Gantry burt lancaster drops into the revival tent for his first experience of the phenomenal sister sharon falconer jean simmons in elmer gantry, 1960, from the sinclair lewis novel. Elmer gantry, novel by sinclair lewis, a satiric indictment of fundamentalist. The story follows the titular character, a charismatic preacher with a secret love of. When hedonistic but charming con man elmer gantry burt lancaster meets the beautiful sister sharon falconer jean simmons, a roadside revivalist, he feigns piousness to join her act as a passionate preacher. The book reveals the sinfulness of man without an awareness of the goodness of god. Elmer gantry is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. This second trilogy of novels are all satires of various aspects of american life in business, medicine, and religion. Without a basic shift in intention and tone, a shift that would involve composer and bookwriter before it can involve the director, its hard to see how elmer gantry the musical can change. With burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, dean jagger.
Elmer gantry was banned in boston on publication, and no doubt various school and library boards are still trying to ban it. Sinclair lewis is lauded as a genius for accurately and bravely depicting the complexities of human nature and religious conviction in his novel about elmer gantry, but in reality, the exact same story has been told before, in the bible, in the story of samson. The character elmer gantry is righteous, strident, repetitive, hypocritical and a lot of other things none of which are complementary, and for me, that was the problem with the book. This satirical story about a biblethumping charlatan still annoys evangelical christians, because its still spoton. Elmer gantry is the third of what seems to me to be a second trilogy. Orchestra, the florentine opera company and a cast of distinguished singers. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Today universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer gantry scandalized readers when it was first published, causing sinclair lewis to be invited to a jail cell in new hampshire and to his own lynching in virginia. As a christian, i am embarrassed by the accuracy of how some of the characters in this book are depicted. The title role was played by burt lancaster, who won an academy award along with costar shirley jones.
The wouldbe censors were left fuming, but they did not stop. Published in 1926, elmer gantry is a classic fiction novel by sinclair lewis. Sinclair lewis universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer gantry scandalized readers when it was first published, causing sinclair lewis to be invited to a jail cell in new hampshire and. Elmer gantry, is initially attracted by booze and easy money though he eventually renounces tobacco and alcohol and chasing women.
Elmer gantry and his roommate, jim lefferts, have traveled from their college in kansas to cato, missouri, to see their girlfriends. They make enough money to build a temple, and sister sharon falls for elmer. But he found the sentiments in the tract useful in his sermon, and the thirty dimes he spent for lovely photographs of burlesque ladies. See rank elmer gantry 1960 146 min drama july 1960 usa 7. Sinclair lewiss elmer gantry new york, 1927 is a ferocious satire. For the better part of a century, the title of sinclair lewiss phenomenally successful and often reviled novel elmer gantry 1927 has been a byword for religious fraud and bunk evangelism. It might have been supposed that lewiss form of sociological realism, in which he wove innumerable details from contemporary life into his narrative, would date badly and that his.
Elmer gantry, the traveling evangelist who loved whiskey, women and wealth, was conceived by sinclair lewis in a bestselling 1927 novel. Set in the 1920s, the novel is a satire of american religious attitudes at the time. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Loc 167 im not sure that getting religion dissuaded the reverend dr. This study guide consists of approximately 22 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of elmer gantry. Another minor character who serves as one small brick in the vast anticlerical edifice that is elmer gantry is dr. Elmer gantry, novel by sinclair lewis, a satiric indictment of fundamentalist religion that caused an uproar upon its publication in 1927. After dinner, the drunken elmer picks a fight with a man who is heckling eddie fislinger, a fellow terwillinger college student, as he preaches to an outdoor crowd. Lancaster portrayed the title character, a charlatan evangelist who joins a ministry headed by.
