Main Cast: George Burns, John Denver, Teri Garr, Donald Pleasence, Ralph Bellamy
Release Year: 1977
Country: US
Run Time: 97 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Adapted by Larry Gelbart from the novel by Avery Corman, the film stars John Denver as Jerry Landers, the assistant manager of a grocery store who is chosen by God (George Burns) to spread the Word to the rest of the world. Not surprisingly, Jerry is soon labelled a basket case: even his loving wife Bobbie (Teri Garr) doubts her husband's sanity. But there's enough evidence on Jerry's side for a panel of prominent clerics to demand that the hapless fellow prove in court that he's the agent of God. Donald Pleasence was supposed to have an extended supporting role in the film, but the first cut ran too long, and Pleasence's dialogue was eliminated -- but not Pleasence himself, who retains his prominent billing and is seen doing precisely nothing in several scenes. Netting $30 million on its first run, Oh God was followed by two lesser sequels, both featuring Burns. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
In Oh, God!, director Carl Reiner and screenwriter Larry Gelbart avoid one-note redundancy by trading broad laughs for warm-hearted sentimentality. The movie's surprising charm owes a lot to the understated comic timing and charisma of vaudeville legend George Burns in the title role. Burns had removed himself from the public eye after his partner/wife Gracie Allen's retirement in 1958; he reappeared in 1975's successful The Sunshine Boys, for which he won an Oscar. Oh, God! continued his comeback streak. In his first movie role, singer John Denver had a natural, unforced presence that drew positive notices, but he would never again star in a major motion picture. Gelbart had worked with Reiner on Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, and he would go on to write the screenplay for Tootsie. Despite its potentially controversial nature, Oh, God! was a significant hit, and would spawn two mediocre sequels. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
William Daniels - George Summers; Barnard Hughes - Judge Baker; Paul Sorvino - Rev. Willie Williams; Barry Sullivan - Priest; Jeff Corey - Rabbi; George Furth - Briggs; Titos Vandis - Bishop; Carl Reiner - Talk Show Guest; John Ashton; Moosie Drier - Adam Landers; Murphy Dunne - Stenographer; Jerry Dunphy - Newscaster; Dennis Kort - Norman; Jane Lambert - Mrs. Levin; Mario Machado - TV Reporter; Bob McClurg - Mechanic; Kres Mersky - Check-out Girl; Hector Morales - Waiter; Connie Sawyer - Mrs. Green; Dinah Shore - Herself; Wonderful Smith - Court Clerk; David Ogden Stiers - Mr. McCarthy; Zane Buzby - Girl; Byron Paul - TV Engineer
Credit
Jack Senter - Art Director, Nancy McArdle - Costume Designer, Michael J. Harte - Costume Designer, Robert Birnbaum - First Assistant Director, Carl Reiner - Director, Bud Molin - Editor, Jack Elliott - Composer (Music Score), Leo Lotito - Makeup, Victor J. Kemper - Cinematographer, Jerry Weintraub - Producer, Stuart A. Reiss - Set Designer, Richard Wagner - Sound/Sound Designer, Wayne Artman - Sound/Sound Designer, Don Cahn - Sound/Sound Designer, Jim Cook - Sound/Sound Designer, Larry Gelbart - Screenwriter, Avery Corman - Book Author
Oh, God! is a 1977 comedy film, starring John Denver and George Burns. Based on a novel by Avery Corman, the film was directed by Carl Reiner from a screenplay written by Larry Gelbart. The story centers on unassuming supermarket manager Jerry Landers (Denver), chosen by God (Burns) to spread his message, despite the skepticism of the media, religious authorities, and Landers' wife (Teri Garr).
The film inspired two sequels, Oh, God! Book II (1980) and Oh, God! You Devil (1984), both of which featured Burns reprising his role, but with no other recurring characters from the original story.
God appears as a kindly old man to Jerry Landers, an assistant supermarket manager. After some mixups in trying to set up an "interview," He tells Jerry that he has been selected to be His messenger to the modern world, much like a contemporary Moses. A bit timidly at first, Landers dutifully tells the world of his encounters with God. Understandably skeptical at first, Landers finds his life turned upside down as theologians attempt to discredit him. For instance, a group of religious leaders challenge him to answer a series of written questions in Aramaic while locked in a hotel room alone to prove God is directly contacting him. To Jerry's profound relief after an agonizing wait, God arrives and answers the questions. Eventually, Jerry decides to prove his story in a court of law, after being sued for slander by a preacher God directed Jerry to call a "phony".
Jerry argues that if God's existence is a reasonable possibility, then if He chooses he can materialize and sit in the witness chair. At first, God fails to appear, and the judge threatens to charge Jerry with contempt for "what you apparently thought was a clever stunt." Jerry argues that his point was that when he brought up the mere possibility that God would make a personal appearance, everyone clearly waited a moment to see if it would really happen — proving that he at least deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Suddenly, without opening the doors, God appears and asks to be sworn in, concluding the procedure with "So help me Me." "If it please the court, and even if it doesn't please the court, I'm God, your honor."
God provides some miracles, first in the form of a few rather impressive card tricks for the judge. Then, to help the people believe, he leaves the stand, walks a few steps and, with everyone watching, literally disappears before their eyes. His disembodied voice then issues a parting shot: "It can work. Don't hurt each other. If it's hard to have faith in me, maybe it will help to know that I have faith in you."
Jerry has lost his job, but God assures him that he's in "good hands". God gets ready to leave and is not coming back. Jerry then asks what if he needs to talk with him. God says to him "You talk. I'll listen". He then disappears.
According to screenwriter Larry Gelbart, Reiner initially envisioned his oft-partner Mel Brooks playing God, and Woody Allen playing the supermarket manager.
When Jerry is in the hotel room about to give God a quiz, The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961), created by Carl Reiner, is playing on the television.
Barbara Harris was originally cast in the role that went to Garr.
The movie's poster can be seen in a scene from the 1999 movie Man on the Moon. The movie took place in the late 70's and early 80's.
In an interview, Burns said, "They're making a sequel. I'm playing God again. Why not? At my age, anything I do is a miracle."
Groucho Marx, who was a close friend of George Burns, also had the role of God in the Otto Preminger comedy Skidoo.
