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Comedy Cult Classic

A backwoods con man poses as a preacher to seduce, swindle, and stir up rural North Carolina.

PREACHERMAN

1971 · 1h 27m · R · Comedy / Drama · IMDB TMDB

Phony backwoods preacher Amos T. Huxley stays in a small North Carolina town long enough to fleece his congregation, swindle the profits from a moonshine still, and seduce dumb blonde Mary Lou. Mary Lou's ex-boyfriend becomes suspicious of the preacher and gets the local police to investigate his actions.

Quick Answer

What is Preacherman about?

Preacherman is a 1971 American comedy-drama directed by Albert T. Viola about a phony preacher who cons a small North Carolina town, seduces a local girl, and schemes to profit from moonshine.

Programmer's Pick

If you like your sermons with a shot of moonshine and a wink at the congregation, Preacherman delivers. Albert T. Viola’s con artist preacher stirs the rural pot, tangling with sheriffs, stills, and plenty of hayloft hijinks. It's religion, Southern-fried and thoroughly exploited.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

In the wilds of North Carolina, self-proclaimed preacher Amos Huxley gets run out of White Oak County after an ill-advised tryst with the sheriff’s daughter. Unwittingly returned by a good Samaritan farmer, Amos sees opportunity in his new surroundings, especially when he meets the farmer’s daughter Mary Lou, a woman with a reputation among the local boys. Posing as a man of the cloth, Amos sets about charming the townsfolk, all while dodging the law and sniffing out new ways to make a dishonest buck. With moonshine, double-crosses, and Southern eccentricities, the film offers a rowdy blend of hixploitation comedy and small-town drama.

Details & Specs

Director
Albert T. Viola
Writers
Albert T. Viola, Harvey Flaxman
Release
1971
Runtime
1h 27m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Genres
Comedy, Drama

Why This Matters

A low-budget regional comedy that became a box office hit in the American South, Preacherman's success led to a sequel and later distribution by cult label Troma Entertainment, marking it as a notable example of independent Southern filmmaking in the early 1970s.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Albert T. Viola Writers: Albert T. Viola +1 more

Why Cult

Phony Preacher Hijinks

Watch Amos Huxley charm, swindle, and seduce his way through rural North Carolina under the guise of a man of God.

Moonshine Swindles

Illegal stills and bootlegging profits play a key role as Huxley tries to outwit both the sheriff and his new flock.

Hixploitation Flair

The film leans into backwoods stereotypes, with visual cues like bare midriffs, haylofts, and plenty of rural mischief.

Southern Eccentrics

From a sheriff named Zero Bull to a nymphomaniac daughter and a parade of locals, the cast is a study in rural oddballs.

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

When was Preacherman released? +

Preacherman was released in 1971.

Who directed Preacherman? +

Preacherman was directed by Albert T. Viola.

How long is Preacherman? +

Preacherman has a runtime of 87 minutes.

What genre is Preacherman? +

Preacherman is a comedy-drama with exploitation and hixploitation elements.

Trailers & Clips