MovieChat Forums > Elmer Gantry (1960) Discussion > Great film, but I found the ending too o...

Great film, but I found the ending too over the top

posted 16 years ago by gloop05
3 replies | jump to latest

It would have been much better if it ended right after Elmer gave his speech to Sharon about wanting to live a normal life and take their children to ballgames. Sharon would then see the shooting star, think God put the two of them together to do revivals, and go back into the Tabernacle expecting Elmer to follow her only to find that he's left.

Instead we got the weird faith healing scene (which hadn't been done to such an extent in the rest of the film), then the over the top fire with Sharon throwing away all caution and burning to death. And a sing-a-long after the fire to make things worse.

[–] obx4u2c 16 years ago

Totally agree. They went for too much instead of letting the story play out.

[–] homer34 16 years ago

I agree. The whole ending was too contrived.

[–] gaelicguy 15 years ago

Clearly, something has changed within Sister Sharon's psyche. Both Gantry and the Arthur Kennedy character seemed troubled by the spectacle the revival has become because of Sharon's behavior. I think the ending is an excellent metaphor and a fine meditation on faith, extremism, arrogance and all of the attendant consequences.

I respectfully disagree, but I don't think the ending is at all over the top or contrived. It's a great coda to all that has happened previously.

A tree is best measured when it's down.