The Summary for this unviewed film was based on reviews in the 26 Sep 1980 NYT and the 1 Oct 1980 Var. The credits are derived from official screen credits in AMPAS library files.
       Working titles for the film were In God We Tru$t, In God We Tru$t (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion), and In God We Trust (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion).
       According to an article in the 8 Jul 1979 LAT, Marty Feldman co-wrote the screenplay, directed and starred in In God We Tru$t (Gimme That Prime Time Religion), filmed in the Los Angeles, CA, area with a budget in the $6 to $8 million range. Feldman’s wife, Lauretta, was the film’s associate producer. The 9 Apr 1979 HR reported principal photography was scheduled to begin 16 Apr 1979.
       An item in the 30 Jun 1980 DV announced that a La Jolla, CA, sneak preview of In God We Trust was successful and Universal Pictures planned to release the film in fall 1980. The 24 Sep 1980 HR reported the film would be released nationally 26 Sep 1980. The film opened to generally negative reviews, with both the NYT and Var noting that the film lacked comedy.
       An article in the 25 Mar 1982 HR reported that writers Mort Lachman and Ed Simmons lost their copyright infringement lawsuit against Universal Studios and Marty Feldman. Lachman and Simmons claimed that In God We Trust was plagiarized from their 1971 script Albert, written for CBM Prods., based in Munich, Germany. CBM Prods. representatives testified that the production company owned the copyright on Albert, and therefore, Federal district Judge Cynthia Hall ruled that Lachman and Simmons did not prove their ownership of the Albert screenplay, which was the first requirement of a copyright infringement suit. A lawyer representing CBM Prods. stated the company might pursue their own copyright infringement lawsuit.
       Articles in the 10 Jun 1982 LAHExam and the 16 Jun 1982 Var reported that author Donald E. Westlake filed a $2.5 million plagiarism lawsuit against Universal Studios, claiming that In God We Trust was plagiarized from his 1975 novel Brothers Keepers. According to the suit, Universal Studios optioned Westlake’s book for one year on 1 Aug 1975, and extended the agreement for another year, but allowed the option to expire on 31 Jul 1977. The outcome of the lawsuit could not be determined as of Jun 2014.