Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

In order to elude authorities, western outlaw Marjoe Gortner (as Ernie Parsons) assumes the identity of a traveling preacher. Mr. Gortner takes up residence in parson-needy Castle Walk, Arizona; there, at a funeral, he and sexy teenager Pamela Sue Martin (as Sally Underwood) are mutually attracted. Soon, Gortner's shady past threatens his budding relationship with young Ms. Martin. Sidekick Slim Pickens (as Billy One-Eye) and mother Estelle Parsons (as Sadie Underwood) lend their support.Even in this slightly above average television production, Gortner has star quality to burn. Taken as a screen test, "The Gun and the Pulpit " miraculously elevates the former evangelist to convincing western hero. Pamela Sue Martin is excellent as Gortner's barely legal leading lady; her glances are more sensual than a strip tease. Director Daniel Petrie handles the assignment admirably. Gortner's star quality was evident since the riveting documentary "Marjoe" (1972), which revealed his evangelical movement to be a money-grubbing scam. In hindsight, it seems Marjoe Gortner was too hot for Hollywood to handle. ****** The Gun and the Pulpit (4/3/74) Daniel Petrie ~ Marjoe Gortner, Pamela Sue Martin, Slim Pickens, Estelle Parsons

Of the various Westerns included in the 2-Discer I rented in order to view THE JACKALS (1967), this made-for-TV outing seemed to me to be the least promising or, if you will, the most disposable. However, it seemed silly to me to consciously pass on it as long as it was in my hands and, funnily enough, it turned out to be the most satisfactory of the lot! The cast list was decent enough, actually – Slim Pickens, Geoffery Lewis, Jeff Corey and Estelle Parsons – so I had that to look forward to from the outset. However, it was the winsome performances of the youngsters – Marjoe Gortner and Pamela Sue Martin – which was the most pleasant surprise. The latter was familiar to me from THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972) and her signature role of Fallon Carrington Colby in the TV-series DYNASTY (1981-84) but the former I only had vague knowledge of i.e. that he appeared in the disaster epic EARTHQUAKE (1974) and the notorious Euro-Cult item, STARCRASH (1979; which, incidentally, I recently acquired as a DivX). Gortner’s amiable personality – playing a hounded gunfighter opportunistically taking on the identity of a dead parson in a one-horse town – managed to carry the film throughout its brisk 74-minute running time.Frankly, the above-mentioned character actors don’t have all that much to do in the film – apart from Slim Pickens who appears as Gortner’s cynical observer of a sidekick – but Geoffrey Lewis scores as another famed gunfighter out to take Gortner in a face-to-face shootout which sees both duellists missing each other (out of respect for one another)!

Former real life child evangelist Marjoe Gortner gives a solid and engaging performance as Ernie Parsons, a shrewd gunslinger who's forced to assume the identity of a dead minister in order to elude being captured by an angry posse. Parsons winds up in a dusty little hamlet where the cowed townspeople are under the cruel reign of evil powerful despot Mr. Ross (a wonderfully wicked David Huddleston). Director Daniel Petrie, working from a clever and witty script by William Bowers, keeps the offbeat narrative lively and engrossing throughout. Richard C. Glouner's handsome, agile photography, George Aliceson Tipton's rousing, flavorsome score and several exciting gunfights are all likewise up to par. The bang-up cast constitutes as another major plus: Estelle Parsons as a feisty widow, Pamela Sue Martin as Parson's sweet pretty young thing daughter, Slim Pickens as a rascally old coot, Geoffrey Lewis as a formidable rival gunfighter, Jon Lormer as the local undertaker, and Jeff Corey as the ornery posse leader are all uniformly excellent. A really fun and satisfying little made-for-TV sagebrush flick.

I've seen this movie about 4 times, under various circumstances, including a night in the hospital when I couldn't sleep. I have always liked Marjo Gortner in his limited career, and this movie was a lot of fun. It reminds me of the old TV westerns like "Maverick" in its humour and characterizations. I can't believe it's not had 5 votes yet.