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Happy Gilmore

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Happy Gilmore
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDennis Dugan
Written byTim Herlihy
Adam Sandler
Produced byRobert Simonds
StarringAdam Sandler
Christopher McDonald
Julie Bowen
Carl Weathers
Frances Bay
CinematographyArthur Albert
Edited byJeff Gourson
Steve R. Moore
Music byMark Mothersbaugh
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
February 16, 1996 (1996-02-16)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12 million
Box office$41.2 million[1]

Happy Gilmore is a 1996 American sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan with music by Mark Mothersbaugh and produced by Robert Simonds. It stars Adam Sandler as the title character, an unsuccessful ice hockey player who discovers a talent for golf. The screenplay was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy. The film was released in cinemas on February 16, 1996 by Universal Pictures. Happy Gilmore received mixed reviews from critics and it earned $41.2 million on a $12 million budget. This film was the first of multiple collaborations between Sandler and Dugan. The film won an MTV Movie Award for "Best Fight" for Adam Sandler versus Bob Barker.

Plot

Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) is an aspiring ice hockey player who possesses a powerful and dangerous slapshot that his father (Louis O'Donoghue) taught him as a child (Donnie MacMillan) before he was apparently struck and killed by a wayward hockey puck, though his over aggressive streak (which once resulted in him trying to stab a guy to death with an ice skate) and lack of skating talent consistently preclude him from joining a hockey team. His girlfriend Terry (Nancy McClure), a schoolteacher, leaves him because of his hockey obsession.

His grandmother (Frances Bay) has not paid her taxes for many years. As such, she owes the IRS $270,000 in back taxes, and the house is about to be seized. Gilmore has only 90 days to come up with the money or else the house will be auctioned off. Grandma Gilmore is forced to temporarily move into a retirement home, run by a sadistic manager named Hal (Ben Stiller in an uncredited role). While repossessing Grandma's furniture, a pair of movers challenge Happy to hit golf balls. With his unorthodox, hockey slapshot-style swing, Happy hits the ball 400 yards three times, winning $40 as a result and starts hustling golfers with his swing at the driving range, leading former golf star and current club pro Chubbs Peterson (Carl Weathers) to convince Happy to enter a local tournament for a chance to win "big bucks". Happy wins the tournament and earns a spot on the Pro Golf Tour, though Chubbs advises him to wait 6 months so he can improve Happy's performance.

On the tour, Happy encounters Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald), who sees Happy as both a detriment to golf and a threat to his career. Although Happy has a powerful drive, his putting is terrible with violent outbursts and lack of golf etiquette. Commissioner Doug Thompson (Dennis Dugan) demands to expel him from the tour, but PR head Virginia Venit (Julie Bowen) convinces him to reconsider, citing higher television ratings, increasing attendance, drawing more youthful sponsors, and that she's willing to work with Gilmore on his anger issues. Thompson threatens to fire her as well if there are any further incidents; Happy begins to improve his performance and behavior, but he is fined $25,000 along with a one-month suspension after the full-scale brawl with Bob Barker.

Despite bidding $275,000, the endorsement deal from Subway at the auction, Happy is outbid by Shooter who has purchased the house for $350,000, and Happy makes a bet with his rival based on the upcoming Tour Championship. He seeks the help of Chubbs, admitting his past mistakes and the two head to a miniature golf course. Though Happy makes progress, Chubbs falls to his death after seeing the alligator head that took his hand in golf.

Determined to win the tournament for Chubbs, Happy is evenly matched with Shooter after the first two rounds and leads Shooter by the end of the third day. On the fourth and final day, multiple unusual scenarios occur between both Happy and Shooter, with the latter losing after the former succeeds in the trick shot learned from Chubbs. Afterwards, an angry and hysterical Shooter attempts to steal Happy's gold jacket, but is chased down by Mr. Larson and an angry mob of spectators. Back at Grandma's house, the film closes with Happy being congratulated by the two-handed ghost of Chubbs, Abraham Lincoln, and the alligator.

