everything you have heard about this movie is true.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Naive pastor Reverend Michael Hill takes the helm of the North Avenue Presbyterian church in the town of New Camden. He is outraged when a drunk idiot parish volunteer bets the church's $1200 sinking fund on a horse which loses.Instead of placing blame where it belongs - on the volunteer and on himself for entrusting the money to the imbecile's wife, Hill chooses to take it personally and wage a moral crusade against organized gambling in the town.There really isn't a way to excuse the directing of bored, compliant people to crusade against perceived vice any more than there is a way to excuse organized crime gaming rackets.Hill correctly points out that gambling drains wealth from communities. But multiple people also point out to him that different channels are available for him to fight vice rather than organizing a bunch of busybodies to follow people around putting themselves and innocent people in harm's way.Many a clergyman has used grandstanding against vice as an ego trip and a way to fill his collection plate. The one depicted here appears obsessed with a single moment in which he allowed himself to be victimized by an incompetent - the same kind of which he utilizes to follow around criminal bagmen. We are evidently meant to see him as a well-meaning true believer. But it really is ego bordering on narcissism.Church is separate from state and from law in modern countries mainly because of the excesses it has displayed in dabbling in each in the past with horrific results.A film like this is clearly intended for kids but not to educate them.

It's interesting to see that the majority of reviewers deliberately mentioned that this movie has stood the test of time. I think it is an art to create hilarity like this. You have to have an uncomplicated head, which is probably why it is not done today.The Disney Channel used to air their old great family films on a late night, maybe early a.m. venue called "Vault Disney." It's gone. I taped every one I found. Unfortunately, they went on VHS at that time, and they haven't transferred very well to DVD. However, more of these are showing up on DVD online all the time.There was one called something like, "The One and Only Family Band." I think there were more words, but John Davidson and Leslie Warren were in it with Walter Brennan and others. "The Happiest Millionaire" was in the lineup, with an older Greer Garson and Fred MacMurray. It's a musical family piece, which is very funny. These were well done also."North Avenue" is hilarious, fresh and great fun. Lots of good clean energy.

For whatever reason, this was one of my favorite movies as a kid. It's the story of a reverend (the same guy who is in Gilmore Girls and who plays President Roosevelt in Annie) who comes to a new town. He and a bunch of church ladies are enlisted by the FBI to help crack down on illegal gambling in their town. The subject matter of the film is probably over the heads of some kids, but they'll love the car chases and general mayhem that abounds.

It's your typical Disney movie. A little slow at first but as the plot picks up so does the comedy - especially at the end. If you're in the mood for a good laugh, I recommend watching "The North Avenue Irregulars".