The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Charles Ruggles is Chuckawalla Bill Redfield, whose gold discovery gave birth to the thriving town of Panamint.

Now mayor and self-proclaimed “daddy” of the town, he’s built a church for its inhabitants.

But they aren’t quite satisfied. They need a parson for that church.

So off to San Francisco heads Chuckawalla, with a plan to find a young preacher who can be “molded” to accept some of the town’s rascals, himself and Bob Deming, owner of the Pick and Drill Saloon included.

After a street brawl, he winds up in a jail with Philip Pharo (Phillip Terry), a young man who had rushed to his defense, fists flying.

He’s thrilled to find the young man is also a freshly ordained preacher. Philip is thrilled to get the opportunity, especially considering his current predicament.

As for the molding … well, it might work the other way around, because Rev. Philip Pharo is serious about his faith.

And when he church doesn’t fill up, he heads out to find those who need to hear the good word.

That’s how he winds up at the Pick and Drill, where he meets Deming’s lovely young singer, Mary Mallory.

And that’s how he winds up at the gold mine that spawned the town, where he becomes concerned about conditions in which the miners are working.

In the process, he ruffles a few feathers. Of town leaders. They’re concerned about the company the new reverend keeps.

Now owners of the mine, they might be more concerned about his plans to bring in an inspector to determine if miner safety is being ignored.

Phillip Terry as the Rev. Philip Pharo, awaiting Mary’s answer to a shocking question in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Charles Ruggles as Chuckawalla Bill Redfield, defending Rev. Pharo when he’s accused of murder in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Review:

An entertaining Western featuring especially fine performances from Terry and Ruggles, who’s telling the tale of Panamint — now a ghost town — to a young prospector.

The misfits Rev. Pharo takes into his parish home include Crabapple Jones (Clem Bevans), the town drunk who becomes his cook, and Joaquin Fuentes (Frank Puglia), a thief who becomes his bell ringer.

Then there’s Ellen Drew as Mary Mallory, who recuperates there after suffering a gunshot wound saving boss/lover Bob Deming’s life.

In spite of his kindness, she wants nothing to do with Rev. Pharo’s church. She does promise to sing there, if Deming visits the church first. The words turn out to be prophetic.

Oh, and the young prospector Ruggles tells the Panamint tale to is none other than Rod Cameron in an early uncredited role.

Ellen Draw as saloon singer Mary Mallory, recuperating at the reverend’s home in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Joseph Schildkraut as Bob Deming, owner of the Pick and Drill saloon in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Directed by:
William C. McGann

Cast:
Charles Ruggles … Chuckawalla Bill Redfield
Ellen Drew … Mary Mallory
Phillip Terry … Rev. Philip Pharo
Joseph Schildkraut … Bob Deming
Porter Hall … Jonathan Randall
Henry Kolker … Judge Arnold Mason
Janet Beecher … Mrs. Tweedy
Paul Hurst … Jake Waldren
Clem Bevans … Crabapple Jones
Douglas Fowley … Chappie Ellerton
Frank Puglia … Joaquin Fuentes
Minor Watson … Sheriff Nickerson
Harry Hayden … Timothy Hadley
Russell Hicks … Prosecuting Attorney
Rod Cameron … Porter, young prospector

Runtime: 86 min.

Porter Hall as Jonathan Randall and Henry Kolker as Judge Mason, town leaders concerned about the new parson in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Paul Hurst as Jake Waldren, the man who tries to kill Deming and accidentally shoots Mary in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Memorable lines:

Saloon owner Bob Deming: “I’ll tell you what you do. You go up to San Francisco and pick out a nice, mild young lad who we can mold. Someone who would understand the ways of an old scoundrel like you.”
Chuckawalla Bill Redfield: “And one who’d forgive you for being a no-good.”
Deming, laughing: “Exactly.”
Chuckawalla: “You reckon I could find such a preacher, Bob?”
Deming: “You found gold, didn’t you?”

Rev. Philip Paro: “What’s given you such a bad opinion of people, Miss Mallory.”
Mary Mallory: “Oh, people, mostly.”

Chuckawalla Bill Redfield: “I know you’ve filled your house with the dangest assortment of human beings I ever saw. A dance hall girl, a thief and a drunk.”
Rev. Philip Paro: “Mary’s a fine girl. Crabapple’s a good cook. And Joaquin’s a splendid musician.”

Chuckawalla Bill Redfield, defending Rev. Pharo: “The biggest discovery ever made in Panamint? It was called brotherly love.”

Frank Puglia as Joaquin Fuentes, the thief Rev. Pharo takes into his home in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Clem Beavans as Crabapple Jones, the drunk the parson tries to reform in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Douglas Fowley as Chappie Ellerton, the man who’d life to take Bob Deming’s place as Mary’s lover in The Parson of Panamint (1941)

Janet Beecher as Mrs. Tweedy, housekeeper at the parish home, listening to trial testimony in The Parson of Panamint (1941)