The Greatest Gift

This film aired on TBN recently and I found it to be lacking. It seems that much more could have been done with it. Glenn Ford plays the lead well, but really isn't given much to work with. The story revolves around his relationship with his son who he always encourages to do the right thing and doesn't get unhappy when he fails to do so. It seems there could have been more to the father/son conversations than there was. The film does not reveal much about his relationship with his wife or daughter. The villain of the film is somewhat underdeveloped. We see him commit vandalism in the general store and blow a sale for the merchant. That was about it. I wish we could have seen more of his evil. After one surprising event, the rest of the film seems to fall into place as it is quite predictable. Perhaps the characters and plots were better developed in the TV series that followed, The Family Holvak. I like family films, but this one left me wanting.

While channel surfing tonight - I ran across this film at 1:15 AM on Trinity Broadcasting Network - I had missed the first 15 minutes - but I recognized it immediately.

Let me go back 30 years.

I first saw this film for the first time on a Saturday afternoon about 30 years ago when I was 10 years old. I remember it vividly. It left such an impression on me. And the movie contains one of the most powerful and beautiful songs at the end. I can't begin to say how many times over the past thirty years I have thought about this movie and this song - never remembering the name. It wasn't listed on IMDb until a few years ago - and then I finally found out the name - because I knew that Glenn Ford played the lead. And then for the past several years, I have been trying to find out when it would be aired or released on DVD. I learned that Trinty Broadcasting Network owned the broadcast rights - and I have been trying to get through to someone with TBN for the past two years.

Well - back to the beginning - I ran across the commercial-free broadcast early this morning - and both the movie and the song were as good as I recall. I hope it is released on DVD one day. It is a hidden gem and I hope a new generation can see it.

Glenn Ford and Julie Harris star in this wonderful made for television film, The Greatest Gift is the story of a rural preacher in Depression era Georgia with Ford as the preacher and Harris as his wife. The children are Lance Kerwin and sickly Kari Ann Warder.

The church he pastors is a whole lot like the one that Gary Cooper joins in Sergeant York. Ford has some self righteous deacons to deal with headed by Dabbs Greer who think he ought to put more fire and brimstone in his sermons. For also feels that church attendance and real belief in the religion should not be dictated from fear

The biggest challenge Ford has is facing up to is that of a local deputy sheriff Harris Yulin. Yulin is a bully and a braggart who ain't above a little corruption. He's taken a dislike to a new storeowner who truth be told isn't the greatest specimen of humanity either. He's played by Charles Tyner.

The film is narrated by Kerwin's character all grownup in the present which would be 1974. Young Kerwin idolizes his dad and their scenes doing father and son stuff are the highlight of the film. Both are perfectly cast in their roles and the climax shows how Kerwin has absorbed the life lessons from Ford.

The Family Holvak bears a superficial resemblance to the Waltons. But believe me the Waltons look like plutocrats next to the Holvaks.

Don't miss this wonderful family film if broadcast.

I was a teenager in the 70's and watched tons of television. If I make a list of some the programs that made an impression and have stuck with me until this day this one is definitely on the list. Of the great made for television programs from the 70's `The Greatest Gift" ranks right up there with the `Homecoming', and `The Gathering'.

I just happened onto this movie one Sat. afternoon while taking a break, and I absolutely could not get up to finish what I was doing until it was over. I hadn't ever seen the movie before , so it was a real treat. I told my husband about it that evening and after a few minutes he realized he had seen part of it years ago also. Only problem was neither of new the name, and it was not listed in the paper. I finally found out by getting on the computer.

Glen Ford's character was so powerful, tender, loving, caring, strong. His wife so typical of that of a preachers wife in that time, and the son, a country boy with so much insight and intelligence,maturity, and innocence all wrapped up in one.

I hope I get the chance to see this movie from beginning to end sometime. Some messages are so powerful it doesn't matter how old they are, they still can be applied to our lives today, next week, next year,etc..