[mod_python] Problems with mod_python on MacOS

Hi, I'm trying to get mod_python to run on the following system:

(*) MacOS 10.4
(*) Apache 2.0.54
(*) mod_python 3.1.4
(*) Python 2.3.5

I've tried getting it to work w/ the mod_python handler configured as  
both (a) an . htaccess file; and (b) in the general httpd.conf file  
for all of Apache. I'm trying to get the mptest.py "demo" that's  
described in the mod_python documentation to work. Every time I try  
to access the mptest.py file through my Web browser, I get a HTTP 500  
"Internal Server Error".. Since the "sig" on my Apache error notice  
includes the line:

Apache/2.0.54 (Unix) mod_python/3.1.4 Python/2.3.5 Server at  
localhost Port 80

and since in my error_log I have a line (when I restart apache) to  
the effect of:

[notice] Apache/2.0.54 (Unix) mod_python/3.1.4 Python/2.3.5  
configured -- resuming normal operations

I'm *assuming* that Apache is able to find mod_python and load it  
correctly.

I've checked permissions on my .py files, and they're all set to 777,  
so I assume that Apache can read and load and execute those files,  
and do what not else it needs to. I have noticed, however, that  
Apache never "loads" or "compiles" those files down into .pyc files.  
Perhaps this could be part of the problem?

I've gotten mod_python to run before on a FreeBSD system, although  
that was w/ slightly different versions of apache/mod_python/python,  
and granted MacOS isn't *quite* FreeBSD either..

Any ideas???