Elmer Gantry

Starring: Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, Arthur Kennedy, Dean Jagger, Shirley Jones, Patti Page, Edward Andrews, Hugh Marlowe
Directed by: Richard Brooks
Rating: Approved
Genre: Drama
1960

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A charismatic salesman (Burt Lancaster) joins a revivalist movement as a preacher, lending his charm and energy to their cause. But, he harbors dark demons that threaten to derail his plans.

Review:

Tim: Elmer Gantry is a great movie chiefly due to the mesmerizing performance of Burt Lancaster. I've always liked Lancaster, but this movie made me a major fan of his work. I can't even describe how remarkable he is in this film. There's a lot of reasons to like this movie, but all pale in comparison to Lancaster.

Elmer Gantry is a fascinating character. He's a boozing, womanizing, untrustworthy man who also seems to have either a deep faith or simply a deep knowledge of religion that he can utilize for his own benefit. I watched this movie, transfixed by this character and what I thought about him. There were moments when I felt like he was a pathetic, selfish, hateful man that deserved to rot in darkness. There were others when I felt like the light within him made up for any amounts of darkness. In the end, I'm still not sure how I feel about him- my inability to make up my mind is a testament to Lancaster. Despite the myriad flaws inherent in Gantry, you can't help but like him. Lancaster's charisma makes up for his despicable deeds. It's truly an astounding performance. I loved his wide-eyed enthusiasm- his ability to orate on the Old Testament and sway people to his cause, to make them believe in things he likely only pretended in believing. Burt Lancaster won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal here, and there's no doubt in my mind that he was rightly awarded it. This is one of the best performances I've ever seen. I loved it.

The supporting cast is good, too. I liked Jean Simmons as Sister Sharon. She gives a very good performance, but even she is eclipsed by Lancaster. I thought she was very strong and I thought she deserved an Academy Award nomination. I was a little bummed she missed out. I have to say I'm shocked that Shirley Jones won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. I thought she was fairly good, but not especially noteworthy. I don't think I would have even mentioned her had she not brought home the Oscar. Yes, Jones has a few terrific moments, but her performance as a whole is pretty short and the impact that she makes is minimal. I admit she had great moments, but I would never had given her the Academy Award. The rest of the cast gave good performances as well.

Outside of the cast, I love that this movie explored the world of revivalism and the role these famous evangelists play in people's lives. This is a movie that explores the idea of faith and those we turn to for spiritual guidance. It's pretty damning of the revivalist movement, but it sparks a number of interesting questions- it really makes us explore the idea of finding salvation in another human being, who is inherently fallible and susceptible to sin. It makes you ask yourself questions about human morality. One of the big ones is whether Elmer Gantry, who is by all accounts, a major sinner, is able to reach any kind of salvation if his actions, despite his motivations, actually influence others for good? I wondered this- if Gantry was a nonbeliever and used his pulpit for his own fame and fortune, but he also helped bring others closer to God, what did that mean for his soul? It seems simple, but it's fascinating the more you explore it.

Now, I've seen a lot of movies (well over 2,700). Sometimes, I really feel like I've seen it all and that movies no longer have the power to surprise me. Elmer Gantry proved that idea wrong. I was stunned by the performance of Burt Lancaster and delighted to watch this thought-provoking, powerful movie. This is a great movie and one of the biggest, pleasantest surprises I've had in quite a long time.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: A Face in the Crowd, Judgment at Nuremberg, Separate Tables