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.
