Originally published in Movies Plus Magazine, 2003
James Caviezel is the latest in a long line of actors to play God in a movie, but who are the others?
Dogma
Alanis Morrissette is one of two people to portray God Kevin Smith’s stoner comedy. The other is dishevelled actor, Bud Cort. Alanis’s incarnation of the deity provoked controversy when the film was first released. Who ever heard of a diminutive, angry rock star and a female one at that playing God? Alanis doesn’t speak in the one scene she is in, she leaves that to the Metatron (Alan Rickman) instead she does handstands and floats about, fairy style. Who said that God wasn’t peaceful?
Bruce Almighty
Morgan Freeman portrayed God in last year’s wacky comedy BRUCE ALMIGHTY. A black God with a sense of humour went down better with audiences across the globe. The film showed the funny side to life, but still had gut-wrenching scenes of over-sentimentality. A sickly sweet God!
O, God!
George Burns played God three times in total for the O, God! trilogy. The first film was the original and best by far but the others are still entertaining. Burns’ bespectacled, kindly deity matched more correctly the masses idea of God. Screenwriter Larry Gelbart who adapted the O, God! screenplay from the novel by Avery Corman says; “I’m sure if God had cast approval, and in a way I guess he did, George would have sat well with him”.
The Next Voice You Hear
Back in the 1950′s, giving God a physical form or even a voice was a sensitive area, The Next Voice You Hear got around this by allowing God to speak through a radio. The characters could hear God telling them about the evils of war but the audience couldn’t. Interestingly, this movie stars a young Nancy Davis, who went on to become America’s First Lady in the 1980′s when her husband, Ronald Regan became President.
Bedazzled
No, not the fiasco that starred Liz Hurley in a succession of revealing outfits, the original. Written by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore at the height of their fame, the film not only features the Devil but God too. Valentine Dyall supplied the voice of the unseen character and brought him into the list of actors who have voiced God; Val Kilmer (The Prince of Egypt), Gene Hackman (Two of a Kind) and Faye Dunaway (the upcoming Love Hollywood Style), to name but a few.
Not to be outdone, Jesus has had as many, if not more screen incarnations than his father:
The Last Temptation of Christ
Martin Scorsese’s controversial film depicts the last choice that Jesus must make; between living as an ordinary man, or walking the path of the deity. Dafoe is delicate yet powerful as Jesus, and his Sermon on the Mount is outstanding.
Jesus Christ Superstar
Ted Neeley plays Jesus in the first of the musical incarnations of Jesus. In this production however, Jesus plays second fiddle to the charismatic narrator Judas. Judas steals all the best songs from the overly pensive and slightly wimpy Jesus. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s songs are fun, if at times a little camp, biblical times meet the 1970′s in a slightly trippy, sparkly manner, but overall Superstar is rousing and lively.
Godspell
Another of the all-singing, all-dancing Jesuses. Jesus tells his disciples of the Seven Deadly Sins and is eventually crucified. The movie is a patchy musicalisation of the Gospel according to Matthew but in the main is uplifting. Frizzy hair and pasty make-up aside, Victor Garber is convincing in his film debut, enough to make New Yorkers from all walks of life follow him. No mean feat.
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter
Jesus Christ Vs Lesbian Vampires? Not quite as God intended! Phil Caracas plays the title role in this kung fu meets Rocky Horror meets Jesus Christ Superstar bloodfest. JC has ditched his flowing linens for punk leather and piercings, he patrols the streets of Vancouver pitching himself against the evil that lurks there. The movie tries to be a cult classic but somehow misses the mark. Still, it has a core following that loves it, so it must be doing something right…
Whistle Down The Wind
Another one that got the musical treatment by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The movie is not based on the musical however, but the book of the same name by Mary Hayley Bell. A young girl finds a man hiding in her shed and asks him his name. The man is delirious but manages to whisper “Jesus Christ” before passing out. Thus follows a sentimental tale about the innocence of children. OK, so Alan Bates’ The Man is not strictly Jesus Christ (more an escaped murderer) but it is an interesting and touching idea.
