The Priest and The Thief

A priest in a small village is put to the test when a local homeless boy steals money from the church. Believing the Lord allowed him to take whatever he wanted as the church is, after all, the house of the Lord, the young thief steals away, enjoying his strange sense of entitlement. The Priest, however, sees the thief for exactly what he is – a thief. And so he chases him away, telling him not to come back. The young thief, upset by this, begins a series of pranks against the Priest, confusing the holy man along the way. Eventually figuring out what is really going on, the Priest turns the tables on the young prankster and finally manages to get rid of the boy once and for all.

Directed by Wanna Fourie, The Priest and The Thief leans on a strong ensemble — Khulikani Magubane, Sizwe Dlamini, Gugu Mhlanga — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1980.