One of the more callous but unintentionally popular jokes that circulate when it comes to the subject of religion is something along the lines of “faith is when you speak to God, whereas schizophrenia is when God speaks back to you” – and in an era which is becoming increasingly more secular as the church becomes a less dominant force in the lives of many cultures and the people in it, its hardly surprising that we’d grow apart from the idea of belief. It’s not the place of any individual to preach in a way that forces another person to follow a particular creed or belief, and it’s especially true considering how politics and religion are seen as foundational faux pas when it comes to interacting with relative strangers. Essentially, it’s a subject that is difficult to discuss without causing some degree of controversy or creating a situation where some feel like they are being coerced into a particular way of thinking, which is the antithesis of the freedom to believe whatever one considers to be the right way to live their life. This preamble is specifically targeted to the artists that have decided to take a calculated risk by focusing their work on religion in some way, since the moment a film is considered to be faith-based, there’s an immediate assumption that it is trying to create a scenario where the viewer has to leap onto the wavelength and suspend disbelief in order to feel the impact of the film, which can be divisive if one isn’t cautious. There’s a tendency to view films about religion as either manipulative (if they are in favour of faith) or flippant (if they are more critical), and they almost immediately divide the audience. However, there are some works that use religion as their primary theme that are relatively successful – and one of the more notable examples is Oh, God!, Carl Reiner’s delightful adaptation of the novel by Larry Gelbart, which stands as one of the few truly accessible comedies about religion, and a film that has never been more resonant than it is today.

The premise of Oh, God! could not be more straightforward, which is one of its most significant merits – there’s nothing more effective than a work of art that endeavours to tackle a subject as enormous as religious belief, but does so through a careful, simple approach that is not designed to confuse or divide, but rather highlight a few fundamental themes that ultimately can be accessible to every viewer, regardless of their background. Focusing on the relationship between God himself and the mild-mannered working-class individual he chooses to be his messenger, the film spends its time exploring their dynamic, using humour and empathy to create a vibrant and entertaining comedy about some of life’s biggest questions. Reiner was an exceptionally gifted director, and many of his greatest works tend to centre on more complex themes, even if they’re not obvious at the start. Working from a screenplay that Gelbart himself adapted from his own novel, Reiner was clearly bound to create something special, particularly since Gelbart was one of the most keen and attentive social satirists of his era, many of his own productions for stage and screen being works of immense brilliance, especially since they often focused on the collision between comedy and history or other more sobering ideas that we don’t normally expect to be the foundation for such irreverent, off-the-wall comedies. They share credit for bringing this film to life, and make sure that every moment is actually saying something impactful, but without becoming overwrought. The key to the success is that Oh, God! never feels as if it is trying to convince us to change our beliefs, but rather wants to open our minds to a more empathetic view of life, which comes through in the film’s refusal to resort to the same trite cliches we’d normally expect from a film that centres on faith. There’s a playfulness that governs the film and makes it so incredibly poignant, while never losing our attention to being any less hilarious in its more touching moments.

There are many images that are considered iconic in the history of cinema, and when it comes to comedies produced in the 1970s, the sight of George Burns, bespectacled as always and dressed in what appears to be the most comfortable flannel possible, is almost definitive. In a career that lasted several decades, and a life that reached a century, there were many moments that we can consider to be his peak. This period of his life represented a significant career revival, proving that he was not only a comedic genius, but also a brilliant actor, and there are certainly many people who would not mind the idea of Burns considered the ideal version of God. He’s as funny and spry as ever in Oh, God!, making the most of absolutely every moment he is on screen – few actors seemed to have more fun than he did, regardless of the specific project, and he rarely wasted an opportunity to do something interesting, even with relatively paltry material. A film like this can only work if the actors are committed, since it is such a character-based film, any attempt to shift attention away from the performers wouldn’t yield the strongest results. Mercifully, Burns is paired with John Denver (in a rare acting appearance), and who proves himself to be a remarkably effective actor, playing the part of the meek grocery store manager who is thrust into a position as God’s newest messenger. The chemistry between the two is exceptional, and the film makes sure to make the most out of this unlikely pairing, somehow finding the balance between these two unconventional performers, and proving that sometimes the most effective works emerge when we least expect it – and who would have thought a folk singer and vaudeville comedian would be at the helm of one of the most insightful and complex explorations of the human condition we’ve seen in the past few decades?

The themes at the heart of Oh, God! are essentially what makes it so incredibly effective – this is a film that strives to somehow focus on the nature of religion, but in a way that is not actually restricting it to a specific denomination. The original book was coded more towards a western, Christian-based form of belief, whereby the almighty is a singular being, rather than a polydeistic scenario. It’s important to look at this film as a product of its time, rather than lamenting on how it takes a more narrow view in a scenario where it was clearly aiming to be universally resonant. The best way to describe this film is simply as a work that does not take itself seriously, while still relishing in the opportunity to explore some complex themes, all of which are treated respectfully. Reiner was a genius when it came to comedy, and like his friend and colleague Mel Brooks (who was originally slated to play the titular deity), he managed to use complex themes as the subject for his humour, but in a way that was never intentionally trying to cause offence (at least not for the most part – they certainly knew how to push boundaries when it was appropriate), instead skirting around controversy by showing that these are works derived from a sincere compassion for the people depicted, and a genuine interest in the subject matter. Much of the praise for Oh, God! comes from the fact that the story doesn’t hinge on the audience suddenly having a religious epiphany, but rather realizing the importance of an open-minded approach to life, one in which we are compassionate and generous, regardless of background. Perhaps it isn’t a message that we’d expect to encounter in a film so massively promoted as a hilarious comedy, but it comes to form the basis of the many intriguing and captivating ideas that underpin this film and make it such a triumph, even when it is at its most conventional.

Oh, God! is a film that is just as funny and insightful today as it was nearly half a century ago. There was never any doubt that it would be special, especially since we knew that the story was in good hands – the script was written by someone known for their razor-sharp wit and ability to tell emotionally resonant stories without depending too heavily on cliches, and directed by one of the great comedy filmmakers of his generation, who placed two unconventional leads in the main roles, and allowed them to forge a very unique kind of chemistry that is both unorthodox and incredibly compelling. More than anything else, Oh, God! is the kind of film that may not be revolutionary at a cursory glance, and is most likely seen as a charming comedy that isn’t particularly daring when we look at it from a conceptual level. Reiner does very little to actually change this perception, instead choosing to put together a film that goes for the broad strokes, but actually depends on the smallest and most intricate details, which we only encounter once we are in the thick of the story, by which point we would have most likely been entirely enamoured with the eccentric humour and uplifting tone, the more complex subject matter can easily be digested without feeling inappropriately saccharine or like the director is trying to convey some deeper message that challenges our way of thinking. For a film about religion, Oh, God! is surprisingly universal in its outlook, and it offers many interesting ideas that may be unexpectedly endearing, even to those who aren’t sold on its more abstract, faith-based merits. As a whole, it’s an entertaining diversion that carries a decent amount of weight, and allows us to see the funnier side of life, giving us the opportunity to have some fun with a story that aimed to entertain and provoke some discussion, which is more than enough to warrant its unique outlook on life and society.