Oh, God! You Devil (1984) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The Devil (Harry O. Tophet) claims priority because he noticed that God had promised to watch over Bobby when the boy was sick with scarlet fever in 1960. The Devil interprets this as God having a special interest in Bobby, which gives him the right to claim Bobby's soul if Bobby himself offers it through his desperate plea to sell his soul.

Foreshadowing: The elderly man outside Bobby's apartment in 1960 was God himself, making the promise to watch over Bobby.

• devil
• soul
• priority
• promise
• god

When Bobby signs the contract with Harry, the Devil magically changes the name on the line to Billy Wayne, the famous rock star who has only weeks to live. This supernatural act transfers Billy Wayne's identity, career, and life onto Bobby, while Billy Wayne himself ends up trapped in Bobby's original body with no memory of who he was.

Foreshadowing: Harry's contract contains hidden supernatural terms that Bobby doesn't read carefully.

• body swap
• billy wayne
• contract
• magic
• identity

Billy Wayne is dying because the Devil has been influencing him, draining his life force through the dark bargain. Harry mentions that Billy Wayne has only weeks to live under his influence, which is why the Devil orchestrates the identity swap, to keep the rock star career alive by transferring it to a new vessel while the original dies.

Foreshadowing: Harry promises Bobby fame and fortune at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, but the deal comes with a hidden catch.

• billy wayne
• dying
• death
• devil's influence

Harry tells Bobby that God has become bitter and rarely comes to Earth anymore. This is meant to discourage Bobby from seeking divine help and to make the Devil's offer seem more appealing. However, this claim is part of the Devil's deception to isolate Bobby from seeking salvation.

Foreshadowing: God's promise to watch over Bobby from childhood suggests he hasn't completely abandoned humanity.

• god
• bitter
• earth
• depressed
• absence

When Bobby attempts suicide, God and the Devil engage in a high-stakes supernatural poker game for his soul. The stakes are enormous: if God wins, the Devil would have to give up an infinite number of souls he's collected over the years. Realizing the risk is too great, the Devil folds and releases Bobby from the pact.

Foreshadowing: The cosmic stakes of the game reflect the larger battle between good and evil.

• poker game
• soul
• god
• devil
• bet
• stakes

The Devil folds because the potential loss is astronomically high. God reveals that if He wins, the Devil would have to surrender an infinite number of souls. The risk of losing all those souls outweighs the value of gaining Bobby's single soul, so the Devil decides it's not worth the gamble.

Foreshadowing: The film's central theme is the ongoing contest between good and evil.

• devil folds
• infinite souls
• risk
• gamble
• surrender

Bobby is relieved to learn his wife is pregnant because the child was conceived before he signed the contract with the Devil. This means the pregnancy is untouched by the demonic pact, his future child will be born free from the Devil's claim, giving Bobby hope for a normal family life even if he can't escape his own fate.

Foreshadowing: Bobby's desperate remark about selling his soul happens after another rejection, showing his frustration with his inability to provide for his family.

• pregnancy
• wife
• roxanne
• child
• conceived before pact

After being dismissed by religious leaders and encountering a sidewalk preacher who suggests finding God in the desert, Bobby decides to perform in Las Vegas. He hopes that performing at Caesars Palace will help him connect with a higher power and find a way to break free from his Devil's contract.

Foreshadowing: The sidewalk preacher's advice about the desert leads Bobby to Vegas, a city known for spiritual seeking and desperation.

• las vegas
• caesars palace
• desert
• find god
• performance

After the Devil folds in the poker game, Bobby awakens free from Billy Wayne's identity. God, now appearing in his true form with the same wise-cracking demeanor, reminds Bobby of the promise made during his childhood illness and sends him back to his wife Roxanne, who remains unaware of the supernatural events.

Foreshadowing: God's promise to watch over Bobby from his childhood illness is the key to his salvation.

• return
• normal life
• wife
• roxanne
• god
• restoration

Five years later, Bobby is shown rushing to his sick daughter's bedside, singing tenderly to her. He hears God's voice once again, providing reassurance. This ending confirms that Bobby successfully reclaimed his original life, married Roxanne, had a child, and maintained his connection to the divine.

Foreshadowing: The final scene mirrors Bobby's childhood illness, where his father prayed for him, completing the circular narrative.

• five years later
• daughter
• sick
• god's voice
• family

George Burns plays both characters to emphasize the film's comedic theme that good and evil are ultimately just two sides of the same cosmic coin. Both God and the Devil use similar wise-cracking, charming personalities, making the distinction between them blurry and humorous. This casting choice underscores the film's message that God can win through compassion rather than direct confrontation.

Foreshadowing: The film's comedic tone is established from the start with God's casual baseball cap attire.

• george burns
• dual role
• god
• devil
• comedy
• duality