6 Best Snake Oil and Traveling Con Man Movies

By Vlad Zakh · May 1, 2026

The seductive patter and moral hollowness of the traveling con man, faith healer, and snake oil peddler has powered some of cinema’s sharpest satires and character studies. In Paper Moon (1973): A small-time con man and a sharp-tongued young girl swindle their way across Depression-era Kansas. Worth seeking out is Elmer Gantry (1960): A charismatic traveling salesman talks his way into becoming a revivalist preacher, hiding a checkered past.

Leap of Faith (1992)

TMDB ★ 6.1

A traveling faith healer's elaborate con is threatened when his staged miracles start coming true.

Directed by Richard Pearce · 1h 48m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Apostle (1997)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A disgraced, volatile preacher flees his past to start a new congregation in a small Louisiana town.

Directed by Robert Duvall · 2h 14m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Elmer Gantry (1960)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A charismatic traveling salesman talks his way into becoming a revivalist preacher, hiding a checkered past.

Directed by Richard Brooks · 2h 26m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Sky Store

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Paper Moon (1973)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A small-time con man and a sharp-tongued young girl swindle their way across Depression-era Kansas.

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich · 1h 42m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Marjoe (1972)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A former child evangelist candidly exposes the theatrical manipulation behind traveling revival preaching.

Directed by Sarah Kernochan & Howard Smith · 1h 28m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, DocuramaFilms Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Rainmaker (1956)

TMDB ★ 6.8

A charming con man promises a drought-stricken farming family he can bring rain, and much more.

Directed by Joseph Anthony · 2h 01m

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Snake Oil and Traveling Con Man Movies

Leap of Faith (1992)

The Apostle (1997)

Elmer Gantry (1960)

Paper Moon (1973)

Marjoe (1972)

The Rainmaker (1956)

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