Influence of various phenolic compounds on physical properties and antioxidant activity of gelatin film from horse mackerel Trachurus japonicus scales was investigated. Tensile strength (TS) of the film was enhanced whereas elongation at break was declined by adding 1% to 5% phenolic compounds. Rutin was the most effective to improve the TS compared to the other tested phenolic compounds including ferulic acid, caffeic acid, gallic acid, and catechin. Gelatin films with the phenolic compounds showed the excellent UV barrier properties. FTIR spectra exhibited that wavenumber of amide-A band of films decreased with formation of hydrogen bonding between amino groups of gelatin and hydroxyl groups of the phenolic compounds. Gelatin film incorporated with rutin which has the largest number of hydroxyl groups among the tested compounds demonstrated the lowest wavenumber for the amide-A peak. It is indicated that hydroxyl groups contained in the phenolic compounds contribute to formation of hydrogen bonds involved in improvement of the mechanical properties of the films. The incorporation of the phenolic compounds with gelatin films also led to the increasing of total phenolic contents and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Thus, it is concluded that phenolic compounds can promote the quality of gelatin film.