4.9????

"Smite him in the gut!"

I can't believe the rating for this, Marty Feldman's comic masterpiece. A brilliant blend of razor sharp satire and broad, physical comedy, it's absolutely crazy to me that In God We Tru$t still hasn't found enough of a receptive audience to qualify it as a respectable cult classic.

Far more accomplished than Feldman's earlier, uneven, and much meddled-with directorial effort, The Last Remake of Beau Geste (which is remarkable when it works) In God We Tru$t is a beautifully designed, constructed and executed piece of film comedy. The pace, the progression of gags, the variety of gags, the inventiveness, the wordplay, the imagery, the unhinged bravura performance of Andy Kaufman, Richard Pryor playing a computerized God whom Feldman has to convert to Christianity .... It's just a brilliant madcap about hucksterism and faith, full of great ideas, sharp barbs and surprisingly quite a bit of genuine heart in with all of the silliness and absurdity. It's a hodgepodge of elements and styles, sure, but that mix is indicative of Feldman's consistent and multi-faceted comic vision. It's a shame he was never able to write and direct more films.

Definitely due for some re-evaluation, I think. Seek-Hail!