In God We Tru$t
Tags: satire

Plot synopsis:
A naive monk, Brother Ambrose (Feldman), is sent by the abbot on a mission to raise $5000 in order to save their monastery from closing. He goes to Hollywood where he encounters a number of eccentric characters. He is at first robbed and later befriended by con artist Dr. Sebastian Melmoth (Boyle), and meets a prostitute named Mary (Lasser) who lets him stay at her apartment. Mary grows to care for Ambrose and seduces him while he is taking a cold shower to try to alleviate his lustful thoughts about her. While he is in Hollywood, he visits several churches including a service at the Church of Divine Profit, performed by the televangelist Armageddon T. Thunderbird (Kaufman) in which he sees the focus of the sermon being a request for money in exchange for salvation. Ambrose is angered by this message and tries to meet a number of times with Thunderbird, being ejected each time.
Dr. Melmoth and Ambrose travel the city in a modified school bus, in which they hold church services for donations. During one service, the brakes of the bus release and the bus rolls downhill into a river. The passengers escape safely in the river and are shown on the local news being baptized by the pair, which catches Thunderbird's attention. He prays to G. O. D. for guidance and it tells him to work with Ambrose to make more money because Ambrose is an innocent and has a clean image.
Thunderbird has his minions kidnap Ambrose and bring him to his office where he outlines a plan for his own brand of church on wheels. He says he will pay Ambrose the $5000 the monastery needs if he assists him. While they are talking, Thunderbird mentions that G. O. D. (Richard Pryor) audibly talks to him when he prays to him and Ambrose is surprised because he himself has never heard from God in this way. Ambrose agrees to work with Thunderbird and they go across the country from town to town holding services in their own bus.
One day at Thunderbird's headquarters, Ambrose overhears Thunderbird praying to G. O. D. in his private chamber and when he hears G. O. D. speak back to him, he is intrigued. When Thunderbird leaves, he sneaks into the chamber and discovers that G. O. D. (General Organizational Directivatator) is a sophisticated master computer, linked to all of Thunderbird's finances and operations. He talks with G. O. D. and reads the Bible to it, giving it morality and a conscience. G. O. D. decides to give all of Thunderbird's money away and tells Ambrose what to do to accomplish this, which results in bags of money being poured out of the office's window. Thunderbird discovers someone has been interfering with the computer and rushes back to headquarters where he tries to capture Ambrose and destroys the computer. Ambrose grabs the paid monastery mortgage certificate from Thunderbird's office and escapes in a chase through the city.
While Mary and Dr. Melmoth look for Ambrose during his escape, she learns that Melmoth is her father that left her family when she was a child, due to a distinctive tattoo she sees on his leg. They eventually find Ambrose and rescue him from the people chasing him.
Ambrose goes back to the monastery and gives the abbot the mortgage certificate, then leaves and marries Mary, who is pregnant from their single night together. The end titles show Melmoth's bus traveling down the road, saying they "all lived happily hereafter".

Review: A clear-eyed look at religion in America.
Marty Feldman plays a meek monk who emerges from the monastery he's lived in all his life to get the money needed to save it.
He travels to the big city and meets a number of characters who are obsessed with religion, money, or both.
This movie manages to show devotion, delusion and hypocrisy with clarity and, yes, grace, while providing plenty of laughs.
Blessed are the meek, for they get off easy in this one; the greedy and vicious are not so lucky.
Andy Kaufman's performance as Armageddon T.
Thunderbird is brilliant, chilling, and not to be missed..
Fine satire with Andy Kauffman, Peter Boyle, Louise Lasser, etc..
The late Marty Feldman's most notable directorial effort.
The movie features an exceptional portrayal by Andy Kauffman of the Reverend Armageddon...who sports his blond pompador with great authority.Most notable thing about the movie is the VERY clever writing.
Much of the plot action is over the top slapstick, but sometimes the movie gets very sly and smart...especially when Andy is in the spotlight.Fine funny performances from Peter Boyle and Louise Lasser."The meek shall inherit the earth" "Yeah, but only when the strong are through with it.".
Decent parody of hypocritical religious sects.
Marty Feldman got another chance to write and direct a movie, and this one is a little less funny.
Still, it provides a humorous view of televangelists and other religious organizations in their neverending pursuit of money over spirituality.
Andy Kaufman, as televangelist Armageddon T.
Thunderbird, is simply brilliant (which is not always the word used to describe him) and Feldman, Lasser, and Boyle also provide vivid characterizations.
