Elmer gantry has even been made into a new opera, with a score by robert aldridge and a libretto by herschel garfein, that recently premiered in nashville. As it begins, elmer gantry burt lancaster is a harddrinking extroverted traveling salesmen. Elmer gantry is a 1960 american drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to smalltown america. Elmer gantry in filming sinclair lewis contentious 1927 study of a scandalous evangelist, elmer gantry, richard brooks has framed a big story and bold religioso subject for the oldfashioned. Elmer gantry opens with a short shot of chapter 1 of the novel, im not sure if this implies a loyal reproduction, but since one of the criticisms i heard of this film is that it vulgarizes the.
The two make a successful onstage pair, and their chemistry extends to romance. I returned the dvd for a replacement which had similar problems, but at different points in the movie. With the rugged features of a matinee idol and the physique of a trapeze artist, burt lancaster might easily have been typecast by hollywood. Elmer gantry cast and crew cast photos and info fandango. Mar 03, 2017 this films failure to decide what it wants to be drags it out to an interminable 2 12 hours.
Burt lancaster elmer gantry trailer 1960 by passthejointplease. Burt lancaster singing im on my way to canaans land. A best actor oscar went to burt lancaster for his outstanding performance as a conmanturnedpreacher in this provocative indictment of. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on youtube. Will try to buy elmer gantry dvd from another source.
After collecting money from the patrons, gantry takes a drunken barfly back to his hotel room. Theres even a lusty if rather flat lancaster vocal on the hymn im on my way as an added bonus. I know, i know, i still need to get the cast names in there and ill be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to drop me a line. Lancaster portrayed the title character, a charlatan evangelist who joins a ministry headed by. Gantry burt lancaster drops into the revival tent for his first experience of the phenomenal sister sharon falconer jean simmons in elmer gantry, 1960, from the sinclair lewis novel. Elmer gantry, american film drama, released in 1960, that was an adaptation of sinclair lewiss novel of the same name and featured academy awardwinning performances by burt lancaster and shirley jones. His own experiences at oberlin college at that time overtly christian, the memory of a 1917 visit to a. In the 1980s he appeared as a supporting player in a number of movies, such as local hero 1983 and field of. Joining forces with sister sharon falconer jean simmons, spartacus, he delivers demonbashing. Elmer gantry was a labor of love for brooks, who had dreamed of filming lewiss novel for more than a decade and spent two years writing the script, which won the oscar for best adapted screenplay. Both the show and their relationship are threatened, however, when one of gantry s exlovers shirley. With burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, dean jagger. Some christians might avoid the movie for this reason. May 02, 2008 from elmer gantry 1960, directed by richard brooks edited by nibelungenstar burt lancaster elmer gantry jean simmonssharon falconer.
The film opens as we see gantry holding court around a table in a bar, telling jokes and anecdotes of sexual conquests one minute, and then the next minute is helping out two wayward parishioners by passing the hat around the bar and preaching in earnest. Elmer gantry script transcript from the screenplay and. Elmer gantry is an amazing film that does not seem dated at all, having lost none of its bite or appeal with the passing of time. Elmer gantry was nominated for five oscars, and won for best actor, best supporting actress, and writing. The film opens as we see gantry holding court around a table in a bar, telling jokes and anecdotes of sexual conquests one minute, and then the next minute is helping out two wayward parishioners by passing the hat around the bar and preaching in. The film also scored oscar nominations for best picture and for andre previns score. Approx running time 2 hrs 27 min, color, not rated. Oct 08, 2012 shirley jones oscar winning performance in elmer gantry. Elmer gantry script transcript from the screenplay andor.
Adapted by director richard brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis and stars burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, shirley jones and patti page. Elmer gantry is a conniving, hipocrite much like many of the fundamental evangelists who are still doing the rounds today. Watch elmer gantry online stream full movie directv. Nov 20, 2009 elmer gantry trailer 1960 academy award for best actor golden globe award for best actor motion picture drama new york film critics circle award for best actor. Video of title character elmer gantry testifying at a tent meeting in a scene from the 1960 film elmer gantry, featuring burt lancaster and based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis. Although he celebrated his physical grace and was not shy about appearing in action pictures, there was another side to his acting, right from the first. Elmer gantry, is initially attracted by booze and easy money though he eventually renounces tobacco and alcohol and chasing women. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of elmer gantry. Adapted by director richard brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis and stars burt lancaster, jean simmons. When a salvation army worker enters, gantry shocks and moves the crowd with an impromptu, impassioned sermon equating god with love. His orchestral scoring mixes gantry s bombast on main title with the rural setting of the story on the folkish do you believe. Elmer gantry 1960 full movie download full hd youtube.
