Glory! Glory! **** (1989, Ellen Greene, Richard Thomas, James Whitmore, Barry Morse) – Classic Movie Review 9806

Director Lindsay Anderson’s compelling, winning 1989 two-part TV movie comedy drama Glory! Glory! runs a riveting 206 minutes without a let-up and is outstanding.

It is a witty, funny, razor-edged satirical spoof of American TV evangelism, directed with great gusto by British director Anderson (in his first and only American TV foray) and written with unstoppable brio by Stan Daniels.

Ellen Greene stars as Ruth, a magnetic rock singer who comes to the rescue of a cash-register ministry when honest but dull young Reverend Bobby Joe (Richard Thomas) empties the churches his magnetic radio preacher father Reverend Dan Stuckey (Barry Morse) used to fill before he became a media superstar.

Anderson brings out the best in all his actors, and there is a superb, scene-stealing turn from James Whitmore as the church’s canny huckster eminence grise Lester Babbitt.

The high-energy performances, jokes, pop songs, stylish photography and clever insights all come together as first-rate, quality entertainment.

Also in the cast are Winston Reckert, George Buza, Richard Blackburn, David Clement, Christina Collins, Barbara Hamilton, Ted Hanlan, Frances Hyland, Michael Kirby, Kim Lombard, Micki Moore, Myron Natwick, Jamie Near, Gladys O’Connor, Jackie Richardson, Chick Roberts, Ted Simonett, Barry Stevens, Michael Tait, Warren Van Evera, Denton Young and Richard Alden.

Lindsay Gordon Anderson (17 April 1923 – 30 August 1994).

Lindsay Anderson directed one more film, Is That All There Is?, before he died unexpectedly of a heart attack, aged 71, on 30 August 1994 on holiday in France. Malcolm McDowell, star of  If…. (1968), O Lucky Man! (1973) and Britannia Hospital (1982), said: ‘I suppose he always fell in love with his leading men.’

Glory! Glory! is directed by Lindsay Anderson, runs 206 minutes, is made by Home Box Office (HBO), Atlantis Films, Orion Television and The Greif-Dore Company, is released by Home Box Office (HBO) (1989) (US), is written by Stan Daniels, based on a story by Stan Daniels, Bonny Dore, and Larry Hovey, is shot by Mike Fash, is produced by Stan Daniels and Seaton McLean, is scored by Christopher Dedrick and is designed by Andris Hausmanis.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9806

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