In 1926 americas most famous evangelist is a woman. The mysterious disappearance of a celebrity preacher bbc. The bizarre disappearance and bizarre return of evangelist. Nov 01, 2019 directed by samantha buck, marie schlingmann. Revivalist aimee semple mcpherson did not let anything stand in her way. The evangelist, who established the foursquare gospel church which is still around today, had a passion for religion, a mind for business, and a definite flair for the dramatic, the likes of which. The controversial pentecostal minister and leader of the international church of the foursquare gospel, was not only one of the first women licensed by the fcc for radio broadcasts, but was the first to do sermons over the airwaves. A feature film about the life of aimee semple mcpherson, the. In 1926, the worlds most famous evangelist, sister aimee semple mcpherson, fakes her own death in order to run away to mexico with her married lover. Our movie was heralded at european film festival exhibitions of the rough cut. Aimee semple mcpherson is the focus of sister aimee, a new movie from married writing and directing team samantha buck and marie schlingmann. The life of aimee semple mcpherson, impacted me to the core and left me thinking for many weeks after i put it down. Others claimed that she was off carrying on an affair with a married man. Aug 21, 2019 now available on digital americas most famous evangelist is a woman looking for a way out.
Oct, 2018 in the 1920s, aimee semple mcpherson was a phenomenon a bold celebrity, every bit as big as greta garbo, harry houdini, and charles lindbergh. Apr 21, 2015 documentary on the life of sister aimee semple mcpherson. During a revival campaign in oakland, california, u. American experiences onehour documentary, sister aimee, is a portrait of the controversial, charismatic, wildly popular evangelist who was instrumental in bringing conservative protestantism into. Sister aimee tells the dramatic life story aimee semple mcpherson, the controversial, charismatic, wildly popular evangelist who was instrumental in bringing conservative protestantism into. Her disappearance, reappearance and subsequent court inquiries regarding the allegation that the kidnapping story was a hoax. Movie info richard rossis lowbudget, directtovideo feature sister aimee dramatizes the life of controversial american evangelist mcpherson here portrayed by mimi michaels. Elmer gantry is a 1960 american drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to smalltown america.
Aug 20, 2019 while the story of the 1926 disappearance of evangelist aimee semple mcpherson may not be known by many, theres more than enough in the life story of this cult figure to fill many movies. Fed up with her own success, she gets swept up in her lovers daydreams about mexico and finds herself. When she surfaced, she claimed that she had been kidnapped and held prisoner in mexico. In december 1907, she decided to attend a local tent revival on a whim, and fell in love with its. Feb 18, 2015 revivalist aimee semple mcpherson did not let anything stand in her way. The movie is a prequel to aimee semple mcpherson, because sister aimees evangelist husband robert semple came out of the azusa street movement. Once on the road, and equipped with new identities, they find themselves chased by the very persona aimee so desperately tried to kill. This amazing lady was a gifted missionary and healing evangelist, editor, author and founder of the international church of the foursquare gospel that today has over 25,000. On may 18, 1926, christian evangelist aimee semple mcpherson disappeared from venice beach. Reported kidnapping of aimee semple mcpherson wikipedia. Aimee semple mcpherson was a pentecostal evangelist in the 1920s30s and a noted pioneer in the use of media. Aimee semple mcpherson was one of the most glamorous women in the us in the 1920s but there is still one unexplained mystery in the evangelists life. While the story of the 1926 disappearance of evangelist aimee semple mcpherson may not be known by many, theres more than enough in.
They hire rey, a former mexican soldadera turned smuggler. October 9, 1890 september 27, 1944, also known as sister aimee or simply sister, was a canadianamerican pentecostal evangelist and. The aimee semple mcpherson story 2006, original working title aimee semple mcpherson, is a featurelength dramatic biographical film about evangelist sister aimee semple mcpherson. She stages her own disappearance in california and runs off with her new lover michael mosley to mexico for five weeks. With billy adams, ken bernstein, neil mcclaflin, aimee semple mcpherson. In december 1907, she decided to attend a local tent revival on a whim, and fell in love with its irishborn preacher, robert. Nov 25, 2014 aimee semple mcpherson was one of the most glamorous women in the us in the 1920s but there is still one unexplained mystery in the evangelists life. Prior to her 1926 reported kidnapping, aimee semple mcpherson was little known outside of southern california. She reemerges afterward claiming to have been kidnapped, which causes a media circus and. Aimee semple mcpherson was born aimee elizabeth kennedy on her familys farm near ingersoll, ontario, canada. The aimee semple mcpherson story i was more than willing to forego the usual expectations of what generally constitutes a good movie production values, acting in hopes of discovering an honest, intelligent, well told true life story of a fascinating 20th century icon. The pic written and directed by buck and schlingmann tells the mostly fictional story of the reallife early 20th century megastar evangelist sister aimee semple mcpherson played by anna. In this oscarconsidered movie, director rossi interviews 3 key witnesses to the life of the fabled female faith healer.
