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Marjoe

  • 1972
  • PG
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
DocumentaryBiography

This Oscar-winning documentary explores the life of one-time child evangelist and faith healer Marjoe Gortner. The son of professional evangelists, Gortner was preaching on the Southern tent... Read allThis Oscar-winning documentary explores the life of one-time child evangelist and faith healer Marjoe Gortner. The son of professional evangelists, Gortner was preaching on the Southern tent-revival circuit by the age of 3.This Oscar-winning documentary explores the life of one-time child evangelist and faith healer Marjoe Gortner. The son of professional evangelists, Gortner was preaching on the Southern tent-revival circuit by the age of 3.

  • Directors
    • Sarah Kernochan
    • Howard Smith
  • Stars
    • Agnes Benjamin
    • Marjoe Gortner
    • Vernon Gortner
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    1.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Sarah Kernochan
      • Howard Smith
    • Stars
      • Agnes Benjamin
      • Marjoe Gortner
      • Vernon Gortner
    • 31User reviews
    • 35Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination total

    Photos18

    A Time for Burning (1967)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe (1972)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Agnes Benjamin
    • Self
    Marjoe Gortner
    Marjoe Gortner
    • Marjoe
    Vernon Gortner
    • Self
    Sarah Kernochan
    Sarah Kernochan
    • Self
    • Directors
      • Sarah Kernochan
      • Howard Smith
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Marjoe's father, who appeared in one scene, was unaware of the true nature of the documentary.
    • Quotes

      Marjoe: Can God deliver a religion addict?

    • Connections
      Featured in Aquarius: Alice/The London Film Festival/Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat/Covent Garden (1972)
    • Soundtracks
      When the Saints Go Marching In
      Traditional

    User reviews31

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    A benchmark in American documentary
    This is of the finest documentaries I've seen, and I've seen quite a few at festivals in recent years. Not only is Marjoe Gortner as intriguing as any of the great charismatics and eccentrics of documentary cinema, but the documentary technique is top notch. The cinematography in the church scenes is dynamic yet sharp and focused, and the editing keeps the momentum with a steady stream of insights and revelations, culminating in the more honest and confessional final act. It's a relatively long movie, and the goings-on inside the church take up a large proportion of the runtime, but they're shot so expertly, with brave intimacy and varying points of interest, that they never become unbearable. The music, while painfully dated, is totally authentic.

    The strange interplay and connectivity between the mainstream youth counter-culture, exemplified by the film crew and Marjoe in his interviews, and the Pentecostal subculture provides most of the thematic interest. There's nothing novel about relating fervent religiosity to the kinds of drug use prevalent in the 70s, but Marjoe's embodiment of this cultural duality, and the ease with which he transitions from ecstatic evangelical to a paragon of counter-cultural values, suggests that these two polar inclinations in American culture are not as disparate as imagined. Marjoe would rather have been a money grabbing rock star like Alice Cooper, and might have been given a different upbringing, but this is as close as he can get. That he's manipulating the spiritual passions of his audience is a fact subordinate to the satisfaction of performing and connecting emotionally. And even as he spouts religious rhetoric that means nothing to him, and takes the money of those expecting miracles and salvation, is he not giving the people exactly what they want, performing the spontaneous and charismatic rites of Pentecostal Christianity in a manner that is skillful and respectful of the traditions and expectations of that faith?

    I don't think I can find a single glaring flaw in the film, even as it approaches ethically questionable territory on account of its complicity in Marjoe's act and the necessity to mislead those who are being filmed or interviewed. Certainly, more interactivity with the Pentacostal churchgoers would have been welcome. One questions whether Marjoe is being completely honest in his interviews, but for someone for whom performance and chicanery are inseparable aspects of life, do the filmmakers really need to press the question? Even without a narrating voice, the point comes across with the utmost clarity.
    helpful•39
    3
    • YesYesNo
    • May 24, 2007

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    FAQ14

    • How long is Marjoe?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 11, 1973 (Sweden)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Марджо
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles, California, USA(main location)
    • Production companies
      • Cinema X
      • Mauser Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono

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