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Click above to purchase "Elmter Gantry" at amazon.com
Elmer Gantry
review by Anthony D.
Studio: MGM
Running Time: 147 minutes
Starring Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, Arthur Kennedy,
Patti Page, Shirley Jones, Dean Jagger
Written by Richard Brooks
From the novel by Sinclair Lewis
Directed by Richard Brooks
Retail Price: $19.98
Features: Theatrical Trailer
Specs: 1.66:1 Non-Anamorphic Widescreen, English Dolby
Digital Mono, French Mono Spanish Mono, English Closed
Captioning, French Subtitles, Spanish Subtitles, Chapter
Search
It is a strange day indeed, that while viewing a film
made in the early 1960's, which in turn was adapted from a
novel written in the 1920's, to witness a course of events
which could very easily be taking place in the present day.
Strip away our computers, our technology, our televisions,
and yes, even our alcohol, and we are transported to the
easily recognizable America of Richard Brooks' vintage
classic "Elmer Gantry." It is not really that much of a leap
of faith to take viewers into this dark view of religion - -
not organized, but true Revival religion. Once there, it is
easy to spot the many similarities of the church of Sharon
Falconer and that of that delightful deposed duo of Jim and
Tammy Faye. When Sinclair Lewis created Sharon Falconer with
the stroke of his pen in the Roaring Twenties, he was basing
her on an infamous figure then currently making headlines
across the United States: Aimee Semple McPherson. Aimee had
a notorious disappearance which prompted a nationwide search
for her, and which ultimately cost her many of her followers
when it was discovered that her time out of the public eye
was engaged in an non-marital affair. Aimee was also
featured prominently in another Great American Novel of the
1920's: "The Day of the Locust," which was brought to the
screen in the 1970's, and portrayed by the late Geraldine
Page; and the disappearance tale was also retold for
television with Faye Dunaway as the evangelist. More to the
point though, it requires a GREAT actress to inhabit the
role, and the robes, of this particular woman of the cloth.
Burt Lancaster may be portraying the title character, and
winning an Academy Award for his brilliance, but the driving
force of Richard Brooks' 1960 film is his Sharon Falconer,
Jean Simmons. Miss Simmons delivers a performance which
should have garnered her the Academy Award, especially if
one recalls that the winner that year was none other than
Elizabeth Taylor for her lackluster performance in the
highly forgettable "Butterfield-8," and seeing that two of
her co-stars DID win for their performances. (More on those
two later).
Sharon Falconer is an evangelist, that is to say, she is
a train-and-tent-touring minister in the Prohibition-ridden
Bible Belt of the 1920's. When her path crosses that of
two-bit salesman/con-man, Elmer Gantry, they form an
unlikely alliance which can only end with redemption. Ganty
becomes a significant part of Sharon's traveling
carnival-like revival tour. Gantry may be all bluster and
fire-and-brimstone - - a far cry from the soft-spoken,
Scripture-inspired sermons of Sister Sharon - - but his
charisma reaches the throngs in a way that Sharon only
dreams of. Her dreams include that of "playing" the big town
of Zenith (memorably created by Sinclair Lewis in "Babbit")
an establishing a tabernacle. Gantry himself dreams of
bedding any pretty female who happens to fall for his line:
"Love is the morning and the evening star...," a line which
Sharon does NOT immediately fall for. Sharon's choirmaster,
however, is one of the victims of Elmer's charms, and
Richard Brooks chose the non-actorly Patti Page, who, adds
to the strength of the film with choice gestures and
mannerisms. Brooks' casting is inspired the whole way
around. Jean Simmons' Sharon truly believes that she is
touched by God, and his messenger on earth - - there are no
doubts in her mind, and only an actress of Simmons' caliber
could pull of Sharon's sincerity without becoming maudlin,
or a cliche. Lancaster was born to play Gantry, even if it
is a near-carbon copy of his con man Starbuck in "The
Rainmaker." The biggest casting coup, however, and most
interesting surely, is that of Richard Rodgers' protegee,
Shirley Jones as vengeful prostitute Lulu Bains, who will
stop at nothing to see Gantry fall from grace. This is the
same Shirley Jones known for her stunning soprano turns in
the hit film versions of "Oklahoma!" and "Carousel" and much
later, the beloved mother of television's "The Partridge
Family." What may have been seen as stunt casting in 1960,
would seem even more so to baby boomers only familiar with
Shirley's work on "The Partridge Family IF Shirley weren't
so damned good at her craft. This is not the stereotypical
hooker with a heart of gold, but a flesh and blood woman who
was once burned by Gantry, and Gantry's Hell hath no fury as
this woman scorned.
"Elmer Gantry" is one of those rarities wherein
everything works - - script, direction and most of all, an
ensemble of actors who imbue their roles with the proper
panache.
The presentation of "Elmer Gantry" is far from perfect;
cigarette burns at reel changes, occasional speckling as
well as age-related artifacts pop up here and there. Not
anamorphically-enhanced, "Elmer Gantry" is presented in its
original aspect ratio of 1.66:1. The near-faded hues of the
print's Eastman Color however, though not nearly robust,
present picture which looks every bit a film from the
1960's. Flesh tones change radically from reel to reel, most
noticably with Gantry's "Clean Up This Town" speech in
Chapter 11. Given the inconsistencies of the print used,
contrast levels are quite good and shadow delineation is
above average. Even throughout the film's darkest scenes, I
spotted little, if no grain at all. Surely this film
deserves a better presentation, or has "Elmer Gantry" the
film fallen from grace, and unworthy of a redemptive
restoration.
To be honest, I was very wary once the picture began, and
the tones of Andre Previn's jazz-influenced score wobbled
under the credits! It's a momentary failure which doesn't
affect the remainder of the film. The Dolby Digital Mono
track more than serves the presentation. Following MGM's
highly boosted logo, the sound settles in for a
non-problematic listen. There are, however, a couple of
instances where a word or two in a dialogue scene are
mastered at a louder level than usual; I believe that these
instances are a result of re-dubbing for censorship reasons
- - after all, upon its release, "Elmer Gantry" was very
racy material. These problems might not be as apparent
should one chose the French or Spanish language tracks, both
in mono. With subtitles provided in Spanish and French, and
English Closed Captioning provided for the hearing impaired,
"Elmer Gantry" can be enjoyed by the most discriminating
viewer.
The sole bonus feature on this Vintage Classic disc is
the full-frame trailer, desperately showing the ravages of
time. The trailer itself is a very good representation of
the film itself, and unlike today's trailers, doesn't give
away the film's best sequences.
Given its stars, and Award-winning performances, "Elmer
Gantry" is a must-see film. Although MGM's presentation is
far from reference quality, the film itself stands tall with
a timeliness even Sinclair Lewis could not have predicted.
In an age of Jim (and Tammy Faye) Bakker, the P.T.L and
old-standby Billy Graham, the message of "Elmer Gantry" is
as worthy of receiving as it was when Richard Brooks created
his cinematic classic. With its very low price tag, "Elmer
Gantry" should be welcomed into the libraries of film fans
everywhere.
 (4/5 - NOT included in
final score)
(4/5)
 (2.5/5)
 (.5/5)
(4/5,
NOT an average)
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