¡Dios mío! Parte II

This is a cutesy little family film with its heart in the right place. Nothing more. If God thinks things on Earth were screwed up in 1980, what would he possibly think now? Are these rising gas prices his way of getting our attention these days? This film is a sequel to film in which God (George Burns) apparently used John Denver to help spread his message. I guess it either didn't work, or so many people were afraid of Denver's singing that they didn't want to tune in and find out. In this film, God picks a young girl named Tracy to come up with a slogan that could get people to think about him once again. Being as her father is in advertising, she would seem to be a good fit. But then why wouldn't God just pick him to do it? Well, you see it's because kids are cuter when they are out spreading a slogan like "Think God". In no time Tracy and her friends have plastered or written the message in chalk all over their L.A. neighborhood. Needless to say, the school board types are not amused. And if any kid tried this today.... sheesh! Who would show up to protest first? Probably the ACLU, followed by Michael Moore. Anyway, Tracy's troubles are just getting started.

God sure doesn't make this easy on her! Not only is it tough to think of a good slogan, but he also talks to her where others can see. Of course they cannot also see God, so they all think Tracy is talking to herself and losing her mind. Also, her school work suffers. God does at least help her with her math, and he admits he made mathematics too hard. I agree. Tracy is eventually expelled from school, picked apart by doctors, and has her life turned inside out. But she is doing God a favor, so I guess its worth it. There is also a small subplot about Tracy's separated parents reconciling after a few jokes about the big breasts of her father's new girlfriend. The acting is good enough. Burns plays essentially himself which is charming as expected. Louanne, who plays Tracy isn't as annoying as most child actors. The parents are good enough. The film delivers about what you'd expect. Its passable family viewing, but atheists should steer clear. 7 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

George Burns returns as the joshing Almighty after enjoying a big success with 1977's "Oh, God!", an upbeat fantasy made successful by a sudden need in the 1970s to switch from devil-driven thrillers to comedic redemption (although it made money, the original was more in line with the "Topper" comedies of the '30s than a return to feel-good religious cinema). Here, God appears to a young girl (Louanne, who had earlier starred in a stage production of "Annie") and asks her to spread his Divine Word, causing her nothing but trouble from grown-ups in the process. Peculiar, family-oriented film appears to be warm-hearted enough, and Burns gets to chime in with a nice barrage of wry jibes, but the writing is half-slapstick and half-seriousness. The adults of the piece actually consider locking little Louanne up, all of which makes God seem more like a troublemaker than an elderly friend. Louanne is another problem: a perky kid with wizened little eyes, she is untrained for screen-acting and occasionally seems awkward. The medium-budget production has a gloppy, TV-movie appearance, with few graceful touches. The final scene mimics the climax of the first "Oh, God!" in that it brings a wistful sentiment to the mix, which is welcomed. It's the most subtle moment in the movie. ** from ****

My review written in September 1980 after watching the film in NY at WB's screening room: "Oh God! Book II" is not a sequel to the hit 1977 Warner Brothers release (which amassed $31,000,000 in domestic rentals) but rather an alternate approach to the same basic premise: what would happen if God were to appear to an ordinary person with instructions to "spread my message". Absence this time of John Denver, his chemistry with lead George Burns and the original's solid comedy material lead to a bland, unstimulating film.

Script, collectively credited to five writers, has a pleasant moppet (Louanne) meeting God (George Burns) in the lounge of a Chinese restaurant. It seems that Burns (heard pre-credits voicing over his problems with mankind on Earth) to enlist a child "with belief in things you can't see" to remind people that God is still around. Since Louanne's dad (David Birney) is an adman, she sets out to concoct a slogan which will "make God a household name". Burns' quaint program is to first win over the children and then get on with various environmental projects (e.g., fight pollution and cool off volcanoes).

Louanne recruits her cute Japanese playmate Shingo (John Louie) and other classmates to spread her "Think God" slogan via posters and graffiti. This leads to her suspension from school, and when she is seen talking to the invisible (to everyone but her) Burns, the child is brought before psychiatrists to be committed to an institution. Climax has Burns materializing as a literal deus ex machina to protect Louanne at the roundtable of shrinks.

Burns is fine again, a master of the throwaway line and well-suited to tone down the religious philosophy in the script. More screen time, however, is allotted to debuting Louanne, a pleasant and talented youngster who holds one's sympathy.

Suzanne Pleshette and David Birney as her estranged parents who reconcile before the final freeze-shot are effective in limited roles, with Pleshette's beauty and strong presence underutilized. Supporting parts are all well-limned.

Director Cates is hamstrung by the talky, largely unfunny script, which contains little dramatic content and only one scene involving physical action (Burns giving Louanne a motorcycle and sidecar ride). Except for recurring gags about "boobs" the mild script is too squeaky clean for the film's good. By not expanding upon the first film, "Oh God! Book II" is extraneous. Tech credits are routine.

i didn't like this movie as much as the first one.i found it too slow.plus,the story was almost a carbon copy of the first one.different characters,and slightly different details,but the general story was the same.so the predictability of it made it tedious.on the plus side,there were some funny moments though.and i've seen many worse movies.i just had higher expectations given that the first movie was as good as it was.if they had just done something different with the concept instead of just copying the first movie,the result would probably have been better.but hey, that's just my opinion.for me,Oh, God! Book II is a 5/10

If you are looking for "miracles," look no further than the fact that Hollywood managed to turn a superb, one-of-a-kind, hit film OH GOD into a 3-picture franchise before it sagged to the ground under its own weight and melted.

OH GOD (the original) is one of my favorite all time films.

It is a treasure. Not so this sequel.

OH GOD was poetry in motion. Not only a perfect script but possibly the best performances ever from George Burns, Teri Garr and John Denver. Never a dull moment, never a bad scene, never a line of bad dialog. It is a film you could see over and over.

OH GOD BOOK 2, which embarrasses itself right off the top by showing more writing credits than there are key positions on a football team, never once gets into gear. All that saves the film from infamy is an astonishing performance by a young actress credited only as "Louanne." Not only does this young lady have perfect timing, but she serially steals scenes from every other actor in the film including the master of timing himself, George Burns.

The kindest thing I could ever say about OH GOD BOOK 2 is, see the original.