IMDb > Elmer Gantry (1960)
Elmer Gantry
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Elmer Gantry (1960) More at IMDbPro »

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Elmer Gantry (1960) -- Trailer for this epic tale of an all American boy

Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   3,759 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 32% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Richard Brooks
Writers:
Richard Brooks (screenplay)
Sinclair Lewis (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for Elmer Gantry on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 July 1960 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
The screen has never known a man like ELMER GANTRY more
Plot:
Elmer Gantry is a fast talking, hard drinking traveling salesman who always has a risqué story and a... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Won 3 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 10 nominations more
User Comments:
"You're all sinners! You'll all burn in hell!" more (54 total)
US TV Schedule:
Sat. Nov. 213:30 PMTCM   

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Burt Lancaster ... Elmer Gantry

Jean Simmons ... Sister Sharon Falconer, nee Katie Jones
Arthur Kennedy ... Jim Lefferts
Dean Jagger ... William L. Morgan
Shirley Jones ... Lulu Bains
Patti Page ... Sister Rachel
Edward Andrews ... George F. Babbitt (as Ed Andrews)
John McIntire ... Rev. John Pengilly
Hugh Marlowe ... Rev. Philip Garrison
Joe Maross ... Pete
Philip Ober ... Rev. Planck
Barry Kelley ... Police Capt. Holt
Wendell Holmes ... Rev. Ulrich
Dayton Lummis ... Mr. Eddington, newspaper publisher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Antrim ... Man in saloon (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake ... Mac (bartender) (uncredited)
Peter Brocco ... Benny (photographer) (uncredited)
Budd Buster ... Valet (uncredited)
George Cisar ... Friend (uncredited)
Ralph Dumke ... Friend (uncredited)
Sally Fraser ... Prostitute (uncredited)
Everett Glass ... Rev. Brown (uncredited)
Sol Gorss ... Hobo in boxcar (uncredited)
Mary Adams Hayes ... Salvation Army worker (uncredited)
Charles Horvath ... Hobo in boxcar (uncredited)
Rex Ingram ... Preacher of black congregation (uncredited)
Colin Kenny ... Extra at revival meeting (uncredited)
Mike Lally ... Radio station official (uncredited)

Norman Leavitt ... Friend (uncredited)
Robert P. Lieb ... Police captain (uncredited)

Barbara Luna ... Prostitute (uncredited)
John McKee ... Photographer / Reporter (uncredited)

David McMahon ... (uncredited)
Ed Nelson ... Man on phone at Sister Sharon headquarters (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien ... Train conductor (uncredited)

Gloria Pall ... Girl in brothel (uncredited)
Milton Parsons ... Revivalist (uncredited)
Charles Perry ... Man at revival meeting (uncredited)
John Qualen ... Sam (storekeeper) (uncredited)
Dan Riss ... Radio announcer (uncredited)
Max Showalter ... Deaf man (uncredited)
Marjorie Stapp ... Lady in red on Christmas Eve (uncredited)
Bert Stevens ... Choir member (uncredited)
Jack Stoney ... Revival tent roustabout (uncredited)
Ken Terrell ... Blind man (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel ... Egg thrower (uncredited)
Ray Walker ... Friend (uncredited)
Michael Whalen ... Rev. Phillips (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson ... Clean-up man (uncredited)
Jean Willes ... Prostitute (uncredited)
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Directed by
Richard Brooks 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Richard Brooks  screenplay
Sinclair Lewis  novel

Produced by
Bernard Smith .... producer
 
Original Music by
André Previn 
 
Cinematography by
John Alton 
 
Film Editing by
Marjorie Fowler 
 
Art Direction by
Edward Carrere  (as Ed Carrere)
 
Set Decoration by
William F. Calvert  (as Bill Calvert)
Frank Tuttle 
 
Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins 
 
Makeup Department
Harry Maret .... makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer .... makeup artist (as Robert Schiffer)
Joan St. Oegger .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Gilbert Kurland .... executive production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Shaw .... assistant director (as Thomas P. Shaw)
Robert Webb .... second assistant director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Fred J. Brown .... sound effects editor (as Fred Brown)
Harry D. Mills .... sound (as Harry Mills)
 
Stunts
Bob Herron .... stunts (uncredited)
Charles Horvath .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Richard H. Kline .... camera operator (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Leonard Doss .... color consultant (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Ken Darby .... associate music supervisor
Kenyon Hopkins .... conductor (uncredited)
Albert Woodbury .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
146 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Sister Sharon is seen briefly outside a movie theater advertising a film. The title is not given but the stars names are given as Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres, suggesting that the film is almost certainly The Sheik (1921). more
Goofs:
Continuity: The first time we see Lulu, she leans on the back of a chair, a newspaper in her hand, and her right shoulder strap has fallen down. In the next shot her left shoulder strap is down instead. more
Quotes:
Elmer Gantry: I have here in my pocket - and thank heaven you can't see them - lewd, dirty, obscene, and I'm ashamed to say this: French postcards. They were sold to me in front of your own innocent high school by a man with a black beard... a foreigner. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Women of the House: Women in Film (#1.9)" (1995) more
Soundtrack:
I'm on My Way more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
14 out of 15 people found the following comment useful.
"You're all sinners! You'll all burn in hell!", 5 June 2005
8/10
Author: Billie from United States

"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. 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 as Elmer Gantry. Gantry is an over-the-top opportunistic traveling salesman who teams up with evangelist Sister Sharon Falconer (Jean Simmons) to promote religion in 1920's America. Gantry turns out to be the perfect publicity compliment to Sister Sharon, who, unlike him, is a true believer. Where she is quiet and gentle with her manner of preaching, he is all fire and brimstone, literally throwing himself about the audience and inflaming them into repentance.

Burt Lancaster commands the screen: all flashing teeth, athletic energy, charisma, and wild hair, using his own physical prowess to great advantage. The angelic and lovely Jean Simmons, who had legions of adoring male fans when she was in her ethereal prime, portrays Sister Sharon (loosely based on a well-known real-life revivalist of the early 1920's, Aimee Semple McPherson, about whom I'd heard from my grandmother) in a manner reminiscent of her character in "Spartacus" - she was the perfect choice for this role, as was Lancaster for his.

Shirley Jones was awarded the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her lively portrayal of prostitute Lulu Bains, whose past history with Gantry comes back to haunt him, with some of the best lines in the film - gleefully laughing as she dances about a room full of her fellow prostitutes, she recounts that "He rammed the fear of God into me so fast I never heard my old man's footsteps!" Watching Burt Lancaster in his prime use his athletic ability (he was a circus acrobat before he became an actor) and physical grace helps make his performance truly electrifying. And he also manages to believably evolve Elmer Gantry from loud-mouthed salesman to a sympathetic and honest human being over the course of the film.

The top-notch supporting cast includes Arthur Kennedy, Patti Page, Dean Jagger, and John McIntire.

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Elmer Gantry vs. Carrie CahillSellers
Shirley Jones Won An Oscar For This??? kdboles
What about the funny? freelocalradio
Very relevant for America today diesel-magoo
Casting for remake of Elmer Gantry mudgejl
Arthur Kennedy was great in this! wtl471629
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