Oh, God! Book II

All throughout history since time immemorial, there has been a conflict between religion and science (or I guess I should say between church and state). People who read the Bible believe in God and accept him and his teachings as a matter of simple Christian Faith. However, the scientists say "We need proof that we can put under our microscopes". I think it took a lot of courage for Hollywood to make the "Oh God" series and I thank them for it. George Burns and John Denver were wonderful in the original. It was one of the first movies that I saw as a kid and I couldn't think of a better one. George took the role of God very seriously, he even consulted with Jimmy Stewart and Orson Welles before he played it can you believe that? He asked them how you would play God (Orson Welles told him "I would play him sitting down"). This is a wonderful sequel. You might ask why God would come down to earth again, well when he did before he made the studio so much money thats why? A young actress with only one screen name Louanne takes John Denver's place in the film and she does a wonderful job. She was such a good little actress that I always wondered what happened to her. I'll bet she and George had a ball making this film, it shows in the finished product and there is wonderful "chemistry" between them. It kind of chilled me when they thought the little girl was crazy for talking to God and wanted to put her in an insane asylum. It chilled me and it also made me very angry at a society that is hostile towards religion and God's word. It is almost as if we live in a world that glorifies evil and condemns good. This is a film that is very rare indeed because it is one with a message that makes you think long after the final credits and it is due to George Burn's wonderful performance. This man was an American treasure. What really amazes me is that he didn't act in the traditional sense until he was almost 80 years old and made The Sunshine Boys. As far as I am concerned, all acting students should watch his work in that film and in the Oh God series. They will see a master at work. This is a rare sequel indeed, it is as fine as the original. It will leave you with a sore belly from laughing, but also with a slight lump in your throat.

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.

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 ****

The movie is about a kid who meets God in a restaurant.He tells her to think of something to make more people want to believe in God and all that junk.Well the kid and her friend think of something and come up with the slogan Think God.The write it all over the place.As soon is this goes out everyone thinks she is crazy.So they suspend her from school.And all she wanted to do was help God.So they plan to but her in a camp for "insane" kids.She needs help from God.She runs away from home.And God comes and brings her back home on a motorcycle. So at the meeting.To decide what to do with her.God shows everybody to have a little faith.That was a good movie like I said for kids and adults.

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.