I enjoyed this film, even though Feldman gave Richard Pryor very little to do and the film runs out of steam near the end.
Nevertheless, there are some big laughs, and any fans of Feldman should enjoy.
Definitely worthwhile renting if you can find it.
Not quite on the level as the equally irreverent "Life of Brian," but is quite good, too.
My rating:  7/10 stars..
Feldman made other films, it's time to realize that.....
-May contain spoilers.Many people only know Marty Feldman as Igor in 1974's "Young Frankenstein".
And, I'll admit, unless one does some research, that's all one can really ever know.
It's a shame that his other stuff, such as this film, has gone more unnoticed.
Anyway..."In God We Tru$t", from what I've heard and read really did horribly at the box office, and the critics just seemed to rip it to shreds!
It's as if they couldn't find anything good about it.
I really enjoyed this film.
Maybe it wasn't well received because to me, in this movie, Feldman doesn't play his usual silly, comic relief based roles.
I mean yes, he's funny in this film, but he has a much more straight role than in his other films, and yeah...he actually acts and emotes.
Also, maybe romantic comedies weren't as big then, who knows?
Or maybe the press just didn't think Marty Feldman had the right to play a serious, or semi-romantic role.
Regardless, I feel that in this film, Feldman gets to showcase his real acting ability, and he's really great in this movie.
And there's great support from the likes of Peter Boyle, Andy Kaufman, Richard Pryor, etc...Looks-wise, Feldman was not the "conventional leading man", but in this film, I feel he makes it work.
His "By the way, I think I love you...do you mind?" is delivered in an absolutely convincing and adorable way...So yes, maybe this film is more a cute, sweet, sort of movie...but why did all of Marty Feldman's films have to be silly, manic, or zany?
I think if anything the fact that he did different things shows his versatility.
The concept of this film, a monk who really doesn't belong in the monastery, having to go out into the imperfect and corrupt world, falling in love with a prostitute, etc...I mean, it's great.
All I can really see that is wrong with it, is simply the fact that unlike most Feldman movies that make one go, "HA HA!" this may make one go..."Awww".Some deep lines too, such as "It may not be the best of all possible worlds but it's the only one we've got" and "Doubts are about the only certainties I have right now." Maybe I'm not with the popular opinion, but I enjoyed it and give it 8/10..
Uneven comedy, but not bad..
This flick (one of the least-seen comedies EVER, I believe) tries to be, at once, a slapstick chase comedy, an offensive religious comedy, a leering sex comedy and an expose of evangelists who exploit the faith of their naive audiences!
The results are uneven, but not horrible.
Apart from the much-mentioned already Andy Kaufman, there is a standout performance by Louise Lasser, as a warm-hearted hooker.
Richard Pryor, as God, is underused, though.
Very funny and biting.
Religious types hate this movie and have tried to bury it with poor ratings.
(Unfortunately, they've largely succeeded.) An example is the Blockbuster 1996 Movie Guide, which gives it one star (out of five) while, for example, giving the over-the-top, outrageously homo-erotic religious pic Ben Hur four-and-a-half stars.Despite all the religious disinformation, this is a very well written, funny film.
Marty Feldman is very good as Brother Ambrose, a painfully innocent monk cast into the devil's playground of L.A.; Peter Boyle is likewise good as Rev. Melmouth, a low-budget Jerry Falwell who takes advantage of Ambrose; and Louise Lasser does her best work since "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" as the heart-of-gold hooker who saves Ambrose from his religiously induced misery (to Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus").In the end, the film does wuss out somewhat (no details -- I don't want to spoil it) -- it is a Hollywood film after all -- but it's still a stinging indictment of religious arrogance and hypocrisy.If you're smart enough to resent the intrusive, authoritarian religious nuts who want to control your life (and everyone else's), you'll probably enjoy this film..
Probably one of the most underrated comedies of its age..
This Feldman production is not the greatest comedy ever made, but Feldman co-wrote, directed, and starred in this Feldman-at-the-Helm vehicle.
It truly showcases his talents as no other movie before it had.
While it does attempt to do too much, the attempt is not a waste.
Feldman merely aimed his sights at Blazing Saddles and made the attempt.
It pokes fun at Christians and all organized religion, the pop-culture of the time, contemporary ideologies, the action-driven cop shows of the age, and itself.
This is one of those wonderful movies which knows it's a movie and never takes itself too seriously.Feldman is Father Ambrose is the outcast of the monastery.
