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Rating: 4.75 out of 5
I am the furthest away from being a church person. I tried it a few times, and it’s not for me. I have even been dipped (aka baptized), and still, I don’t go to church. Sitting in a place for almost two to three hours isn’t for me. Everyone has their own interpretation of what the bible means and really says. Let’s not even go into how many stories, lines, or quotes the bible has because if it’s Genesis, Paul, John, Corinthians, or any other section, we can be here forever. I guess I’ll be on the outside of them heavily gates when the time comes. That is neither here nor there. Have you ever heard a preacher so good that anything they say seems to speak to you? Where their sermon is beyond powerful, and as they preach and preach, their congregation continues to grow? Probably can watch tv now and find one of them on Sunday. How about a traveling salesman who happens to use sermons in his selling points and then becomes a preacher? If not, then do I have a movie for you. Elmer Gantry is a surprising movie about religion, spreading the word of God, love, the past, and some high-end drama.
Directed by Richard Brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by Sinclair Lewis. Elmer Gantry (Lancaster) is a hard-living, smooth-talking, sometimes party-hard traveling salesman who uses Christian references in his sales pitches. Gantry has that charming, pearly-white smile and snake-like tongue to sell to many of his God-giving, Christian clients. While being thrown off a train that he hitched upon, he stumbles into a black church and sings his little heart out. He continues his travels when he comes across a traveling revival show of evangelist, sweet and innocent Sister Sharon Falconer (Simmons). Elmer is immediately smitten with her and develops those heart-shaped eyes for her. He also sees a way for the revival meetings as a way to make that paper, aka money. Elmer uses his snake-like charm and sales techniques to slither his way into Sister Sharon’s inner circle. While preaching, he becomes the opposite of Sister Sharon. He preaches more on his many sins and damnation. Sister Sharon preaches forgiveness and love. As Elmer and Sister Sharon’s business grows, they plan to set up in the larger city of Zenith. The city is not one known for church and a place of sin. While there, Elmer’s past finally catches up with him when he runs into Lulu Bains (Jones), a sassy prostitute who has some unfinished business with Elmer. Elmer soon realizes that everything he had done could unravel his and Sister Sharon’s reputation.
I want to be the first to admit that I was surprised by this movie. Sitting back and looking at the box and even a trailer, I wasn’t impressed or too fawned about watching a film about a preacher and listening to hellfire and brimstone. Surprisingly, the film was more drama than anything else, and let me be the first to say that the past can surely creep up on you in the least expecting times.
I would say the plot is simple with a fast-talking, charming, colossal-ass smile, pearly white teeth salesman named Elmer Gantry. He takes it upon himself to spread the word of God. Yet, it wasn’t that. Yes, Elmer was all those things, but he has zero funds and seems to be able to sell some stuff but nothing to make it rich. He wanders around until he stops in a church and sees female evangelist Sister Sharon Falconer. Now I don’t know about you, but the film made Sister Sharon look like a rock star in the beginning. The place she rolled up in had the feel of what you see on TV with the big-ass choir. Her first sermon was funny and good. This is where Elmer becomes smitten with her. When she rolls out, homegirl has the sunglasses and a nice ass car.
The first half of the film shows the rise of Elmer inside Sister Sharon’s church. I found Elmer to be somewhat of a conman who saw something good and then, towards the end, left it all behind. We will get to that in a second. After being denied speaking with Sister Sharon, homeboy sweet talks her assistant to learn valuable information about her. Then he makes her second in command disappear for a while on a train to even sweet-talk Sister Sharon to get on her good side while she was exhausted. When homeboy starts preaching, dude goes way overboard, but it’s entertaining. She speaks about damnation and Darwinism by bringing a chimp. The film presents two significant ways of preaching. Sister Sharon’s sermons are more on forgiveness and have a gentle touch. You feel all warm and gooey inside. Elmer, on the other hand, is more rage and fear. He is way over the top as he jumps around, dances, and preaches at the top of his lungs. It’s almost like good cop, bad cop.
The second half of the film is where it’s at. Here is where the drama takes place. Elmer and Sister Sharon roll into a city where some of her inside group think it’s too big for them. They preach in a city-like area, where Sister Sharon knocks it out of the park, and more people roll in. Here is where Elmer’s past comes back to bite him on the ass. We meet Lulu Bains, a BEAUTIFUL woman who became a prostitute when she was young and had an affair with Elmer. In her minister father’s eyes, it ruined her reputation, and Gantry put up some deuces to her. Their paths cross when Elmer preaches about booze during the Prohibition Era and how a brothel is evil. Little does Elmer know that Lulu is there. Lulu has some hate as she wants to destroy and blackmail Elmer for what he did. Homegirl almost accomplishes her goal until she sees the error of her ways. Also, Elmer takes Sister Sharon’s virginity during this time, which is a big deal. Sister Sharon somewhat goes on the deep end with her final sermon as the church burns. Like I said, it was drama, and it was highly enjoyable to watch.
As far as the acting goes, this film was carried by the film’s stars. First off, let’s give some major credit to Burt Lancaster as Elmer Gantry. I remember seeing him in other films, but dude was over the top and fun to watch in this film. As Elmer, he had some over-the-top laughter and powerful sermons. In the beginning, he was annoying with his laughter because it was so over the top. Yet, homeboy had that charming, almost snake-like charm to him where he could slither into any inner circle.
Jean Simmons as Sister Sharon Falconer was good as the sweet and innocent one. She spoke softly and seemed to be doing her sermons because others wanted her to. When she meets Elmer, she seems to take a backseat role. I don’t know about you, Shirley Jones as Lulu Bains was the most beautiful person I have ever seen. I didn’t know Shirley Jones looked that beautiful and perfect. DAMN Gurl! Let me holla at you back in the day. As Lulu, she was sassy and beautiful, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her when she was on screen. I wouldn’t have minded having a whole film about her adventures.
Elmer Gantry is one of those films that surprises you. One where you shouldn’t judge a movie by its cover. I highly enjoyed this film. After a while, I really didn’t get the feel or sense of being in church but watching the drama unfold in a crazy way. Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, and Shirley Jones are fantastic in their respective roles and carry this film. Highly watch this film and have a good time seeing over-the-top sermons and a charming person.
