In which a young, ambitious preacher named Elmer Gantry is sent to serve a small rural church, where he sets about winning over the congregation with his earnest sermons and effusive charm, while also finding himself captivated by a local girl named Lulu. As he navigates his first pastoral duties with a mingling of zeal and youthful awkwardness, he seeks both to inspire his flock and to gently woo the innocent and devoted Lulu.