When God appears to an assistant grocery manager as a good-natured old man, the Almighty selects him as his messenger to the modern world.When God appears to an assistant grocery manager as a good-natured old man, the Almighty selects him as his messenger to the modern world.When God appears to an assistant grocery manager as a good-natured old man, the Almighty selects him as his messenger to the modern world.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 3 wins & 3 nominations total
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film briefly interrupted Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)'s 15-week reign at the number one spot at the box office in October 1977. Star Wars returned to the top spot the following week.
- GoofsThe trial for slander would have been a civil trial and would have taken many months, if not years, to come to trial after the alleged slander took place. Neither side would be permitted to call "surprise" witnesses at the trial. The witness list would have been made known to both sides well in advance of the trial as part of the discovery process, and each side would have had an opportunity to depose the other side's intended witnesses prior to the trial if desired.
- Quotes
Jerry Landers: How can you permit all the *suffering* that goes on the world?
God: Ah, how can *I* permit the suffering?
Jerry Landers: Yeah!
God: I don't permit the suffering. You do! Free will. All the choices are yours.
Jerry Landers: Choices? What choices?
God: You can love each other, cherish and nurture each other or you can kill each other. Incidentally, "kill" is the word. It's not "waste." If I meant "waste" I would have written "thou shalt not waste." You're doing some very funny things with words, here. You're also turning the sky into mud. I look down, I can't believe the filth. Using the rivers for toilets, poisoning my fishes. You want a miracle? *You* make a fish from scratch. You can't. You think only God can make a tree? Try coming up with a mackerel. And when the last one is gone, that'll be that. Eighty-six on the fishes, goodbye sky, so long world, over and out.
- Alternate versionsThe Saul Bass variant of the Warner Bros. Pictures logo is plastered with the 1984 variant in the post-1989 VHS releases, and 2003 variant on the digital platforms.
On the DVD commentary tract, the makers of the film, looking back on it after 25 years, seem to be equally as surprised. The director, Carl Reiner, points to an eight-minute scene in which it is just Denver and Burns talking in a bathroom. There is no music, no fast cuts, no special effects, and the scene simply holds our attention on its own. Mr. Reiner indicates that there is no way that the scene would be made that way today.
Some scenes are timeless, such as Jerry's first encounter with the Almighty via intercom in the all-white room. Also classic is the infamous scene in the bathroom in which God first reveals himself in the flesh to a humbled and still somewhat disbelieving John Denver.
Unfortunately, not all of the movie holds up as well. Some things, especially exteriors, seem very dated. And even though it is quaint, it is hard to believe that an intelligent and capable husband and wife team would cherish a Supermarket Assistant Manager Job so much. Ah well, it was another time when people still believed in sticking with one company and working their way up through the ranks.
I wish that the film would explore some of the harder questions of religion a little more seriously, but one wonders if the film would collapse if taken out of its sweet, feel-good movie formula in which it is helplessly trapped forever.
If anything, rent it for the performances of the two leads. George Burns, playing the role at 83, is so good, that it is, (not to be cliched,) awesome. However, what is equally as unbelievable is the performance of John Denver in his first and only acting gig. He hits some of his notes perfectly, and it really shows a significant skill and timing to play straight man to a legend like Burns.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Oh, Gott
- Filming locations
- Riverside Drive and Main Street, Burbank, California, USA(the phone booth where Jerry meets God at the end)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $41,687,243
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,040,920
- Oct 9, 1977
- Gross worldwide
- $41,687,243
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1