The most recent version of the book is consumed in a different way. As an evangelist, i resent the depiction of the various characters in this book. Elmer gantry burt lancaster, a drunken, dishonest street preacher allegedly patterned on billy sunday, wrangles a job with the travelling tent ministry conducted by sister sharon falconer jean. Years later, groups like the catholic legion of decency and the new england watch and ward society still targeted smutty novels. Arrowsmith, elmer gantry, dodsworth library of america. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis, first edition abebooks. Oct 08, 2012 shirley jones oscar winning performance in elmer gantry. Elmer gantry is a despicable little book with a horrid little point that all christians are hypocrites. Adapted by director richard brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis and stars burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, shirley jones and patti page elmer gantry was nominated for five academy awards.
Over the past few weeks, ive enjoyed sinclair lewis novel elmer gantry as an audio book, beautifully read by anthony heald and it took me a while to figure out why. Click download or read online button to get elmer gantry book now. Elmer gantry is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the. Elmer gantry, is initially attracted by booze and easy money though he eventually. Elmer gantry in filming sinclair lewis contentious 1927 study of a scandalous evangelist, elmer gantry, richard brooks has framed a big story and bold religioso subject for the oldfashioned. Elmer gantry has been called the greatest, most vital, and most penetrating study of hypocrisy that has been written since the works of voltaire goodreads 3. Consuming this version of the book meant distinguishing yourself from your neighbors for 25 cents. The three novels are babbitt, arrowsmith, and elmer gantry. Elmer gantry did start to drag a bit in the middle, because there wasnt much forward momentum to the plot, just elmer fucking around, trying a bunch of different things and not doing well at anything, and i kept thinking, how much more religious hypocrisy can even exist. Both the show and their relationship are threatened, however, when one of gantrys exlovers decides that she has a.
The flat and one dimensional characters that inhibit sinclair lewis novels and especially the constant hammering of his message. He is immediately taken with sister sharon falconer, a lay preacher whose hellfireanddamnation revivalism has attracted quite a following. Elmer gantry is a fasttalking, harddrinking traveling salesman who always has a risque story and a hip flask to entertain cronies and customers alike. The title character starts out as a greedy, shallow, philandering baptist minister, turns to evangelism, and eventually becomes the leader of a large methodist congregation. Learn about the book and the historical context in which it was written. Jim had a resolute tenor, and as to elmer gantry, even more than his bulk, his thick black hair, his venturesome black eyes, you remembered that arousing barytone. Pawley later of big town fame as elmer gantry and vera allen as sister sharon falconer. Feb 22, 2008 elmer gantry, the traveling evangelist who loved whiskey, women and wealth, was conceived by sinclair lewis in a bestselling 1927 novel and continues to resonate with modern audiences. Salesman elmer gantry, salesman teams up with evangelist sister sharon falconer to sell religion to 1920s america. A novel written by sinclair lewis and published in 1927, elmer gantry was brought to the screen by director and writer richard brooks in 1960.
Published in 1926, this is the story of a professional good man, a preacher and pastor in those first decades of the 20th century before the great depression. In 1930, following elmer gantry 1927 and dodsworth 1929, sinclair lewis became the first american author to be awarded the nobel prize for distinction in world literature. Universally recognized as a landmark in american literature, elmer gantry scandalized readers when it was first published, causing sinclair lewis to be. His portrait of a goldentongued evangelist who rises to power within his churcha saver of souls who lives a life of hypocrisy, sensuality, and. Both the show and their relationship are threatened. Gantry burt lancaster drops into the revival tent for his first experience of the phenomenal sister sharon falconer jean simmons in elmer gantry, 1960, from the sinclair lewis novel view the tcmdb entry for elmer gantry 1960. Sep 22, 2014 within six weeks, elmer gantry had sold more than 175,000 copies. In 1960, a film version of elmer gantry was made, with burt lancaster, in the title role, winning an oscar for best actor.
