History Literature / ElmerGantry

* {{Bowdlerize}}: Protestants declared Lewis' book as sacrilegious, and [[UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode the Hays office]] would stop at nothing to appease them. Adding a written prologue saying in a nutshell "These characters don't represent Christians as a whole" wasn't enough. The film turns Gantry into a bible salesman instead of a minister, and Sister Sharon is modified to be the "good Christian" to counter the corrupt nature of Gantry. In addition Lefferts becomes a news reporter instead of a minister, which leads to a very odd scene. (See TheArtifact above.)

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

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A novel written by Creator/SinclairLewis and 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 UsefulNotes/AcademyAward along with co-star [[Series/ThePartridgeFamily Shirley Jones]] (who played Lulu Bains) and Brooks' screenplay. Creator/JeanSimmons also starred as Sharon Falconer. There was also a 2007 opera adaptation by Robert Aldridge, with libretto by Herschel Garfein.

* {{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 loves drinking (though in the novel, he eventually manages to quit). He rails against sexual sins, while he [[YourCheatingHeart cheats on his wife]] with a married woman.

A novel written by Creator/SinclairLewis and 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 UsefulNotes/AcademyAward along with co-star [[Series/ThePartridgeFamily Shirley Jones]] (who played Lulu Bains) and Brooks' screenplay. Creator/JeanSimmons also starred as Sharon Falconer.

** In the book, two characters agree that the Sinclair Lewis novel ''Main Street'' is very boring.

* SinisterMinister: Although one who is slick and self-deluded.

A novel written by Creator/SinclairLewis and 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. Creator/JeanSimmons also starred as Sharon Falconer.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Elmer_Gantry_9598.JPG]]

[[quoteright:333:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Elmer_Gantry_9598.JPG]]

->''"I have here in my pocket - and thank heaven you can't see them - lewd, dirty, obscene, and I'm ashamed to say this: French postcards. They were sold to me in front of your own innocent high school by a man with a black beard... a foreigner."''

* {{Bowdlerize}}: Protestants declared Lewis' book as sacrilegious, and [[UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode the Hays office]] would stop at nothing to appease them. Adding a written prologue saying in a nutshell "These characters don't represent Christians as a whole" wasn't enough. The film turns Gantry into a corrupt bible salesman instead of a minister, and Sister Sharon is modified to be the "good Christian" to counter the corrupt nature of Gantry. In addition Lefferts becomes a news reporter instead of a minister, which leads to a very odd scene. (See TheArtifact above.)

* {{Bowdlerize}}: Protestants declared Lewis' book as sacrilegious, and [[UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode the Hays office]] would stop at nothing to appease them. Adding a written prologue saying in a nutshell "These characters don't represent Christians as a whole" wasn't enough. The film turns Gantry into a corrupt bible salesman instead of a minister, and Sister Sharon is modified to be the "good Christian" to counter the corrupt nature of the other evangelists.

* {{Bowdlerize}}: Protestants declared Lewis' book as sacrilegious, and UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode would stop at nothing to appease them. Adding a written prologue saying in a nutshell "These characters don't represent Christians as a whole" wasn't enough. The film turns Gantry into a corrupt bible salesman instead of a minister, and Sister Sharon is modified to be the "good Christian" to counter the corrupt nature of the other evangelists.

* {{Bowdlerize}}: Protestants declared Lewis' book as sacrilegious, and TheHaysCode would stop at nothing to appease them. Adding a written prologue saying in a nutshell "These characters don't represent Christians as a whole" wasn't enough. The film turns Gantry into a corrupt bible salesman instead of a minister, and Sister Sharon is modified to be the "good Christian" to counter the corrupt nature of the other evangelists.

A novel written by Creator/SinclairLewis and 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.

* {{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 loves drinking (though in the novel, he eventually manages the quit). He rails against sexual sins, while he cheats on his wife with a married woman.

A novel written by Creator/SinclairLewis and 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.

* 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. After a while, he always gets bored with his partner and seeks a new one, even though it always gets him into trouble.

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* NoCommunitiesWereHarnmed: Because Sinclair Lewis received so much flak from the residents of the actual city of Sauk Centre, Minnesota who didn't like their town's presentation in his earlier book ''Main Street'', Lewis sets the story in the fictional city of Zenith, Winnemac for this and all works he wrote after ''Main Street''.

A novel written by Creator/SinclairLewis and 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.

A novel written by Creator/SinclairLewis and 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.