History Literature / ElmerGantry

* PragmaticAdaptation:
** The movie adapts less than 100 pages of the novel and makes several changes to the story. Lefferts, Elmer's cynical college roommate in the novel, is changed to a cynical reporter. In the book, Elmer is actually an ordained Baptist minister, while in the movie he's a traveling salesman on the edge of vagrancy who seizes on the opportunity to join Sister Sharon's entourage.
** The scene in the film where Elmer badgers Lefferts the reporter into admitting that he doesn't accept the divinity of Christ is taken from a scene in the novel where Elmer does the same with a rival minister. This explains to some degree the rather odd tone in the scene in the movie, where Lefferts' denial of Christ is inexplicably treated as a shocking moment. In the book, it ''is'' a shocking moment, as the person denying Christ is a minister.

* HollywoodAtheist: Averted in Lefferts. He's cynical and brusque, and seems to exist only to mock Gantry and his fellow believers...but once Gantry is disgraced, he's the one man to be fair and decent to him.

* JesusWasWayCool: Discussed. One of the supporting characters is Frank Shallard, a preacher who loses his faith entirely over the course of the novel. He has arguments with a fellow preacher Phil [=McGarry=], who doesn't believe in church doctrine either, but thinks that the point of the church is to interpret "the unique personality and teachings of Jesus Christ". Frank counters that he thinks Jesus wasn't so great: he's vain and praises himself, he throws tantrums when people don't recognize him as a great leader, his teachings are self-contradictory and one could never build a functioning society on them.

* RunningGag: When Elmer first has to give a sermon, he can't think of anything to say. He ends up building it around some platitudes about love which he actually stole from the famous agnostic and anti-religous writer Robert G. Ingersoll. The speech is such a success that Elmer keeps repeating the platitudes over the course of the novel.

* JesusWayWayCool: Discussed. One of the supporting characters is Frank Shallard, a preacher who loses his faith entirely over the course of the novel. He has arguments with a fellow preacher Phil [=McGarry=], who doesn't believe in church doctrine either, but thinks that the point of the church is to interpret "the unique personality and teachings of Jesus Christ". Frank counters that he thinks Jesus wasn't so great: he's vain and praises himself, he throws tantrums when people don't recognize him as a great leader, his teachings are self-contradictory and one could never build a functioning society on them.

* RunningGag: When Elmer first has to give a sermon, he can't think of anything to say. He ends up building it around some platitudes about love which he actually stole from the famous agnostic and anti-religous writer Robert G. Ingersoll. The speech such a success that Elmer keeps repeating the platitudes over the course of the novel.

* TheSociopath: In the novel, Elmer is [[LackOfEmpathy devoid of empathy]] and cares only about his immediate self-interest and appetites. His destructive actions create heartache for many of the people he comes into contact with.

** The scene in the film where Elmer badgers Lefferts the reporter into admitting that he doesn't accept the divinity of Christ is taken from a scene in the novel where Elmer does the same with a rival minister. This explains to some degree the rather odd tone in the scene in the movie, where Lefferts' denial of Christ is inexplicably treated as a shocking moment. In the book, it is a shocking moment, as the person denying Christ is a minister.

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* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: In the novel, Elmer speaks very warmly of his mother. Part of the reason he became a minister is that he wanted to make her proud. He admits to Sharon that she and his mother are the only women he's ever respected.

* RunningGag: When Elmer first has to give a sermon, he can't think of anything to say. He ends up building it around some platitudes about lovem which he actually stole from the famous agnostic and anti-religous writer Robert G. Ingersoll. The speech such a success that Elmer keeps repeating them over the course of the novel.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Elmer is a supreme example. He works as a minister and says that his aim is to "save souls", even though he doesn't really believe in Christianity. He's a DryCrusader, who actually loved drinking (though in the novel, he eventually manages the quit). He rails against sexual freedom, while he cheats on his wife with a married woman.

* TheCasanova: In book and film, Elmer really has an eye for the ladies. He's able to give up drinking and smoking, but not women.

* SnakeOilSalesman

* {{Hypocrite}}: Elmer is a supreme example. He works as a minister and says that his aim is to "save souls", even though he doesn't really believe in Christianity. He rails against sexual freedom, while he cheats on his wife with a married woman.

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: In the novel, Elmer speaks very warmly of his mother. He admits to Sharon that she and his mother are the only women he's ever respected.

* TheCasanova: In book and film, Elmer really has an eye for the ladies.

* {{Hypocrite}}

A 1926 novel by Sinclair Lewis (written in 1926, first published in 1927), ''Elmer Gantry'' was brought to the screen by Director and Writer Richard Brooks in 1960. The title role was played by Creator/BurtLancaster, who won an Oscar along with co-star Shirley Jones and Brooks' screenplay.

* ContentWarnings: ReadTheFinePrint at the bottom of the movie poster page pic, and you'll see that it says "'''FOR ADULTS ONLY.''' No Children Under 16 Admitted Unless Accompanied By An Adult".

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Sharon Falconer is loosely based on Aimee Semple [=McPherson=], while Elmer was patterned on Billie Sunday.

* ContentWarnings: ReadTheFinePrint at the bottom of the movie poster page pic, and you'll see that it says "For Adults Only".

* CuteAndPsycho: Sharon, in the novel. While her public persona is that of a charming preacher, she's deeply disturbed beneath the surface. In one scene from the novel, Elmer struggles to get Sharon ready to preach while she's in the throes os psychosis, talking like a small child and throwing a tantrum.

* ContentWarnings: Look at the FinePrint at the bottom of the movie poster page pic, and you'll see that it says "For Adults Only".

-->--'''Elmer Gantry'''.

* TheSociopath: In the novel, Elmer is devoid of empathy and cares only about his immediate self-interest and appetites. His destructive actions create heartache for many of the people he comes into contact with.