When hedonistic but charming con man elmer gantry burt lancaster meets the beautiful sister sharon falconer jean simmons, a roadside revivalist, he feigns piousness to join her act as a passionate preacher. Traveling salesman elmer gantry burt lancaster, run silent, run deep is all this and more. Burt lancaster truly nails that character, as he did in every film i have seen with him. Elmer gantry is critical of christian revival meetings that were popular in the rural south and midwest in the early decades of the twentieth century. Its indirect targets were understood to be the historical figures, aimee semple mcpherson and billy sunday.
Morgan arthur kennedy jim lefferts shirley jones lulu bains edward andrews george babbitt patti page sister rachel john mcintire rev. Burts sole best actor academy award, with oscars also going to shirley jones supporting actress and screenplay. Andre previns score for the great burt lancaster vehicle is an interesting extension of the films character. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Elmer gantry jean simmons sister sharon falconer dean jagger william l. Gantry burt lancaster drops into the revival tent for his first experience of the phenomenal sister sharon falconer jean simmons in elmer gantry, 1960, from the sinclair. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a. Elmer gantry is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. Joining forces with sister sharon falconer, he delivers demonbashing oratories that bring him fame and fortune. The original trailer in high definition of elmer gantry directed by richard brooks and starring burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy. If there was a dollar to be made gantry would make it.
His production company, hechthilllancaster, produced the such films as paddy chayefskys marty 1955 oscar winner 1955 and the catered affair 1956. Andre previns score for the great burt lancaster vehicle is an interesting extension of the film s character. In the 1920s, elmer gantry entertains a group of fellow salesmen in a speakeasy with his ribald jokes and easy charm. But when an old flame reappears, gantry is forced to confront demons of a more worldly order. We learn early on that he was expelled from theology school. So when he stumbles into a revival meeting and discovers that he can hustle money in a tentshow as easily as in a saloon, gantry converts to evangelism.
Find out where elmer gantry is streaming, if elmer gantry is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading elmer gantry. Washington a fords theater society presentation of a musical in two acts with book by john bishop, music by mel marvin, lyrics by bob satuloff, based on the novel by. Finally, the elmer gantry script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the burt lancaster movie. Elmer gantry trailer 1960 academy award for best actor golden globe award for best actor motion picture drama new york film critics circle award for best actor. A fasttalking traveling salesman with a charming, loquacious manner convinces a sincere evangelist that he can be an effective preacher for her cause. Elmer gantry 1960 flickers in timeflickers in time. This is a fine film with a slightly disappointing ending.
I cant accept that the errant fling of a cigarette can flash through the heavens like a message from god, but if ever a bolt of lightning was captured onto the silver screen, it was the bolt from burt lancaster as elmer gantry. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. An angry, intellectual, introspective side, that led him to give some of the best performances of. Elmer gantry is a 1960 film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to small town america. Lancaster won the only oscar of his career as the title character, a coniving evangalist who joins simmons religious movement, jones won a best supporting actress oscar as gantry s prostitute exlover. Much like a universal horror film, elmer gantry leads a mob of angry villagers complete with flaming torches to close down the brothels and ridding good america of its social ills. All you need to know about the character of elmer gantry is neatly summed up in the first 10 minutes of the film. His orchestral scoring mixes gantrys bombast on main title with the rural setting of the story on the folkish do you believe. Adapted by director richard brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis and stars burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, shirley jones and patti page elmer gantry was nominated for five academy awards in 1961, including best. The elmer gantry character, when he is preaching, reminds me of the real, oldtime evangelist, prior to billy graham, billy sunday. Stars burt lancaster best actor, jean simmons, and shirley jones best supporting actress.
I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this wikipedia article constitutes fair use. This films failure to decide what it wants to be drags it out to an interminable 2 12 hours. Burt lancaster opens friday, july 19 at film forum elmer gantry 1960, richard brooks. Good video quality,however the audio turned off intermittently, greatly reducing the enjoyment of watching. There was a film by the same name starring bert lancaster and jean symonds but this only went as far as the death of sharon falconer, played by symonds. Shirley jones oscar winning performance in elmer gantry. Lewis had long wanted to write a novel about what he called the religion racket. Helicopter door gunners in vietnam the shotgun riders us army documentary ca. Both the show and their relationship are threatened, however, when one of gantrys exlovers shirley. Taken from the classic sinclair lewis novel of the same name, director richard brooks garnered an oscar for best screenplay for his adaptation, and burt lancaster won his sole best actor oscar for his performance.
A best actor oscar went to burt lancaster for his outstanding performance as a conmanturnedpreacher in this provocative indictment of religious corruption. Directed and written by richard brooks, based on the 1927 novel by sinclair lewis. Elmer gantry 1960 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Imagine the thrill of going to church, now imagine that excitement in a great film like elmer gantry.
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