Released august 21st, 1997, elmer gantry stars burt lancaster, jean simmons, dean jagger, shirley jones the movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 25. Plot edit elmer gantry burt lancaster is a harddrinking, fasttalking traveling salesman with a charismatic personality who infuses biblical passages and fervor into his pitches as a way to ease and collect money. So much a product of its own historic moment, it turns out to be a book for our time as well, and probably for all times. He is a welleducated englishman in his early thirties with a. Our weekly feature then and now harnesses the expertise of american religious historians who care about the cities of god and the cities of humans. At each of the three climaxes in the book, lewis retreates into melodrama. Jean simmons also starred as sharon falconer elmer gantry was once a college. Personally i liked all three of these, but the first, babbitt the most. This was the apogee of his literary career, and in the period from ann vickers 1933 to the posthumously published world so wide 1951 lewis wrote ten novels that. Welcome,you are looking at books for reading, the elmer gantry, you will able to read or download in pdf or epub books and notice some of author may have lock the live reading for some of country. Therefore it need a free signup process to obtain the book.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of elmer gantry by sinclair lewis. In the decade that followed, lewis published four other acclaimed novels of social criticismbabbitt 1922, arrowsmith 1925, elmer gantry 1927, and dodsworth 1929. Elmer gantry by sinclair lewis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. When a salvation army worker enters, gantry shocks and moves the crowd with an impromptu, impassioned sermon equating god with love.
A fasttalking traveling salesman with a charming, loquacious manner convinces a sincere evangelist that he can be an effective preacher for her cause. Studies suggest that people load their new ereaders with cheap classics, consuming them in. Elmer gantry is a loosely episodic chronicle, he continues, which suggests at once that there will be no sustained pressure of plot, no primary conflict about which all the action is organized and in which value will achieve a complex definition. Adapted by director richard brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis and stars burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, shirley jones and patti page. Birkhead, defended the novel as a warning against selfrighteousness. When hedonistic but charming con man elmer gantry meets the beautiful sister sharon falconer, a roadside revivalist, he feigns piousness to join her act as a passionate preacher.
Elmer gantry is the portrait of a silvertongued evangelist who rises to power within his church, yet lives a life of hypocrisy, sensuality, and ruthless selfindulgence. Elmer assumed he was the center of the universe and that the rest of the system was valuable only as it afforded him help and pleasure. Elmer gantry is a 1960 american drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to smalltown america. Elmer and jim lefferts retired to a table to nourish the long, rich, chocolate strains suitable to drunken melody. If it available for your country it will shown as book reader and user fully subscribe will benefit by having full. He is tested by temptation and almost capitulates, but is then wrongly accused by the jilted temptress. The two make a successful onstage pair, and their chemistry extends to romance. He is drawn to the roadshow of sister sharon falconer jean simmons and is immediately attracted to the saintly revivalist. Discussion of themes and motifs in sinclair lewis elmer gantry. Elmer gantry, the traveling evangelist who loved whiskey, women and wealth, was conceived by sinclair lewis in a bestselling 1927 novel and continues to resonate with modern audiences. Elmer gantry is a good example of how books and book markets change. Elmer gantry, american film drama, released in 1960, that was an adaptation of sinclair lewiss novel of the same name and featured academy awardwinning performances by burt lancaster and shirley jones.
A broadway play by patrick kearney opened on 7 august 1928 at the playhouse theatre, where it ran for 48 performances. Elmer gantry 1997 stream and watch online moviefone. The title role was played by burt lancaster, who won an academy award along with costar shirley jones who played lulu bains and brooks screenplay. In 1930 he became the first american to win the nobel prize for literature. The title character of elmer gantry starts out as a greedy, shallow, philandering baptist minister, turns to evangelism, and eventually becomes the leader of a. Sinclair lewis elmer gantry, which shocked, amused, confounded, but rarely bored readers back in 1927, has been lifted from the pages of the justifiably controversial novel and. Elmer gantry never knew who set him thirty dimes, wrapped in a tract about holiness, nor why. Howard bancock binch, a renowned defender of the literal truth of the bible. Elmer gantry is a novel that presents aspects of the religious activity of america in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. After collecting money from the patrons, gantry takes a drunken barfly back to his hotel room.