Crimefighters

bkoganbing

The North Avenue Irregulars has Reverend Edward Herrmann, a widowr with two kids coming to town to accept the new post as pastor of the North Avenue Presbyterian Church. Trying to make a big splash he commits a grievous blunder
and puts Patsy Kelly in charge of the church's bank account and she gives it to her
degenerate gambler husband Douglas Fowley.

Fowley puts it on a horse that doesn't make it and guess what bookie Alan Hale,Jr. doesn't give it back. Bookies are like that.

But that inspires Herrmann to go on a crusade against the bookies. And who
does he use for help, his church ladies. All this upsets the straightlaced church
secretary Susan Clark.

Dean Jones must not have been available because the reverend was certainly
a part Disney Studios would have earmaked for him. Herrman does fine though.

How does it work? The women are earnest but they are also wives and mothers an d not exactly schooled in their mission. That provides laughs for the audience and heartburn for T-Man Michael Constantine.

Funniest in the film are oldtimers Kelly and Fowley. But there are lots of laughs all around in this fine Disney feature.

score 6/10

bkoganbing 22 September 2019

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5135412/