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The Hollywood Collection - Gregory Peck: His Own Man

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Admired by film fans for his unique gallery of quietly powerful, stoic father roles, Gregory Peck's life and career is explored in the well-made 1988 documentary HIS OWN MAN, which contains lots of insight from Peck in addition to many of his co-stars.

Whilst we take the "sensitive leading man" for granted these days, when Peck appeared on movie screens beginning in the 1940's, audiences had only ever seen male film stars in the standard molds of "hero" and "villain". Peck was able to take elements from his own sensitive personality to shape his film roles; and shone in such memorable movies as "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Roman Holiday", "The Big Country", and "How the West Was Won", trailblazing a new kind of screen hero.

Rising to fame in "Keys of the Kingdom" and "Spellbound", Gregory Peck was drawn to roles that weren't the average fare for leading men in Hollywood. Audiences adored him as the strong, morally-minded hero in "Gentleman's Agreement" and "The Yearling" (not to mention Atticus Finch, the father we'd all have loved to have had in the masterpiece "To Kill a Mockingbird"); but Peck also proved he could play against his principles as the sexually-aggressive Lewt in "Duel in the Sun". The romantic comedy "Roman Holiday" captured Peck at the height of his matinee idol fame - and led him to his great love, wife Veronique Passani.

Peck's "Roman Holiday" leading lady Audrey Hepburn expresses her gratitude that Peck secretly arranged to have her name lifted above the title alongside his for the film's advertising--a generous move but so indicative of gentlemanly Peck--Hepburn was still an "unknown" at the time and Paramount had originally built up the film as a showcase for Gregory Peck.

Other former co-stars from Peck's films (including Carroll Baker, Jane Fonda, Lauren Bacall and Anthony Quinn) share their similarly warm memories. We'll never see the likes of Gregory Peck again. That unique blend of masculinity and vulnerability; the epitome of everything we could possibly want in a father figure... At least we have his movies! HIS OWN MAN is a perfect tribute.