SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Mandeep Tyson The acting in this movie is really good.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Richard Dominguez Entertaining Movie With A Great Cast ... Marjor Gortner Is Terrific As A Gun Fighter Running From The Law (For A Crime He Did Not Commit) And Disguised As A Preacher Finds (Against His Better Judgement) Himself Doing God's Work ... This Story Line Has Also Seen Many Versions (Bogart In "The Left Hand Of God" ... Steve Martin In "Leap Of Faith") Where A Sinner Of No Faith And Believing Themselves Not Worth Are Reminded That We Are All Worthy ... Slim (The One And Only) Pickens Is Excellent As The Sidekick ... The Ranch Baron Bent On Taking Over The Town (David Huddleston) Is Very Well Cast In The Role Of Bad Guy ... Additional Roles Include Geoffrey Lewis, Estelle Parsons, Pamela Sue Martin, Karl Swenson ... A Great Little (1 Hour 14 Minutes) Western That Is Loaded With Action, Adventure And Fun For The Whole Family ...

Michael Ledo Ernie Parsons (Marjoe Gortner) is a gun fighter who escapes the hangman's noose. He is able to impersonate a preacher in a small Arizona town with no blue laws. The town really needs a gun slinger to protect themselves from the evil Mr. Ross (David Huddleston) and his gang. Ernie is aided by Slim Pickens in an eye-patch while he has his eye on Bambi Award Winner Pamela Sue Martin.This is a 1974 made for TV film with a fun simplistic plot without any twists. Marjoe Gortner has some pre-Hasselhof hair. Film has some humor. From IMDb:Head of Posse: Ernie Parsons, having been found guilty by a jury of your peers... Ernie Parsons: I didn't see any jury. Head of Posse: Well, they was around. Anyway, what difference does it make. You gunned down Windy Jones and he was one of our most beloved and respected citizens. Ernie Parsons: I heard he was the town drunk. Head of Posse: Well, now that he's dead, he's one of our town's most beloved and respected citizens.Available on a 70's 50 DVD multi-pack

MartinHafer Marjoe Gortner is a guy pretty much forgotten today. Back when he was a young boy, his parents toured the country with him...billing him as the world's youngest preacher! He was preaching sermons and marrying folks when he was 4! Years later, he wrote a book in which he admitted that the healings and other charismatic things he did in God's name was all a lot of hogwash--blowing the lid off this industry. Soon after this, Marjoe starred in a documentary about all this ("Marjoe"). And, because of the film's success, he soon went Hollywood and appeared in a variety of TV shows and movies. But this new life was rather short-lived and he has since faded into obscurity. "The Gun and the Pulpit" is one of those projects he worked on for Hollywood during this period.When the film begins, Ernest Parson (Gortner) is about to be hung. Whether or not he deserved this, you never know...but he is able to escape and the posse is in hot pursuit. Later, he finds a dead preacher out in the wilderness. He assumes the man's identity and heads to the super-crappy town in Arizona which called this preacher to preach. Since the folks don't know him, he figures, he can at least hide out there a while. But two problems arise--a nasty guy, Ross (David Huddleston) is running roughshod over the town and Ernie does NOT like this at all and one of the locals recognizes him! What's next....especially after the preacher shoots one of Ross' gunman dead right in the middle of a church service!? What follows is much like films like "High Noon" where you have a do-gooder who stands up for what's right...and a craven town which has to be shamed into even considering standing up for themselves.This is a decent film with a very convoluted Biblical message to say the least! It is entertaining and different--which is nice as most westerns have a certain sameness about them. There are a few clichés (such as the shootout in the town square) but otherwise worth seeing.

surlygreaser i saw this funny western only once when it came on TV when i was a mear eleven years old,but i was in love with the vivacious pamela sue martin who i'd seen in 'the posideon adventure' two years before and of course because of her i loved it then very much. as for now i'd say it was kinda corny in an 'alias smith and jones' kind of way,but harmless and fun just the same and of course who can deny a film with marjoe gortner its due. i wish it was on video so i could leer at the gorgeous ms. martin once again,but it is rare to find a 70's TV movie on video,let alone DVD. but for old time sake,i give it five stars. i hope this nostalgic rant helps somebody.