Touring hot gospeller

Press, 19 July 1976, Page 15

Touring hot gospeller

In “Marioe” on TV2 next Friday night, the Mick Jagger of the Pentacostal circuit, Marioe Cortner, takes a film crew on an eye-open-ing tour of the circuit he knows so well and, at the time of filming (1972), intended to quit. A natural star, he began his sensational career as a Pentacostal preacher at the age of four and the film skilfully leaves the viewer in two minds —is he merely a con-man, or a talented individual fighting off the damaging influence of his childhood 9 Through a series of wildly exuberant gospel meetings and some frank face-to-face interviews his character, motives and activities are explored. He is seen offering salvation to frenzied audiences, counting the generous offerings on a motel bed, telling the film crew what a fraud the whole business is and talking about his childhood and adolescence.

Scenes at the beginning of the film and a sequence where Marjoe prepares the crew for the tour act are a good background to what is to follow.