HTF REVIEW: "Oh, God!" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Oh, God!




Studio: Warner Brothers
Year: 1977
Rated: PG
Film Length: 98 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 16X9 Enhanced Widescreen (1.85:1)



God grants you an interview
On July 9th, Warner Brothers is releasing a
handful of DVD titles that have remained on
the "most wanted" list of collectors for many
years now. It's hard to believe it has taken
this long to release "Oh, God!", but thank
the Lord that the wait is over.
Released in 1977, "Oh, God!" came on the
heels of the rejuvenation of George Burn's career.
Just two year earlier, at age 80, he won an Oscar
as best supporting actor for his role as an old-time
vaudevillian in "The Sunshine Boys," taking over
the role when Benny died.

Jerry Landers (John Denver), is a good-natured
grocery store manager with a lovely wife, Bobbie
(Teri Garr) and two kids. One evening Jerry receives
an invitation from God requesting an interview. This
invitation, of all places, arrives in the mail. Jerry
immediately tears up the invitation dismissing it as
a prank, but once the torn up the invitations keep
returning to him reassembled, he figures he ought
to check things out.

When God finally appears to Jerry, he appears as
a kindly old man (George Burns). How else would
Jerry be able to accept the almighty? God has some
pretty good answers for everything. On creating the
world he quips; "to tell you the truth I thought
about it for 6 days and did the whole thing in 1".
God wants Jerry to spread the word that the world
can work with what God's given us. But Jerry finds
that people are difficult to convert, and it is
Jerry's faith that carries him through.
How is the transfer?
After giving a less than favorable review of the
transfer of My Favorite Year (being released
the same day), I was a little afraid that the transfer
of "Oh, God!" would be less than spectacular.
I became a little concerned when the opening
credits appeared. These opening credits are the
most god-awful (pardon the pun) credits I have ever
seen. Knowing how bad Warner catalog opening credits
usually look, I held in there until the last credit
appeared. Afterwards, the transfer cleared up
considerably.

For the most part, the transfer looks quite good.
Picture looks far more sharper than I had expected.
Colors are very well pronounced, most strikingly
in the reds of Bobbie's clothing, or the yellow
of a cab that God is driving. You'll also notice
vibrant colors everywhere inside the Supermarket
where Jerry works.
Where the transfer has the most problems is
any scene dealing with a white background. This
is most evident in chapter 3 when Jerry heads
up to the 27th floor to meet God. In a room
of total white, there is a rash of video noise
that totally ruins the sequence.
The mono sound is very clear and robust. I was
surprised as to how bass heavy the soundtrack was,
with the film's music producing nice low-end booms
from my front speakers.
Special Features

A full-length audio commentary with Teri Garr,
Director Carl Reiner, Writer Larry Gelbart and
Producer Jerry Weintraub comes off being less
exhilarating as I expected. Most of the time
the three gentlemen are complimenting one another
or quirping at how cute Teri Garr is and how so
many people in the industry must have wanted to
go out with her at the time. Among the many
things discussed is the fact that Mel Brooks
was originally cited to play God, with Woody
Allen playing the non-believer. We also hear
(among other things )about George Burn's toupee
and how pipes installed in a high-rise car ceiling
allowed the miracle of rain to suddenly appear.
Although there is a Cast & Crew filmography,
it is just George Burn's film career that can be
highlighted. The rest is a simple listing of
actors and crew.
A simple one-pager Awards section lists
the one WGA award the film received.
Finally, trailers for Oh God; Oh God
Book II and Oh, God You Devil! are
included (but let's hope we are not subjected
to the DVD release of these films anytime soon).
Final Thoughts

This is a movie that is hard to resist -- especially
because George Burns shines as the perennial God, a
role that he played so admirably. Out of his entire
film career, this film was perhaps his most memorable.
Purchase this DVD without second thought. I also
warn you now -- skip the two sequels that followed it.
Release Date: July 9th, 2002

 

[David Lambert]

Good to know the transfer is better than My Favorite Year, even though I want that picture more than this one. But I still want it. Oh, and about the sequels:

I also
warn you now -- skip the two sequels that followed it.

Hmmm...we'll just agree to disagree on that, Ron. I know that I'm in the minority here - flame away, y'all! - but I liked the sequels, especially the third film. George Burns manages to convey in all three the idea that he is his character. And very few actors have carried off a role that big! Although the second film suffered from a rather poor script, it is still worth it for Burns alone, and to complete the trilogy. The third film is a masterpiece of dual-role acting, with Burns taking on as opposite a pair of roles as can exist! And the moral of that tale is a good one. I'd buy the sequels.

 

[John_Berger]

Good review! This was IMHO a highly underrated film. It had a charm and a humor that you just don't find any more, and it brilliantly tackled the topic of God's existance without being preachy and without the over-glamorization of movies like "The Ten Commndments". This is not a movie that I'd watch over and over and over again, but I think I will still be adding it to my collection.

 

[Chris M]

I'm not a religious person, but I remember this film from watching it on TV when I was younger, I remember loving it. I'll buy this definately!

Thanks for the good review Ron!

Chris.

 

[Scott Strang]

I've wanted this film for years. A true must buy. And that preacher played by Paul Sorvino was on the money.

 

[Ricardo C]

I love this one It addresses the topic of God and religion without preaching to non-believers and without disrespecting the faithful. And it's a wonderful family film, the kind you hardly see anymore.

 

[John Berggren]

I also enjoyed Oh God, You Devil, but don't remember the second film. I may pick this one up.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I just watched this DVD and happened to notice a new review of it on ANOTHER site. I won't name names, but it's about the most pathetic thing I've seen in a while. It's exceedingly clear the "reviewer" never actually watched the movie - he talks about how God is a New York cabbie! God drives a cab in one short scene, and the movie takes place in LA, a fact stated REPEATEDLY during the film - there's absolutely no way anyone could actually watch the flick and think it takes place in New York!

Sorry to soapbox, but at least Ron actually WATCHED the DVD, unlike this other critic. And Ron nailed the quality of the disc as well, UNLIKE the other critic, who obviously made up 99% of his comments. I hate crap like that - it gives all of us a bad name...

 

[DeathStar1]

>>I'm not a religious person, but I remember this film from watching it on TV when I was younger, I remember loving it. I'll buy this definately!>>
Agreed. I celebrate Christmas, and Easter and all that, but other than that, I'm not a Church person, and DEFINETLY no Ned Flanders . But this is just a warm, fun, heartloving movie that it's tough not to pick it up.
I remember after seeing it again, that I just had to write Goerge Burns for an auto and tell him how much I loved the movie still today. Sadly, As soon as I sent the photo out, he had his accident :frowning:.
As for the sequals, I didn't care too much for the second one. I just thought it was a rehash of the fun original. But the third one was much more fun.