Elmer Gantry (1960 Richard Brooks & scr)

We seem to be in a mini-Richard Brooks season. He won the Oscar for his adaptation of Sinclair Lewis's 1927 novel, detailing the involvement of a smooth-talking, persuasive salesman (Burt Lancaster) with a travelling evangelical roadshow - though he's clearly mainly interested in star speaker Jean Simmons (good). The Depression-era meetings and prayings certainly aren't our cup of tea, but the story becomes more interesting when Lancaster embarks on a morals crusade to win public opinion, but bumps into a prostitute (Shirley Jones), a woman who he ruined at a young age. Her revenge, and a fiery finish, provide the most interesting third act (or third part of the film, if you want to put it that way).

But you have to ask yourself, would the prostitute really take no money at all (she's been offered the gargantuan sum of $25,000), satisfied just with revenge on a man she clearly still loves? (Also love the touch of the other evangelist woman who also clearly loves him from the sideline throughout the picture - she's Patti Page.)

I have to say the evangelists are doing well to be able to afford to pay the blackmail of $25k and have enough money to build the tabernacle church that's long been the founder's dream.

Also interesting is the side story of a newspaperman who befriends Burt whilst writing a story about it all - and actually comes to respect him, a little bit. It's one of Arthur Kennedy's best performances.

Jones was known to us from The Partridge Family; but also for The Courtship of Eddie's Father - she's also in John Ford's Two Rode Together, another reason to watch that film. She won the Oscar, as did Burt. Dean Jagger's also in it, as is Ed(ward) Andrews - nice to see him in a substantial role from knowing him only as JJ Blodgett from Avanti. (Also noticed Max Showalter from How To Murder Your Wife in small role.)

Photographed by John Alton, music by André Previn, edited by Marjorie Fowler, art direction Edward Carrere. United Artists.

"The safest bank in America."

Brooks' other films of note: Crisis (1950), Blackboard Jungle (1955), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Sweet Bird of Youth (1962, Paul Newman, Genevieve Page), Lord Jim (1965), The Happy Ending (1969, Jean Simmons, John Forsythe, Shirly Jones, Teresa Wright), (Looking for) Mr. Goodbar (1977, Diane Keaton).