Aimees daughter roberta, the mcpherson family secretary, and aimees leading man. In between poignant, interesting commentary by roberta salter, and a few others who actually knew aimee semple mcpherson, are clips of a contemporary woman faithhealer, named gemma somebody, who is remarkably selfcentered, and hadnt even heard of mcpherson until recently. Mar 10, 2019 aimee semple mcpherson was a pentecostal evangelist in the 1920s30s and a noted pioneer in the use of media. Aimee semple mcpherson, evangelist, faithhealer, founder of the foursquare gospel church and builder of the angelus temple, was believed to have disappeared during a swim on may 18, 1926. Adapted by director richard brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis and stars burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, shirley jones and patti page. Now available on digital americas most famous evangelist is a woman looking for a way out. Rather than telling the decadeslong tale of mcpherson.
Sister aimee is a madeup tall tale about what happened to the actual sister aimee semple mcpherson a nationally famous 1920s evangelical preacher who rocketed to stardom thanks to her. May 30, 2018 aimee semple mcpherson aimee, in the original french. The aimee semple mcpherson story is a movie about the female faith healer who vanished mysteriously in 1927 near venice beach. Then she vanished mysteriously in 1927 at venice beach. In the 1920s, aimee semple mcpherson was a phenomenon a bold celebrity, every bit as big as greta garbo, harry houdini, and charles lindbergh. Fed up with her own success, and swept up in her lovers daydreams about mexico, she finds herself. The definitive doc on sister aimee goes where no other has gone before. Watch sister aimee american experience official site pbs. Fed up with her own success, she gets swept up in her lovers daydreams about mexico and finds herself on a wild road trip towards the border. She was raised a methodist, her father jamess faith. Adapted by director richard brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by sinclair lewis and stars burt lancaster, jean simmons, arthur kennedy, shirley jones and patti page elmer gantry was nominated for five academy awards. What sister aimee does have in spades is a truly marvelous cast.
For a striving woman like semple mcpherson, recontextualizing her journey into seemingly contemporary terms isnt too big of a jump. With mimi michaels, laura anderson, carl ballantine, teres byrne. Aimee semple mcpherson 18901944 was a flamboyant, controversial, immensely popular preacher who the international church of the foursquare gospela pentecostal denomination which still exists today with 1,600 churches and a quarter of a million members and adherents in the u. Samantha buck and marie schlingmanns new film sister aimee is, by their own admission, 94. Anna margaret hollyman plays aimee semple mcpherson, who in real life was a pentecostal celebrity, known for her huge. The mysterious disappearance of a celebrity preacher bbc news. October 9, 1890 september 27, 1944, also known as sister aimee or sister, was a canadianamerican pentecostal evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s, famous for founding the foursquare church. On may 18, 1926, christian evangelist aimee semple mcpherson disappeared from venice beach, california after going for a swim.
May 18, 2017 aimee semple mcpherson 18901944 was a flamboyant, controversial, immensely popular preacher who the international church of the foursquare gospela pentecostal denomination which still exists today with 1,600 churches and a quarter of a million members and adherents in the u. Our film is now finished and was voted the greatest guerrilla film of all time on top 100 list, set attendance records at the. In 1926, a female evangelist gets fed up with her fame and searches for a way out. Mcpherson pioneered the use of modern media in religious services, using radio to draw on the growing appeal of popular entertainment. Sep 26, 2019 sister aimee is a madeup tall tale about what happened to the actual sister aimee semple mcpherson a nationally famous 1920s evangelical preacher who rocketed to stardom thanks to her. Aimee semple mcpherson 18901944 smith wigglesworth. Mar 12, 2019 for a striving woman like semple mcpherson, recontextualizing her journey into seemingly contemporary terms isnt too big of a jump, and sister aimee pairs big ideas with quirky style.
Exhaustion, insomnia, nervous breakdowns, sexual scandals, lawsuits, and ultimately loneliness. Roberts liardon shares about the life and ministry of aimee. After she fled her described captors and emerged from the desert, she was a page one story cabled abroad by foreign correspondents. A feature film about the life of aimee semple mcpherson, the famed evangelist of the 1920s. With michael mosley, jordan elsass, amy hargreaves, macon blair. Anna margaret hollyman plays aimee semple mcpherson, the faith healer who reached a mass audience in the 1920s and 30s via radio broadcasts and vaudeville theatrics. Its fitting that this movie about the 1926 disappearance of the famous evangelist and faith healer aimee semple mcpherson pulls off. Aug 05, 2019 the pic written and directed by buck and schlingmann tells the mostly fictional story of the reallife early 20th century megastar evangelist sister aimee semple mcpherson played by anna. Here was a twentysomething mom who threw off the comforts of home, packed her two children, and set off to evangelize america at a time when women could not even vote.
Richard rossis lowbudget, directtovideo feature sister aimee dramatizes the life of controversial american evangelist mcpherson here portrayed by mimi michaels. In 1926, famous evangelist aimee semple mcpherson disappeared for six weeks. Sister aimee is a subtly queer ode to storytelling. Sep 26, 2019 anna margaret hollyman plays aimee semple mcpherson, the faith healer who reached a mass audience in the 1920s and 30s via radio broadcasts and vaudeville theatrics. Part of the preparation for the project involved rossi, griffith, and other crew members visiting the bonnie brae house where the legendary prayer meetings took place. Sister aimee 2019 in 1926 americas most famous evangelist is a woman. With faye dunaway, bette davis, james sloyan, james woods. She reappeared in mexico five weeks later, stating she had escaped from kidnappers holding her for ransom there. Macon blair harold mcpherson amy hargreaves sister semple julie white minnie kennedy eddy lee. The mysterious disappearance of aimee semple mcpherson.
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