James Farentino plays boozy Father Kevin Leahy. He dies during a car crash, but is given his life back to fight evil. All of this is shown before the credits even roll. Farentino is quite good in this somewhat intense role and carries the film. At the Helen Page All-Girls School unexplained fires start happening, so Leahy is brought in to investigate.
I think the biggest problem I had with this 1977 TV Movie originally shown on NBC was what it wanted to be. It obviously was inspired by William Friedkin's THE EXORCIST, but half the time it just plays itself out like a cheap knock-off. Also becomes dialogue heavy and by the end of the movie the possession angle is pretty hokey. Which is too bad, because I did enjoy Farentino's performance.
Also starring Diana Scarwid, Dinah Manoff, P.J. Soles (as students at the all-girls school) and a pre-STAR WARS Harrison Ford who plays a nutty, creepy teacher Paul Winjam. Was very interesting seeing an early film role for Ford, but at the same time it wasn't exactly a very memorable role.
