ABSTRACT
Elmer Gantry is a 1960s fi lm about a dedicated female evangelist, Sharon Falconer, played by Jean Simmons, and the title character, played by Burt Lancaster, who is a fast-talking travelling salesman. 1 Attending one of Falconer’s events, he is attracted to her and even more to the realisation that money can be made from what he sees as little more than a racket. A riveting performer, Gantry buries his shady past to become the star of the show, wowing audiences throughout America, until exposure, disaster and – perhaps – some kind of moral reawakening takes place. Whatever his genuine beliefs, the fame and success that he enjoys in his role of travelling preacher man takes precedence over his purported message and the good of whatever followers his proselytising manages to attract. Never has charisma been so seductive – or so tawdry.
