Elmer Gantry
1960 · Movie · NR · 146 min · ★ 7.3 · 89% critics
A charismatic traveling salesman teams up with a passionate roadside evangelist, pitching faith as a business while their relationship deepens. Set in 1920s America, their road-show grows into a powerful draw—alongside constant questions about sincerity, motives, and the impact on the crowds.
Based on Elmer Gantry
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Details
- Years
- 1960
- Release date
- 1960-07-07
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 146 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 89/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.3/10 (198 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy Elmer Gantry if you like sharp, dialogue-driven dramas that mix romance with cynicism about showy faith; Not for you if you want a clear, single-minded moral stance or prefer subtler storytelling like The Message.
Pros: standout charismatic lead; sharp revivalist satire; lively period drama | Cons: long runtime; shifting tone ambiguity; critics find it overdone
Themes
- based on novel or book
- con man
- fraud
- kansas, usa
- religion
- preacher
- religious hypocrisy
- traveling salesman
- evangelist
- revivalism
- revival meeting
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1961
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actress · 1961
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 1961
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award — Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score · 1961 · nominated
Show all 9 awards →
- Academy Award — Best Picture · 1961 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actress · 1961 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1961 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 1961 · nominated
Cast & crew
Burt Lancaster
as Elmer Gantry
Jean Simmons
as Sister Sharon Falconer
Arthur Kennedy
as Jim Lefferts
Dean Jagger
as William L. Morgan
Shirley Jones
as Lulu Bains
Patti Page
as Sister Rachel
Edward Andrews
as George F. Babbitt
John McIntire
as Rev. John Pengilly
Hugh Marlowe
as Rev. Philip Garrison
Joe Maross
as Pete
Directed by Richard Brooks