Marjoe

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Marjoe
Original title Marjoe
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1972
length 88 minutes
Rod
Director Howard Smith ,
Sarah Kernochan
production Howard Smith,
Sarah Kernochan
camera David Myers
cut Lawrence Silk

Marjoe is an American documentary film of director Howard Smith from 1972, which in 1973 the Oscar for best documentary was awarded. The film documents the profitable business of the revival preacher Marjoe Gortner .

content

Marjoe deals with the career of the Christian child preacher Hugh Marjoe Ross Gortner , who was particularly successful in the southern United States. His parents made a fortune by preaching. His parents taught him body language tricks at an early age, which he used to support his sermons. As an adult, Gortner questioned that career and the faith business and decided to go on a farewell tour. On stage, he preached, sang and danced while speaking plain text to the documentary crew backstage. He revealed his tactics as he manipulated the often ecstatic audience. Certain techniques also included him babbling nonsensical stuff, allegedly under the influence of higher powers (see speaking in tongues ). Marjoe is shown blessing believers and he talks about how God spoke to him as a four-year-old and that he saw a woman cured of cancer.

publication

When it was released, the film received a lot of attention. In the southern states, however, it was not shown because of fear of violence in the so-called Bible Belt .

Rediscovery of the negatives

The film was released on VHS , but was forgotten. In 2002, his negatives were rediscovered in New York City . After the rights were secured, the film was restored and shown by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences .

On November 15, 2005, the film was shown in New York City at the IFC Center . The motto of the documentaries shown was: "Stranger Than Fiction".

Award

See also

  • Kumaré , 2011 documentary about a false guru.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b NY Times: Marjoe . In: NY Times . Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  2. 'People in the Bible Belt never got to see this movie. The lender was afraid of rioting and did not show it south of Des Moines. '
  3. Article about Marjoe
  4. ^ Documentaries . Sarah Kernochan. Retrieved October 10, 2011.