IN GOD WE TRUST

US, 1980, 97 minutes, Colour.
Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Louise Lasser, Richard Pryor, Wilfrid Hyde White.
Directed by Marty Feldman.

In God We Trust is a Marty Feldman vehicle. He stars, co-wrote and directed. The film was not well received on its release and was not commercially successful. The film offers Marty Feldman quite a range of comic turns, which he does in his own style - for many, take it or leave it. He has good support from Peter Boyle as Dr. Sebastian Melmoth, a confidence trickster revivalist. Louise Lasser is attractive as the prostitute Mary, with whom Marty Feldman's Brother Ambrose falls in love. with its religious tones (and satire on American religion and money), the film offers some amusing satire on American religion and its organisation, sincere religion and some echoes of Jesus teaching - with Mary in an obvious Mary Magdalene role. Wilfrid Hyde-White? enjoys himself as an abbot and Richard Pryor appears as guest star as G. O. D. - the computer for Armageddon T. Thunderbird's religion - a computer of General Organisational Directivator: GOD. The film probably has more appeal for people with religious background who will not take it too seriously and enjoy its humour, satire and its valid points about organised religion and hypocrisy. Marty Feldman had directed The Last Remake of Beau Geste with Michael York and Ann- Margret, had appeared in a number of Mel Brooks films and was filming the satire Yellowbeard when he died at the age of 49.

1. The appeal of the comedy, the satire? The validity of a satire on religion? The film's lack of critical and box office success?

2. A Marty Feldman film and his contribution? His performance, skill in writing and humour, direction? The plot and its simplicity? The establishing of situations and religious conventions and satirising them? one-liners? The value of caricatures? The theme of the innocent abroad in the contemporary United States? How well did it work? (British television humour in an American comedy feature film?)

3. The film's presentation of an attitude towards religion, towards Christianity? Ideals and the contrast with reality? The validity of the targets? The effect of the satire? Offensive or not? The range of denominations included? Traditional religions? The high-powered moneyed and exploitive American religions?

4. Religion in the United States and its eccentricities? The monastery in the mountains and its need for money? The decision to send the habited monk into Los Angeles? The mobile churches and the revivalist preachers? The new media tycoons and the religious sect? The point with God as computer? The range of religious attitudes over the American States? In the cities, in the countryside? Churches, buildings, media studios as places of worship?

5. The range of musical background: the use of hymns and religious themes? Harry Nilsson's title theme and the satire of the lyrics?

6. The opening with the audience seeing the conventional monastery, the old jokes about monasteries and silence, etc.? The introduction to Ambrose, the literally innocent man? The background of his story and his being a foundling? The relationship with the abbot? His being chosen to go on the mission despite his unwillingness and his not having been outside the monastery? The focus on celibacy - and the inevitable build-up to satire on religion and sexuality?

7. The plausibility of the complete American innocent going on the road in contemporary America, California? His lack of knowledge and experience? Hitch-hiking and the rides? The trip with Dr. Melmoth and his fast talk? His being dropped in Los Angeles, the sleazy area and the innocent amongst the prostitutes? The jokes? The introduction to sexuality and the explanations given him? How humorous the innocent trying to understand celibacy and sexuality? Relationships? Cold showers? The validity of this kind of satire?

8. The encounter with Mary and her reaction to him? His helping her? The hiding? The talking? The lovemaking and the innocent's experience of sexuality? The satiric way in which it was presented as regards rules and numbers? His making a home with Mary? His falling in love with her, his tenderness, her pregnancy and his marrying her?

9. The satire on Armageddon T. Thunderbird and his public appearances, his persuasiveness? His refusal to help those in need and the ruthlessness of the bodyguards throwing people out? His high-rise office block? His television show and the satire on so many of the media evangelists? His hypocrisy in front of the audience? The ridicule of this kind of person? His building, office - and the humorous notices e.g. "The bucks stop here"? His going to consult with GOD -and the revelation that GOD was a computer advising him how to make money? His henchmen and staff? The computer and the worldly ideas?

10. The contrast with Dr. Melmoth and his travelling church? The conman with the miracles, setting up Ambrose as somebody to be cured? His making saints? Robbing Ambrose of his money? Ambrose chasing and arguing, the crash - and the meeting with Mary? The irony that Mary was Dr. Melmoth's daughter?

11. Ambrose and his trying to cope with his mission, failing to get the money, getting the support of Mary, the clashes with Dr. Melmoth and chasing him? The bus going into the river? His going on the road for Armageddon? The churches, the sessions, his being caught up in the phoney religion?

12. GOD and Armageddon - and Richard Pryor as the computer GOD? The humour of Ambrose reprogramming GOD by reading the Bible to him and making the profit motive switch to charity? The humorous and ironical discussion? The sabotaging of Thunderbird's programme?

13. The build-up to the Christmas show - the musical numbers, the Mary Poppins style of singing, the Christmas gifts? The break-up and the chase? GOD rescuing Ambrose with the crane? The frustration of Thunderbird?

14. The happy ending, Ambrose's return to the monastery, his getting permission to leave? The reconciliation with Melmoth - and his helping in the pursuit of Armageddon? The wedding?

15. The themes of true religion and institutions? The place of money?

16. Ambrose as a Christ-figure: the innocent sent into the world, learning by experience, the reaction to the tax collectors, the prostitutes? The Pharisees and the confrontation of them? An embodiment of love, tenderness, truth and values?