Burt Lancaster gives a fierce, bellicose and frightening performance as a salesman turned preacher, brining religion to the people in this screen adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis novel.
Director Richard Brooks had good taste in source material (this, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "In Cold Blood," to name a few), but he never seemed to be able to make a whole-heartedly compelling film from whatever book or play he happened to be adapting. That's the case here. "Elmer Gantry" is certainly a good movie, but one watches it unable to keep from thinking that a better adaptation could have been done. It's hard to put a finger on exactly how or why this film fails to measure up, other than the vague impression that it's lacking a certain energy required to be truly memorable.
Lancaster singlehandedly tries his damnedest to supply the film with all the energy it needs, and he comes awfully close to succeeding. He tears through the film, filling the frame with his crazed features and flailing gestures, a case of overacting for once being exactly what's needed for the role. Jean Simmons is unmemorable; I always thought she was a classy but uninteresting actress. And Shirley Jones breaks type to play a floozy.
Solid, not great, film with a tremendous lead performance.
Grade: B+
Director Richard Brooks had good taste in source material (this, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "In Cold Blood," to name a few), but he never seemed to be able to make a whole-heartedly compelling film from whatever book or play he happened to be adapting. That's the case here. "Elmer Gantry" is certainly a good movie, but one watches it unable to keep from thinking that a better adaptation could have been done. It's hard to put a finger on exactly how or why this film fails to measure up, other than the vague impression that it's lacking a certain energy required to be truly memorable.
Lancaster singlehandedly tries his damnedest to supply the film with all the energy it needs, and he comes awfully close to succeeding. He tears through the film, filling the frame with his crazed features and flailing gestures, a case of overacting for once being exactly what's needed for the role. Jean Simmons is unmemorable; I always thought she was a classy but uninteresting actress. And Shirley Jones breaks type to play a floozy.
Solid, not great, film with a tremendous lead performance.
Grade: B+