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IMDbPro

Marjoe

  • 19721972
  • PGPG
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
1.6K
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.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
    • Sarah Kernochan
    • Howard Smith
  • Stars
    • Agnes Benjamin
    • Marjoe Gortner
    • Vernon Gortner
    • Sarah Kernochan
    • Howard Smith
  • Stars
    • Agnes Benjamin
    • Marjoe Gortner
    • Vernon Gortner
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 29User reviews
    • 39Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar

    Photos19

    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 (1972)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)
    Marjoe Gortner in Marjoe (1972)

    Top cast

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

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    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 Frisbee: The Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      When the Saints Go Marching In
      Traditional

    User reviews29

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    "Would You Get Out Your Checkbooks Tonight"
    Former child evangelist Marjoe Gortner lays it on the line, presumably, in this riveting true story of his life as a traveling Pentecostal preacher in the early 1970s, long before cable TV and the "electronic church". Gortner, a tall, charming, and charismatic guy talks to a documentary film crew of counterculture hippies about his techniques and tricks of the trade. "If you're going to get into big time religion, this is the game you gotta play ... you work it as a business ... The (preachers) who are successful ... they're just businessmen; they're like Madison Avenue PR men".

    The camera follows Marjoe as he preaches in various settings, including an old fashioned big tent revival meeting. He shouts hallelujah a lot, prances back and forth in front of his prey, and spews out general gospel gibberish. And, of course, there's the inevitable request for ... "a love offering". At one meeting, he intones, earnestly: "Would you get out your checkbooks tonight; would some of you get out $5 or $10; bring what you would ... come on". After everyone has left, we see him sitting on his bed counting wads of cash.

    The film's technical elements are fine, although there's a tendency to dwell too long in some settings. We get the idea; truly, we do.

    To watch these swindlers is infuriating, in that their con is aimed at vulnerable people, those who are in varying conditions of physical and/or mental pain. Most of these victims are low-income, poorly educated folks who cannot afford to throw their money at flimflam artists. Accordingly, viewers must surely appreciate Marjoe's successful effort through this film to expose the motivations and manipulations of these "salesmen".

    Of course, a performance is a performance whether it's aimed at true believers in some revival tent, or at an audience watching a film documentary. In "Marjoe", Marjoe puts on a good show. But is his message credible? I think events of the last 35 years have shown that, for the most part, the answer is yes ... his message is credible.
    helpful•32
    2
    • Lechuguilla
    • Sep 16, 2007

    Details

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

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 28 minutes
      • Color
      • Mono

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