# Movies/TV Shows with Gods Playing with Humans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 5, 2009, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394 "2009-05-05T05:45:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/21 "2009-05-05T16:38:33Z")
> [@Morgis](#): > > God is pretty amusing in the movie _Time Bandits_. Don’t you mean the Supreme Being? > [@](#): > > Kevin: Who was that man? > Fidgit: That was no man. That was the Supreme Being. > Kevin: You mean God? > Fidgit: Well, we don’t know Him that well. We only work for Him. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/22 "2009-05-05T16:50:11Z")
Any pact-with-the-Devil story would count, e.g., the film adaptation of _The Devil and Daniel Webster,_ and _Bedazzled_ (both Dudley Moore/Peter Cook original and Brendan Frasier/Elizabeth Hurley remake). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/23 "2009-05-05T16:53:07Z")
Dogma ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/24 "2009-05-05T16:53:59Z")
There’s an old movie called [_The Man Who Could Work Miracles_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Could_Work_Miracles) about a guy whom the gods, as an experiment, have decided to bestow upon him the ability to do whatever he’d like (other than messing with people’s free will). He decides to use his powers to improve the world, and create world peace, in the end causing catastrophic events. It’s by H.G. Wells, and was released in 1936. The special effects for the time were ground-breaking. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/25 "2009-05-05T17:03:27Z")
[Gargoyles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gargoyles_(TV_series)) has some of this, though the gods are the “Third Race” Oberon’s children. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/26 "2009-05-05T17:13:55Z")
In the timeless 80’s classic **Two of a Kind** , featuring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, God decides to destroy the world but is dissuaded by several angels – Charles Durning and Scatman Crothers among them – to give humanity a pass if our two protagonists fall in love. And Oliver Reed plays the Devil. Awesomely. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/27 "2009-05-05T17:52:05Z")
Well, there’s ongoing show _Reaper_, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/28 "2009-05-05T17:53:07Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s by H.G. Wells, and was released in 1936. The special effects for the time were ground-breaking. One of the “Gods” in that was an unbelievably young Torin Thatcher – _with hair_. I’m used to him playing the mean old intimidating Bald Heavy, as in Senventh Voyage of Sinbad or Hawaii or Witness for the Prosecution Old Thatcher: [http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F\_adv\_prop%3Dimage%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26va%3Dtorin%2Bthatcher%26sz%3Dall&w=150&h=150&imgurl=www.cinefania.com%2Fpics%2Fpersonas%2F8%2F8743.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cinefania.com%2Fpersona.php%2FTorin%2BThatcher&size=3k&name=8743.jpg&p=torin+thatcher&oid=3f15f7982b7021a6&no=4&tt=87&sigr=11j32cfdh&sigi=11anhtce6&sigb=132j9k066](http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26va%3Dtorin%2Bthatcher%26sz%3Dall&w=150&h=150&imgurl=www.cinefania.com%2Fpics%2Fpersonas%2F8%2F8743.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cinefania.com%2Fpersona.php%2FTorin%2BThatcher&size=3k&name=8743.jpg&p=torin+thatcher&oid=3f15f7982b7021a6&no=4&tt=87&sigr=11j32cfdh&sigi=11anhtce6&sigb=132j9k066) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/29 "2009-05-05T18:22:26Z")
> [@Judith\_Prietht](#): > > In the timeless 80’s classic **Two of a Kind** (underlining added) I used to think I understood what those two words meant. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/30 "2009-05-05T19:00:47Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > [The Bishop’s Wife](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039190/), starring Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young. I came in mostly to say that TBW is the greatest Xmas movie of all time. That said, I’m not sure that it counts as “gods playing with humans.” After all, The titular bishop specifically ASKS for help–he’s just surprised when he actually gets it. And all the “playing” (i.e.., Grant’s angel falling in love with Loretta Young), happens because Niven’s Bishop is so ornery and doesn’t want the Angel to do the specific thing he was requested to do. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/31 "2009-05-05T20:25:08Z")
How about the current TV show (which I haven’t actually seen, but I understand that God messes around with her quite a bit) _Saving Grace_? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/32 "2009-05-05T21:55:50Z")
If we define “god” broadly enough to include “any meddlesome supernatural entity,” then, any film adaptation of _A Midsummer Night’s Dream._ ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/33 "2009-05-06T06:38:54Z")
The Devil’s Advocate (Which is most proper, bolding or italicizing?) has Satan interacting among humans. Milton/Satan will fluently speak any language that is convenient. Chinese to a Chinese grocer for example. Or my favorite, Spanish to some Latino guys on the train. Telling one of them where he should more properly be putting that knife he’s threatening Milton with. Bad assery all around. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/34 "2009-05-06T11:40:47Z")
Ray Harryhausen’s CLASH OF THE TITANS ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/35 "2009-05-06T14:04:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Ray Harryhausen’s CLASH OF THE TITANS Mentioned at least twice already (once in the OP), but understandable – it’s probably the pre-eminen example. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394/36 "2009-05-06T14:59:42Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > Well, there’s ongoing show _Reaper_, I suppose. Ooooo, yes. I should’ve mentioned that. Great show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-shows-with-gods-playing-with-humans/495394.md?page=1)