Cast

  • Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, a young man who wants to be a professional ice hockey player.
  • Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, an arrogant golfer who is the top player on the "Pro Golf Tour" (fictionalized golf tour based on the PGA Tour).
  • Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit, a public relations director for the Pro Golf Tour.
  • Frances Bay as Grandma Gilmore.
  • Carl Weathers as Chubbs Peterson, a pro golfer who was forced to retire early when his hand was bitten off by an alligator. Weathers reprises the role in Adam Sandler's 2000 film Little Nicky, despite Little Nicky being produced by New Line Cinema.
  • Allen Covert as Otto, a homeless man who becomes Happy's caddy. The character is unnamed in the film (although it is revealed in a deleted scene) but is listed in the end credits. Covert reprises the role in Adam Sandler's 2011 film Jack and Jill.
  • Kevin Nealon as Gary Potter, the eccentric Pro Golf Tour pro Happy plays with in his first tournament.
  • Richard Kiel as Mr. Larson, Happy's towering former boss.
  • Dennis Dugan as Doug Thompson, the commissioner of the Pro Golf Tour.
  • Joe Flaherty as Unruly Fan, Donald
  • Will Sasso as mover
  • Lee Trevino as himself
  • Bob Barker as himself
  • Verne Lundquist as himself
  • Mark Lye as himself
  • Ben Stiller as Hal L. (uncredited), the sadistic orderly running the nursing home

Reception

Critical response

On the film review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the received a 60% rating based on 52 reviews with a consensus review of "Those who enjoy Adam Sandler's schtick will find plenty to love in this gleefully juvenile take on professional golf; those who don't, however, will find it unfunny and forgettable."[2] On Metacritic, It holds a 31% rating based on 14 reviews, indicating "Generally unfavorable reviews." [3] Brian Lowry of Variety stated that "The general tone nevertheless makes it difficult to elevate the gags beyond an occasional chuckle". Lowry only noted a few scenes he found inspired, including the fight scene with Bob Barker and when Happy attempts to find his "Happy Place" which was described as "Felliniesque".[4] Roger Ebert gave the film one and a half stars out of four, stating that Adam Sandler's character "doesn't have a pleasing personality: He seems angry even when he's not supposed to be, and his habit of pounding everyone he dislikes is tiring in a PG-13 movie". Ebert also noted the film's product placement stating that he "probably missed a few, but I counted Diet Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Subway, Budweiser (in bottles, cans, and Bud-dispensing helmets), Michelob, Visa cards, Bell Atlantic, AT&T, Sizzler, Red Lobster, Wilson, Golf Digest, the ESPN sports network, and Top-Flite golf balls".[5]

Ratings effect

The scene with Barker beating up Gilmore increased ratings for The Price Is Right in the younger demographics. Bob claimed every day someone in the audience asked him about Happy Gilmore. The show had previously tried but failed to do this with a syndicated variation of the game, hosted by Doug Davidson.

Box office

The film was a commercial success, ranking #2 at the US box office on its debut weekend with $8.5 million in revenue. The film was made for $12 million and grossed a total of $41.2 million worldwide, with $38.8 million of that at the North American domestic box office.[1]

Awards

Adam Sandler earned a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actor for the film.

The film was nominated for a Sound Effects award; foley artists spent over 40 hours designing, improving, and perfecting the sound of Adam Sandler’s golf swing.

The film won an MTV Movie Award for "Best Fight" for Adam Sandler versus Bob Barker.

Pop culture references

In 2015, Adam Sandler and Bob Barker performed a sketch as part of "Comedy Central's Night of Too Many Stars" (in support of Autism Awareness). In the sketch, the two engage in another fight similar to the one in the movie this time in a hospital. The end of the sketch has the two fighting in heaven, with Carl Weathers (as Chubbs) criticizing Sandler (calling him Happy) then quickly relenting and telling him to "kick his (Barker's) ass." The alligator and Lincoln are also seen.

References

  1. ^ a b "Happy Gilmore". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 24 April 2009. {{cite news}}: line feed character in |publisher= at position 5 (help)
  2. ^ "Happy Gilmore". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  3. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/movie/happy-gilmore
  4. ^ Lowry, Brian (February 19, 1996). "Happy Gilmore". Variety. Retrieved July 2, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  5. ^ Ebert, Roger (February 16, 1996). "Happy Gilmore". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
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