*By submitting your contribution, you agree to TCM's Terms of Use. TCM will use your personal information consistent with our Privacy Policy

• What Hollywood chose to become

  • Jeff Boston
  • 2/11/17

  "Elmer Gantry" and "Inherit the Wind" were both released a year before this, and I think this would not have been released but for the release of the first two. Oscar winner 12 years removed McCambridge actually overacts more than Lancaster and March did the year before. This film is very depressing, and it shows you the narrow path Hollywood has chosen to cavalcade down the last few generations. Reynolds plays a thug.

• angel baby

  • kevin sellers
  • 2/1/17

  Agree with Don Letta about the general low quality of this ersatz production (except, that is, for the cinematography by Haskell Wexler and Jack Marta...and when was the last time there were two cinematographers credited? Wonder why? Was Wexler being his usual prima donna, pain in the butt self? But I digress). Disagree with Don, though, that McCambridge's was the only bad performance. In my humble pretty much everyone was in various stages of scenery chewing with ol Mercedes having the largest pair of choppers. Pin the blame for this complete breakdown in the thesp dept. on director Paul Wendkos. Let's give it a C minus.

• Southern Discomfort

  • don letta
  • 9/7/16

  Elmer Gantry on the cheap. With the explosive Lancaster and the imploding McCambridge cancelling each other out. We're left with good performances by Hamilton, Jens, Blondell and Jones. Gantry had a good performance by the other Jones. So far, pretty even... but in the final analysis, they're both freak shows, depending on the enduring curiosity of the audience, and that curiosity soon turns to boredom. A relic from long ago.

• the mystery of faith

  • don letta
  • 9/5/16

  This is a strange and off-putting take on the former year's hit, Elmer Gantry. Made on the cheap, it is at once better and far worse than Gantry. Is seems less theatrical, and therefore more realistic than Gantry, but the strange sound track truly fights the progress of the tale... romantic dance music under semi-violent scenes throughout.Hamilton gives one his good early performances (see Light in the Piazza), while Salome Jens is interesting as the title character. She has a great voice, terrific figure, but her face seems set for off-beat, Indies. Mercedes McCambridge uses her barely controlled hysteria voice to full advantage here, and that is one of the faults I find with this film; less is more... please! The fire is a nod to Gantry... with little effect, and the happy ending is pat and predictable

• More Reviews