Glory! Glory!

We enjoyed the cheesy acting! We recorded this movie years ago, and watched the VHS tape so much, we have worn it out. We've invited friends and relatives to watch it with us. I can't speak for them, whether they enjoyed it or now. My wife loved all the songs, she can sing them verbatim. We've been looking for this movie to own on DVD for years since our VHS tape is fading out.

I can not really explain the effect this movie had on us, other than we love Vincent. I have a Vincent at my shop, and I think of this movie every time I call for him. I wish he could see this movie.

Televangelists are fair game, but the subject is seldom handled with as much wit or salty glee as it is here. Bobby Joe can't quite seem to get the hang of it, he doesn't have his Daddy's gift. But when he sees Ruth (Ellen Greene) singing in a bar - and moving the audience - he gets an idea: use her to sell Jesus! Ruth has her own ideas, including the ever-popular sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. What she doesn't expect is a genuine conversion...Or that her affairs will suddenly become public.

The cast is terrific, especially James Whitmore (who steals every scene he's in) with the exception of Ruth's lover, the newsman. It's a conventional role, but the actor doesn't bring much to it. In the minor role of Whitmore's henchman, Vincent, Mr. Buza is so good he deserves his own movie...

This is not for the soberly fundamentalist, but all the rest of you will have a good time.

Unfortunately this made for t.v. movie is not easy to come by and has not seen a lot of air time, but should you be lucky enough to watch it, you will enjoy the music, the story and the acting. It's listed as a comedy, though I have to say it seemed more like an off beat drama. Overall an excellent show to watch.

Fair look at the inside of televangelists and their henchmen. It was presented tongue in cheek, but I believe that behind the scenes many of these so-called Godly men harbor a longing for more and more money....all in the name of The Lord, of course. The language in this film is very salty at times making me feel uncomfortable because the subject matter didn't mix well with such vulgarity. I can see a good bit of realism here by watching the lengths that many churches will go to in order to "up the attendance"....all in the name of The Savior, naturally.

This was regarded as British director's Lindsay Anderson first foray into television. Its a light satire on televangelism with Richard Thomas an anaemic evangelist taking over his father's ministry. His sermons go down poorly, funds begin to dry up and and he comes across a rebellious rock performer (Ellen Greene) who becomes Sister Ruth, makes her songs more religious and creates a storm rejuvenating the ministry but sex, drugs and rock n roll are never far behind.

This was an entertaining television two parter but you kind of think that L'Infant terrible of the British new wave cinema was holding back some of his punches.

It does have a Television movie sheen about it but Ellen Greene oozed sex appeal and Richard Thomas was in his element for this entertaining dig at some of the celebrity preachers of the time.