Elmer Gantry is a 1960 film based on the 1927 novel by Sinclair Lewis, which tells the story of a confidence man who teams with a woman evangelist in selling religion for profit to small-town America. Adapted by director Richard Brooks, the movie presents fewer than 100 pages of the novel, deleting many characters and fundamentally changing the character and actions of female evangelist Sharon Falconer. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was a Hollywood film writer, director, and (occasionally) producer. ... Sinclair Lewis Sinclair Lewis (February 7, 1885 — January 10, 1951) was an American novelist and playwright. ... Burt Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an Oscar-winning American film actor, noted for his athletic physique (a rare thing for leading men of that time), distinct smile (which he called The Grin) and, later, his willingness to play roles that went against his initial tough guy... Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons in Angel Face Jean Merilyn Simmons (born January 31, 1929 in Crouch Hill, London, England, United Kingdom) is a British actress. ... Arthur Kennedy in Champion. ... André Previn (born April 6, 1929)¹ is a prominent pianist, orchestral conductor, and composer. ... Johann Altmann (October 5, 1901 – June 2, 1996), photographed some of the most famous films noir of the classic period. ... This article is about the film studio. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also: 1959 in film 1960 1961 in film 1950s in film 1960s in film years in film film // Events April 20 - for the first time since coming home from military service in Germany, Elvis Presley returns to Hollywood, California to film G.I. Blues August 10 - Filming of West... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on the UK singer Elmer Gantry, aka Dave Terry, see Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera Elmer Gantry is a 1927 novel by Sinclair Lewis. ... Sinclair Lewis Sinclair Lewis (February 7, 1885 — January 10, 1951) was an American novelist and playwright. ... Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was a Hollywood film writer, director, and (occasionally) producer. ...

The film stars Burt Lancaster as Elmer Gantry, Jean Simmons as Sister Sharon, Arthur Kennedy, Dean Jagger, Shirley Jones as prostitute Lulu Baines, Patti Page, Edward Andrews, John McIntire, and Chief Tahachee. It won Academy Awards for Best Actor (Burt Lancaster), Best Supporting Actress (Shirley Jones) and Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It was also nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture and Best Picture. Burt Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an Oscar-winning American film actor, noted for his athletic physique (a rare thing for leading men of that time), distinct smile (which he called The Grin) and, later, his willingness to play roles that went against his initial tough guy... Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons in Angel Face Jean Merilyn Simmons (born January 31, 1929 in Crouch Hill, London, England, United Kingdom) is a British actress. ... Arthur Kennedy in Champion. ... Actor Dean Jagger Dean Jagger (November 17, 1903 – February 5, 1991) was an American film actor. ... Shirley Jones, in a still from the opening credits of The Partridge Family Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is an Academy Award-winning singer and actress, perhaps best known for her role as Shirley Partridge, the widowed mother of five children, in the television series The Partridge Family... Patti Page (born Clara Ann Fowler on November 8, 1927 in Claremore, Oklahoma) is one of the best-known female singers in traditional pop music. ... Andrews in the Twilight Zone episode Third from the Sun Edward Andrews (October 9, 1914 - March 8, 1985) was an American actor, most familiar today for his role as Howard Baker in Sixteen Candles. ... McIntire in The Asphalt Jungle Craggly-faced film actor John McIntire (June 27, 1907 - January 30, 1991) was born in Spokane, Washington and raised in Montana, growing up with ranchers and cowboys which would eventually inspire his performances in dozens of westerns later in life. ... Chief Tahachee (born 4 March 1904 in James Mill, Arkansas - died June 9, 1978 in San Gabriel, California) was an American-born Old Settler Cherokee Indian who was a stage and film actor, expert horseman, circus and wild west performer, contortionist and firewalker. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to actors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the awards given to actresses working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. ... The Academy Award for Original Music Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer. ... // The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Academy Awards, awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which are voted on by others within the industry. ...

Plot

Elmer Gantry (Lancaster) is an energetic con man with an infectious, charismatic personality and a gift of gab. While traveling, he sees the road show of Sister Sharon Falconer (Jean Simmons) and is immediately attracted to the sincere, saintly healer and revivalist and, seeing the potential success in marketing religion for easy cash, he joins her band, developing what her manager calls a "good cop/bad cop" routine, with Elmer telling the audience how they'll burn in Hell and Sharon telling them how they'll be saved in Heaven. With Elmer's push, the band makes its way to Zenith, and, eventually, Elmer succeeds in seducing Sharon, and she becomes his lover. Their success is mired by Lulu Baines (Jones), Elmer's former girlfriend who fell into disrepair and became a prostitute when their affair ruined her standing in her minister father's eye. Lulu frames Gantry for revenge, but her inability to take the money for the photos of Gantry with her earn Lulu a beating from her liaison photographer, resulting in Gantry having to save her from the beating. Lulu confesses to having framed Gantry, but the damage is done.

Elmer returns to Sharon the night her tabernacle opens, and tells her that he wants them to live like a more normal couple, but Sharon is unable to give up her soul saving ventures, insisting that she and Elmer were brought together by God to do His work. Sharon tragically dies in a fire at her tabernacle, unable to see past her own religious zeal when the place is engulfed in a fire. Deeply saddened by Sharon's death and having reached something of a moral awakening, Elmer chooses not to go on exploiting the religion, even quoting from the Bible: "When I was a child, I understood as a child and spake as a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things." (1 Corinthians 13:11)

References

• Wheeler Dixon. "Cinematic Adaptations of the Works of Sinclair Lewis." Sinclair Lewis at 100: Papers Presented at a Centennial Conference. Ed. Michael Connaughton. St. Cloud: St. Cloud State University, 1985. 191-200.