When the archdiocese decides they must have more money from the outside world, or shut its doors, Father Ambrose is chosen to leave the familiar world of hard benches and stone floors, and venture out in search of their salvation.
Ironic in that "salvation" is supposed to be their specialty.There are some wonderful cameos by Richard Pryor as God, Andy Kauffman, and Peter Boyle.Along the way, Ambrose discovers what he's been missing out on all those years cloistered in a hermetic order, and processes new information which enables him to rethink his choice from an informed perspective.
He finds laughter; he finds that while men are corrupt, MAN is decent at heart; and he finds himself.
All in all a very endearing, if dated, work.It rates a 6.6/10 from...the Fiend :..
Original changed for video.
This thing cracks me up.
I saw it on TV when I was a child.
My parents recorded it and it became a staple of my viewing choices while growing up.
I only wish they would have included the original opening title theme, "Good for God".
I was very disappointed when I finally got a new video copy several years ago.
I was poised for my traditional sing-along only to be presented with a new opening title.
If anybody has the ability to see the original, I would recommend it.
Either way, the movie is good for quite a few laughs..
Ignore the IMDb voter average..
As so often, the IMDb voter average is nothing to go by, in terms of seeking quality.
However, in the case of this very funny, even somewhat clever, comedy the 4.6 average is a joke.
The reason for it is obvious: many people who have never seen the movie but heard about it and what it's about decided to hate it without giving it a chance.IGWT is quite an offensive movie to believers, and anyone who is strongly Christian (or of any other religious persuasion) should not only avoid this movie, but pray to his God that He burn all copies of it.Although, the movie mocks the commercialization of religion far more than Christianity itself.As an atheist, I loved this movie and recommend it to all agnostics, other atheists, Christianity-haters, but also Christians who can take a joke.
Provided, of course, that you don't mind raunchy, irreverent humour.Feldman is quite weird playing an ultra-naive do-gooder monk who has never been outside his monastery.
The premise alone makes one curious to see the film.
The supporting cast is very good, too (Boyle, Kaufman, etc.).Obviously not as good as the almost flawless mother of all religion-bashing films, "Life Of Brian", but with plenty of good and wicked gags at the expense of religion.There is criticism that IGWT was just a cashing-in reaction to Monty Python's Jesus movie, but who cares if it was?
There are plenty of movies that support religion, so another (good) comedy that goes in the opposite direction really can't hurt..
ex-post-facto bellybuster.
While I didn't quite know how to take the film the first time I saw it, after viewing it three different times, and letting a lot of time pass, my ripening sense of humor absolutely adored the hilarious jabs at religion - primarily Christianity - in all its contemporary marketing in the U.S. The bumbling monk from the monastery who just isn't in touch with the real world but must learn how to deal with it; the itinerant preacher in a modified flivver with a steeple and amplified speaker driving around "enticing" money from the crowds he can gather on the street; and the glowing puffery of the TV evangelist - who has more evil behind him than the good he portrays to his public.
GREAT HUMOR.
Well acted by Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle and Andy Kaufman.
Contains a very interesting twist..
Decent movie.
A pretty good film,slow moving.
Andy Kaufman steals the show as: Armageddon T Thunderbird a Televangelist.Andy Kaufman rehearsed for this role in London's "Hyde Park" and in New York City..
Bad, very bad.
In all my life, I've only walked out of one film.
It was so horribly stupid, I just couldn't take watching it.
I can't believe that this garbage actually got made.
What kind of a moron would fund this retarded piece of junk?
There is nothing funny, and believe me, I'm the kind of guy that can find comedy in a lot of films that sucked.
But this just was idiotic and insanely stupid.
I can't recommend any portion of it.
I can't recommend any of the acting.
Not one thing was good about it.
I wish I had the minutes of my life I spent watching this tripe.
Marty Feldman and Andy Kaufman have always been funny to me but in this film they simply wasted their time..
Terrible waste of time.
I certainly would be curious to know exactly what it was that the 'positive' reviewers of this bad film were smoking.
I did not see this movie when it first came out in 1980 (thankfully) but i did see it tonight for the first (and last) time on cable.
I kept on wondering if the actors KNEW it was crap during the filming because not one ounce of it was worthwhile or funny.
Not ANY of the actors appearances or performances were memorable or redeeming.
I've always liked Feldman.
His best role was that of Igor in 'Young Frankenstein' A movie that came out in 1974 that i could see many many times over and STILL laugh out loud.
Cant say that for this 'In God We Tru$t' waste of time..
Tedious unfunny rubbish.
