The trailer for Billy: The Early Years which covers over a decade in the life of Billy Graham (Armie Hammer). The story begins as a young Billy, age 17, begins to contemplate his future at home in rural North Carolina in the 1930s. Raised by his mother Morrow (Lindsay Wagner) and father Frank (J D Parker) on a diary farm, Billy begins to address his family’s devotion to religion in the face of a society set back by the Depression. Is his destiny to be a farmer or follow the faith instilled by his family? Or should he pursue more academic pursuits as Charles Templeton would have him do, calling into question the very existence of a God?
After an unforgettable experience in a local religious tent revival in 1934, Billy makes the bold decision to follow his heart and pursue a career in evangelism that is followed by a decade of doubt, failure, resistance, and revolution of the era. Billy: The Early Years is told in flashbacks through the recollections of Charles Templeton (Martin Landau in present day and Kristoffer Polaha in flashbacks), a friend of Billy’s who ultimately made the decision to pursue academics and science over religion. Through a series of flashbacks in which Charles recounts his relationship with Billy to an earnest news reporter (Jennifer O’Neill), Charles gives personal insights into the relationship that forged two differing paths among the best of friends.
During his time at Wheaton, Billy meets Ruth Bell (Stefanie Butler), a lovely young woman who had planned on being a missionary in China, and after meeting Billy commits her undying love to Billy for the rest of his life. Together, they overcome obstacles and make decisions which led them on a journey which would result in Billy becoming one of the world’s most respected voices for the Twentieth Century.