Oscar-winning actor Gregory Peck (1916 - 2003) was one of cinema's best-loved actors, and although he may no longer be with us, many of his performances will live forever in our hearts and minds. To honor his life and work, I've compiled a list of movies starring Peck that are my personal favorites.
1. “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962)
Set in the Depression-era South, “To Kill a Mockingbird” creates a vivid portrait of a father's courage and integrity, as seen through the eyes of his daughter. Peck plays Atticus Finch, a widower and lawyer who defends an African-American man falsely accused of raping a white woman. I think that Peck is at his finest in this Oscar-winning performance.
2. “Roman Holiday” (1953)
When Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) slips away to have some incognito fun, newspaperman Joe Bradley (Peck) shows her around the Eternal City so he can make big bucks by selling an article. I’ve always loved the movie’s bittersweet ending, especially the way Bradley deals with a tough decision in a quietly heroic way that is emblematic of Peck’s screen persona.3. “Gentleman's Agreement” (1947)
When assigned to write about anti-Semitism for a magazine, journalist Philip Schuyler Green (Peck) pretends to be Jewish while researching the topic, hoping to get a deeper, more emotional insight into the problem that will add depth to his expose. I’ve always loved Peck’s compelling performance in this classic film.4. “Duel in the Sun” (1946)
In this entertaining, lavish, operatic Western produced by David O. Selznick, Peck is memorable as a rapacious brute named Lewt McCanles who becomes romantically involved with Pearl Chavez (Jennifer Jones). Their relationship is so passionate they end up in a shootout with each other.5. “Spellbound” (1945)
In Alfred Hitchcock’s “Spellbound,” Peck plays John Ballantine, an imposter with amnesia who arrives at a psychiatric institute and takes over as its new director. Some have criticized Peck’s performance in this movie, but when I think about Peck’s career, this early role opposite Ingrid Bergman comes immediately to mind.