Some friends I was with wanted to watch this film so I had to go along with it.
It was an hour and a half of my life I will never get back.
If you like Marty Feldman and/or religious satires, you might get a few laughs or at least the odd smile.
Otherwise forget it.
As I watched the film I was trying to decide what year the film was made.
I thought it was 1968-69 at first but I settled on 1971-72.
So to find it was released in 1980 was a surprise.
The film contains just about every D actor I've never heard of and if I laughed twice during the whole thing I will consider myself very fortunate.
This is very very close to being the worst film I have ever seen in my life..
Marty's Masterpiece!.
'In God We Tru$t or Gimme That Prime Time Religion' ( 1980 ) was one of two movies ( the other being 1977's 'The Last Remake Of Beau Geste' ) written, directed and starring the much-missed British comic genius Marty Feldman.
It opened to a hostile response from critics and public alike, causing Universal to terminate his five-picture contract, plunging him into near-suicidal despair.
With 'Monty Python's Life Of Brian' having opened the year before, and America about to embrace the kind of materialistic values the film makes fun of by putting Ronald Reagan in The White House, its timing was unfortunate.
Marty plays 'Brother Ambrose', one of an order of Trappist monks, who is asked by 'Father Thelonius' ( Wilfrid Hyde-White ) to leave the monastery and go to Los Angeles in search of big-time television evangelist 'Armaggeddon T.Thunderbird' ( Andy Kaufman ), founder of the Church of Divine Profit.
The filthy rich Thunderbird has an office which is a copy of the Oval Office in the White House ( a sign on his desk reads: The Bucks Stop Here ).
He also has regular conversations with 'God' - who turns out to be a computer known as 'General Operational Directorvator' ( voiced by Richard Pryor!
). Brother Ambrose must ask Thunderbird to pay off the monastery's mortgage.
The first person he meets on his epic journey is seedy evangelist 'Dr.Sebastian Melmoth' ( the late Peter Boyle ), who drives a mobile church!
Robbed by the preacher, Ambrose is left destitute.
Until he meets a hooker with a heart of gold called 'Mary' ( Louise Lasser )...This is a clever satire on the commercialisation of religion, in particular those charlatans who shamelessly exploit The Bible to line their pockets.
There is not a jot of difference between Melmoth selling wooden crosses with a toy Christ affixed and Thunderbird urging his followers to hand over all their belongings because 'God is in hospital'.
Mixing satire and slapstick can be a risky business, but here Marty ( and co-writer Chris Allen ) have miraculously pulled it off.
Only occasionally does it get a little heavy-handed, such as Thunderbird's followers screaming "Seek!
Find!" in such a way as to make it indistinguishable from "Sieg Heil!", but it does not harm the film too much.
Feldman gives a delightful performance as the innocent 'Brother Ambrose', and is ably supported by Boyle, Lasser, and Pryor.
I have never been a fan of the late Andy Kaufman, but his performance as the smarmy 'Thunderbird' is simply brilliant.
He gets most of the best lines, including: !"If God had not intended for some people to be poor, then He would not have had The Bible published in paperback!".Funniest moment - during Mass, the brake on Melmoth's mobile church slips, causing it and everyone aboard to go hurtling downhill into a river!
Second funniest moment - the wonderful climax which gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'redistribution of wealth'!
Marty's next appearance on the big screen would be in 'Slapstick Of Another Kind' ( 1982 ), based on the Kurt Vonnegut book.
Shortly after completing his scenes in Graham Chapman's ill-fated pirate spoof 'Yellowbeard' ( 1983 ), Marty died from a heart attack.
His 'In God We Trust' co-star Andy Kaufman succumbed to lung cancer a year later.
They may have gone, alas, but the film they made together lives on, and looks funnier with each passing year.
In my view it deserves a major revaluation..
Some lines not yet mentioned.
My memory may be a bit foggy as I haven't seen this movie in a while; so, if I get these wrong please feel free to correct them."Have you been celibate today?" ...
"Yes, 4 times." ...
"Good 5 would have been tantamount." "All great things have 3 initials, IBM, IRS, GOD" "This is the Grand Organizational Directiveator G.O.D." This movie was excellent.
It's hard to imagine anyone not finding anything funny in it.
I can see someone maybe finding it too slapstick at times or being, perhaps, a little upset that it makes fun of televangelists and organized religion; but, they had to know what it would be like going in (the title gives fair warning).
Bottom line, this movie is funny.Btw, does anyone know where I can find this movie?
I want to watch it again.