"Pray for the Wildcats" is a TV "movie of the week" from 1974 about four businessmen (Andy Griffith, William Shatner, Robert Reed and Marjoe Gortner) who take a trip through the desert wilderness of Baja California on dirt bikes. Griffith plays Sam Farragut, an arrogant mogul who thinks money is power and anyone can be bought if the price is right; and, if they can't, well, they'll just have to be discarded one way or another. Needless to say, the trip doesn't go as pleasantly as planned.If you didn't think it was possible for Griffith to play a robust villain you need to see this film. Andy just eats up the role of the dastardly Farragut. Not only is his performance a pleasure to behold, it rings true! All the other actors are perfectly cast, as are the wives and girlfriend of the three subordinate bikers, Lorraine Gary, Angie Dickinson and Janet Margolin respectively."Pray for the Wildcats" is a morality tale in the manner of "Deliverance," except that the crime is inverted and the trip takes place in the SW desert/coast rather than a wild river in Georgia. Although a TV movie, "Pray for the Wildcats" is every bit as good as "Deliverance" and perhaps even better. And, thankfully, it doesn't contain anything as hard to watch as that infamous "squeal like a pig" scene.Judging from the reviews, many will ridicule such commendations. In fact, for reasons that elude me "Pray for the Wildcats" is often mocked as "campy" and "unintentionally funny." Really? I don't see this at all; and anyone who thinks it's campy obviously doesn't know what camp is. This is clearly a serious drama/adventure/thriller with the requisite soap operatics, but nothing overkill and definitely within the realm of believability. Another overdone criticism is Shatner's hairpiece, which is odd since it definitely LOOKS like his natural hair (not that it is).The real reason reviewers make fun of "Pray for the Wildcats" is because (1.) it's a TV movie and (2.) three of the stars had well-known TV shows -- The Andy Griffith Show, Star Trek and The Brady Bunch -- and, gee, I guess there's no way they could really act and break away from their typecast roles. But they can and do superbly in "Pray for the Wildcats." Another thing I love about this film is the powerful message: ***SPOILER ALERT*** One man sins greatly, but has zero remorse and tries to cover it up through his power and money; another man also sins, but realizes his mistake and ultimately proves his character; the other two show that they believe money and position are more important than justice and therefore prove their lack of character. ***END SPOILER*** The film was shot in Arizona and Baja California and runs 100 minutes.GRADE: A+

Most of the previous reviews are accurate: Griffith plays a thrill-seeking tycoon and has plenty of rewind-and-see-that-again moments ("Come on, Hippy," "YAAAAA-HOOOOOOOO!!!!!," "Now we're getting' it on, baby," and the split leg "Hoooot Daaaammnn!!!"); Shatner is pretty restrained until the "There is no myself" speech; Robert Reed plays a boring character boringly (if you look for gay subtext, I guess it's more interesting); Dickinson does nothing except gripe (her "You've KNOWN and you've let it go ON?!?" would sound just like Monty Python if done with a British accent); and Gary does nothing but look like the doe-eyed cow that her character is (a dense Ellen Brody, pretty much).In addition to the Trek-like biking shirts, the Mexican police Captain swaggers just like Barney Fife and wears a similar-looking uniform. These must've been deliberate, but the subtlety makes it more effective than a spoken-word in-joke.I just love the badness of Pray For The Wildcats. Five actors who I recognize and like, all of them embarrassing themselves.Just like Impulse, this movie is perfect for your next beer-and-pizza get-together. Grab a copy of this hard-to-find diamond, and NOW WE'RE GETTING IT ON!!!

I first saw this in 6th grade, a "Movie of the Week", if I remember correctly. The next day at school was abuzz with, "Can you believe it? I didn't know Andy Griffith could BE like that!"Oh, the classic lines, just from Ol' Andy: --"Come on , hippy!...I'm sort of a hippy myself-a hippy with MONEY!" --"It's just you and me, baby...we're getting' it ON!"Griffith's motorcycle performance--oh, the split-leg whooping!--gives one cause to yearn for more movies like this. Just where ARE those 1970s-vintage TV movies? Get these things on DVD before it's too late!Marjoe Gortner doesn't disappoint, either, if early-1970s pseudo-psychedelic "lingo" brings chills to your spine. His attempt at "drumming" in the Mexican bar while Andy Griffith accosts the hot hippy chick is nothing short of screaming hilarity. "The Simpsons" writers would have nothing on this movie, would that "Pray for the Wildcats" was SUPPOSED to be funny.William Shatner and Robert Reed almost steal this thing with their "understated" acting (holy cow, did I just call Shatner "understated"?!). Shatner "philosophizing" is what is "priceless" not all the crap in those credit-card commercials. The female characters, particularly those played by Angie Dickinson and Lorraine Gary, are damn near side-splitting in their "serious", but extremely stupid--even for 1974--dialogue. Their discussion about the affair Dickinson has with Shatner, and her fears about his eventual life choice, would have Oprah AND Dr. Phil p***ing their pants. It's absolutely, moronically, hilarious.I wish this movie had been more popular and remembered. What "The Simpsons", "South Park" or "King of the Hill" could have done spoofing this thing is chill-inducing (the GOOD kind) in and of itself.Bob Bates Orlando, FL

I agree with Teresa. This movie is a cheesy. But, on the other hand, I thought Andy Griffith did a fine job of being a bad guy for once. William Shatner, of course, played the part of William Shatner, but then, I just like him because he's Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise. Robert Reed was pretty good, too, and if you see this film, check out the interior of his house--I swear it's the same house as the one in the Brady Bunch! And sure, the film is completely dippy, and the plot's weird, and the effects are royally hand-made, but I still think this is a film worth watching, if only for the interaction between the well-known television personalities. Besides, where else do you get a chance to see William Shatner referring to someone else as "The captain?" The don't make 'em like this anymore...maybe that's a good thing. But see it anyway!