Hollywood’s most handsome man, Gregory Peck, was born on April 5, 1916, in La Jolla, California, U.S. And died on June 12, 2003. This American actor was not only good-looking, but a lifelong democrat, a feminist, and openly supported the LGBTQ+ community. In the 40s, while he was one of the most popular men, he used his popularity to spread information about abortion, contraception and other issues that affected women.
He earned his first Academy Award nomination for his performance in The Keys of the Kingdom (1944), only three years later, Gregory received a second Oscar nomination for his role in Gentleman’s Agreement (1947) where he interpreted a Jew to expose anti-Semitism. Moreover, he also marched with Martin Luther King in Washington, and was an advocate for gun control.
Consequently, people not only got to know him for his great acting career and great looks, but for his beliefs, honesty, and integrity. Truly a wonderful man with an open mind. The man of my dreams. Without further ado, I would like to recommend to you my 3 favorite films of him.
3. Spellbound (1945)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this thriller takes place in a mental institution, and strangely it involves romance. The director of the hospital sent Dr. Anthony Edwards to replace him. He gets close to Dr. Constance Peterson, who is a psychoanalyst. Together, they notice things might not be what they appear to. However, I would rather not spoil anything. You can find the whole movie on YouTube. If you are into mystery and crime you would definitely love it.
2. The Omen (1976)
Directed by Richard Donner, this is another thriller where the truth must come out. A US diplomat, Robert Thorn, adopts a newborn after the miscarriage of his wife, without telling her. As a horror movie fan, I loved watching it as a kid. It builds up enough suspense to draw you into the film. You may wonder – Will things be sorted out? Or, will evil win? However, I cannot give you the answer, you must watch the film. You can also find it on YouTube. And, if you like movies such as Rosemary’s Baby, The Changeling, and The Exorcist, this film is the perfect one to watch.
1. Roman Holiday (1953)
Directed by William Wyler, this film is one of my favorite rom-coms. Princess Ann, tired of her responsibilities and awful schedule, takes a night off while she is in Rome. However, she had taken a sedative her doctor prescribed her and, when it kicked in, she fell asleep on a bench in the street. She was later found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley. He believes she is drunk and decides to get her a cab to drive her home. But, after some thinking, he determined it would be safer to take her to his apartment. He let her sleep, but in the morning when he got to work, he realized who she was and ran back to his place thinking he could get an exclusive interview with the princess. Such a beautiful film, I recommend to people all the time. It is fun and charming. You may find it on Prime video. Additionally, as an interesting fact, Gregory Peck petitioned that Audrey Hepburn should get paid the same as him, and that her name should be in the cover. And they listened to him. Making him not only a gentleman on screen, but out of it. As I mentioned previously, he advocated for the rights of women all the time.
References: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024, July 31). Gregory Peck | Biography, Movies, & Facts. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gregory-Peck
