MovieChat Forums > Oh, God! Book II (1980) Discussion > Alternate TV Versions That Can No Longer...

Alternate TV Versions That Can No Longer Be Found.

posted 18 years ago by jbartelone
10 replies | jump to latest

Guys,

I really like this movie even better than the original. The chemestry between George Burns and Louanne was great. Her 5th grade teacher, Ms. Hudson had a really funny voice and there are some great cameos by such well-knows as Hugh Downes and Dr. Joyce Brothers.

When this movie aired on broadcast TV I recall a couple of scenes that can no longer be scene in any form of the movie:

One was a scene where Tracy is looking for "God" in the park and goes up to an ice cream man who looks like "God" in that scene. He says to her, "Hi sweetie, what flaver?" This scene is even mentioned by the psychiatrist when the doctor is talking to her parents. I have only seen this scene that one time and have not seen it since.

I also seem to recall another scene with Tracy and "God" in a church but can not varify this. Does anyone else remember these scenes?

Joe

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jbartelone 17 years ago

OK just to expand on this,

It's on HBO this month and I watched it on HBO Family. Now I know for sure that the ice cream scene is missing because at Tracy's "sanity" hearing at the end of the movie she says God gave her an ice-cream cone ("Cherry Jubilee") The first time she is in the park this happens. The second time she is looking for God, when she learns she might have to go to an institution, she sees an ice-crean cart in the park and the back of a man's head who looks like God. Happily, she calls out to him, "God!" and runs to him. The man turns and says, "Hi Sweetie, what flaver?" Tracy says, "Oh Sorry."

There is ANOTHER missing scene when she is talking to God about how to come up with a slogan to improve his image and spread his messagge. She says she needs more time to think about it and she says, "I know what we should do! We should do like my Dad does, let's have a business lunch." God agrees and than the scene that you see shortly afterwords is Tracy where she is with God at McDonald's. The McDonald's scene is included on HBO, but Tracy's talking to God about it is not.

I never saw the original theatrical release. I saw it on Commercial Network TV probably about two years after the original release and those scenes were in there. Then some time later I saw HBO's version and remembered that those scenes were not included.

Joe

[–] Inessence4 15 years ago

I don't own this movie on vhs, but could doubt the scenes you described were ever made commercially available. Unless they were just in your imagination, these were probably "deleted" scenes used as "filler" for scenes edited out due to objectionable content and/or to extend the move to two hours in length with commercials.

I remember seeing "Aliens" on TV around 1988 or so, long before the actual Director's Cut was put on the store shelves around '96. With all the swearing in that film, you can imagine the carnage on the cutting room floor. The DC version contained much of the "filler" footage I had remembered seeing on TV, yet, there's still a scene or two I recall that still didn't make it on the DC version. Unfortunately, I very much doubt that OG!BII will ever receive the Director's Cut treatment.

"Fast Times At Ridgemont High" is also famous for these TV edit versions containing alternate (non-theatrical) scenes, among many others I'm sure. Some completists actually listed all the "missing" commercially unavailable scenes and uploaded them from home-recorded copies so fans could piece them together and make their own DC versions of the film.

[–] jbartelone 15 years ago

I am sure that those scenes existed, BUT I think they were a part of the commercial broadcast version on TV. I saw the movie on broadcast TV around 1985, twice, and those scenes were there. I watched the movie on Gospel Music Channel a few days ago, thinking that maybe those scenes might have returned, but they were not there. In addition, Gospel Music Channel edited out all references to Tracy's use of the word "boobs", (when talking to her father about Joan, his girlfriend), and there was also some ludicrous dubbing when Paula and Don have the argument about how to help Tracy.

[–] Inessence4 15 years ago

"Would you rather I call them knockers?" lol. Best line of the movie.

[–] MissMillie420 14 years ago

At least three scenes appear in the broadcast TV version that do not appear on the DVD release: 1) Tracy buys an ice cream cone from God, who is working as an ice cream vendor in a park. 2) Later in the movie, in the sequence where Tracy is looking for God, she sees an ice cream vendor that she mistakes for God, and the man asks her what flavor she wants. 3) Some dialogue between Tracy and God in which they discuss having a "business lunch". The first scene is referred to by Dr. Newall when he is discussing Tracy with her parents, and then later by Tracy herself at her hearing. The third scene is indirectly referenced by Tracy's father remarking to her that if he were going to "sell the high qualities of a person, [he] would take that person to lunch."

Here's to those who wish me well...

[–] Eightythreeyearoldguy 13 years ago

It did seem to me that the DVD version was shorter than I recall the movie originally being.

Life, every now and then, behaves as though it had seen too many bad movies

[–] thielking-523-895526 10 years ago

I just found a Beta tape that had a copy of the CTV airing of the movie from December 1982.
Scanning through the tape, I found the Ice Cream man scene that you referred to. It does exist! I have the proof!

Davester.

[–] haileybaron 9 years ago

Yes I don't know what everyone is talking about.
The scene where the girl buys an ice cream cone from God has always been part of the film

[–] taticat 9 years ago

Well, thielking above has already verified it, but fwiw, I was a child when this came out, and just started looking for available DLs to see if they still differ because I remember the same parts being in OGBII, and I believe I have seen OGBII at least three-ish times so far. I don't remember ever seeing a missing scene version.