Elmer Gantry Movie Review

Elmer Gantry was made in 1960. The movie is a drama film which depicts two evangelists, one male and the other female. They undertake to preach religion in a small town America.

The movie based upon the novel of Sinclair Lewis which was written in 1927. Burt Lancaster and Jean Simmons have played the lead roles in the movie. The movie does not cover the whole accounts of the book and the story of the novel has been cut short and many characters and events have been deleted. The story seems to be an inspiration from a real life character “Aimee Semple McPherson. The movie grabbed many awards.

The plot of the story revolves around the preaching of Elmer Gantry (Burt Lancaster) and the Sister Sharon Falconer (Jean Simmons). Elmer Gantry is a charismatic salesman and a drunkard as well. During his travel, he finds an opportunity to attend Sharon’s sermons and he is highly inspired by her preaching.

He decides to join her religious mission and they together make a team of preachers. Their “good cop, bad cop” attitude attract people because Elmer used to intimidate people that they are sinners and they will be burnt in the hell. On the other hand, Sharon used to soothe the apprehensions of people by urging them to have remorse and compunction on their bad deeds which will lead them towards salvation.

Now the preachers fall in love with each other and Sharon loses her virginity to him outside marriage. The subsequent events in the plot include the appearance of a media reporter Lefferts and Elmer’s ex-girlfriend Lulu. Lulu defames him in the public and reveals his actual face to the public. People humiliate him and throw eggs on him in a congregation.

Sharon, later on, is burnt to death accidently in her home. The movie leaves a message that what people do is natural and not sins. The movie lifts curtain from the real face of evangelists who intimidate people for their peccadilloes and commit even more serious sins under the cloak of sanctity.

Elmer