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Elmer Gantry Details

1960 Certificate PG
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 432 members

Elmer Gantry is a charming, fast-talking con, working the road as a traveling salesman in the 1920s. Burt Lancaster stars as the elusive Gantry in this charismatic adaptation of Sinclair Lewis's 1927 novel. When Gantry runs across a group of traveling evangelists, he charms their saintly leader, Sister Susan Falconer (Jean .. Read more

Starring Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, Dean Jagger, Arthur Kennedy
Director Richard Brooks
Genres Drama

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Elmer Gantry

Elmer Gantry is a charming, fast-talking con, working the road as a traveling salesman in the 1920s. Burt Lancaster stars as the elusive Gantry in this charismatic adaptation of Sinclair Lewis's 1927 novel. When Gantry runs across a group of traveling evangelists, he charms their saintly leader, Sister Susan Falconer (Jean Simmons), and becomes her partner, preaching fire and brimstone in the packed revival tents of the hardened Midwest. Gantry's robust style and Falconer's Joan of Arc-like spirit skyrocket the two minstrels to fame and fortune as they travel with their flock waging war on sinners and speakeasies--until they preach in a big city and catch the eye of a tough prostitute (Shirley Jones) who knows that Elmer is not quite as holy as he appears. This biting portrait of the business of religion was highly innovative at the time of its release, casting a slightly tarnished light on the hustle and theatrics of traveling ministries, while analyzing the true nature of faith and redemption. Lancaster's performance as the salesman turned preacher is dynamic and highly charismatic, full of energy and robust flair.

Starring Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, Dean Jagger, Arthur Kennedy, Shirley Jones, Patti Page, Edward Andrews, John McIntire, Andre Previn
Director Richard Brooks
Studio MGM ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 21 mins
Certificate Certificate PG
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Dubbed French, German, Italian, Spanish
Hearing-impaired English, German
Subtitles DVD: French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Released DVD: 03 Feb 2003
Production year: 1960
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of Elmer Gantry

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  • 5 stars out of 5

    Seldom does the cinema see such a perfect match of star and role as here, with Burt Lancaster as author Sinclair Lewis's con man who finds evangelism as easy to sell as vacuum cleaners. Lancaster rightly won the best actor Oscar for the finest performance of his career, while the film itself lost out to The Apartment, but Elmer Gantry did pick up Oscars for director Richard Brooks's screenplay and for musical comedy star Shirley Jones's supporting turn as vengeful prostitute Lulu Bains. Also brilliantly cast is co-star Jean Simmons as Sister Sharon Falconer, whose sincerity, like Gantry's, is never questioned. John Alton's colour photography is superb, but it's Brooks's handling of the key scenes that makes this film a Hollywood classic. Long, certainly, but deeply satisfying and richly rewarding, this is a truly great movie — the subject and tone of which caused some to shun it on its original release.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • A 'controversial' look at revivalist religion which, with the passing of the years, is unlikely to raise many eyebrows.... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Elmer Gantry

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  • 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Amazing film - very dated now but I found it fasinating looking back to how things used to

    be - or how Hollywood viewed them - if you have seen Steve Martins film "leap of faith" that

    has simular ideas/plot to this film in a more modern setting. That said I really enjoyed this

    film and it has some great acting too.

      • A customer from BUXTON
      • Posted 30 Oct 2004 22:35

  • Most recent members' review of Elmer Gantry

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Fire and brimstone

    This caused a bit of a flurry back in 1960 with its then rather frank depiction of sex - lead character Gantry is a loose man with loose morals and a way with the ladies, particularly prostitutes. And it's also noted for Lancaster's big, bombastic performance as the charismatic evangelist who flies by the seat of his pants, nicely matched up with Simmons' more holy variety. But it's a long, bloated affair and very starchy too that has moments of power but seems to spend too much of its time screaming in our face.

      • A customer from London
      • Posted 22 Nov 2008 12:44

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Rating breakdown

432 Member ratings
  • 100
49
  • 90
41
  • 80
93
  • 70
75
  • 60
65
  • 50
39
  • 40
29
  • 30
19
  • 20
13
  • 10
9

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      • Elmer Gantry is a charming, fast-talking con, working the road as a traveling salesman in the 1920s. Burt Lancaster stars as the elusive Gantry in this charismatic adaptation of Sinclair Lewis's 1927 ...