crusty writer Ambrose Bierce, the titular character in The Old Gringo, during the period of Mexican revolutions in the 1910s, with Jane Fonda (1989). He is justly praised for The Gunfighter and The Big Country; Yellow Sky and The Bravados are probably the most underrated of the westerns in which Peck appeared.

He looks like Powers Booth in R29's photo.

Sorry, I meant in R28's photo.

"Yellow Sky" is much less well known, but I like it.

Has a great cast and Peck, as the leader of the bank robbing gang, manages then to reveal himself as the young man underneatch.

Anne Baxter and my favorite Richard Widmark. And great supporting cast including Harry Morgan.

William Wellman directed.

No “ Gentlemen’s Agreement”, or “ The Yearling”? “ Moby Dick” and “ Duel In the Sun” are horrible films - unworthy of Peck’s talents and attention. He was so good in “ The Yearling”- it’s a masterpiece. “ Dick” is a folly Huston suffered for for years. And no one I know likes “ Duel In the Sun” with Selznick’s untalented whore. “ Big Country” is a far better film- even though I am no fan of Jean Simmons.

I get him and Jimmy Stewart confused.

Otherwise known as DITS, r27.

A dull actor with little presence or charisma. To Kill a Mockingbird, and Cape Fear are the only films from that list I like. So sue me.

R36 is right. He doesn’t have a reputation as a great actor, and the work backs that up.

r33, Martin Scorsese is a big fan of Duel in the Sun

He was indeed a great Hollywood star, which is very different from a great actor.

Who gives a shit about his talent or lack of talent. My only concern is how GOOD LOOKING Gregory Peck was especially ca. 1948. TOTAL DREAMBOAT.

According to Social Security records, the name "Gregory" started the 20th century at #759 and very gradually moved up in popularity.

In 1916, when Gregory Peck was born, the name "Gregory" was the 479th most popular boys name in the nation.

When he made his stage debut in 1941, "Gregory" had moved up to #183.

Peck made his first film in 1944, when "Gregory" was at #152.

By 1947, when Peck starred in the Oscar-winning Gentleman's Agreement, "Gregory" had rocketed up to #33.

The name reached its peak of popularity in 1962 and 1963, ranking as the #21 most popular boys name -- Peck's most famous film, To Kill a Mockingbird, was released in 1962, and he won the Best Actor Oscar for it in 1963.

"Gregory" remained a top 100 name until 1997, and by 2017 had fallen back to #375.

*swoons*

R11 What makes you say Peck was gay-friendly?

R14 "Designing Woman" was a repellently male-brained and sexist and both Peck and Minnelli should be ashamed of themselves.

R18 There may not have been much chemistry between Peck and Bergman because Peck was trying ever so hard to play a psychiatrically-constipated amnesiac-killer.

R29 When 'The Old Gringo' was released in 1989 that tactless blabbermouth Jane Fonda told interviewers that she didn't want Gregory Peck in the role. He only got the role because Burt Lancaster two heart attacks, atherosclerosis, a gall bladder operation and an quadruple coronary bypass.

R21 Brynner said he was a horse.