Happy Gilmore

Happy Gilmore
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Dennis Dugan
Produced by Robert Simonds
Written by Tim Herlihy
Adam Sandler
Judd Apatow
(uncredited rewrite)
Starring
Music by Mark Mothersbaugh
Cinematography Arthur Albert
Edited by Jeff Gourson
Production
company
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • February 16, 1996 (1996-02-16)
Running time
 92 minutes
Country United States
Language English
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 newfound 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 was a commercial success, earning $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 is an aspiring ice hockey player and fan of the Boston Bruins who lacks on-ice skills, other than a powerful slapshot. After another failed hockey trial, Happy's girlfriend leaves him because of his obsession with becoming a professional hockey player, but complete lack of success.

Meanwhile, Gilmore's grandmother has not paid her taxes for years, and owes the IRS $270,000 in back taxes. The IRS repossesses her home and intends to auction it off in 90 days unless she can repay the full amount. While repossessing Grandma's furniture, two removals men challenge Gilmore to a long-drive contest using his grandfather's old golf clubs. With an unorthodox, slapshot-style swing, Gilmore hits a ball that strikes a house some 400 yards away, winning $40 after the removals men bet he do it again. As a result, he starts hustling golfers at the driving range. There, he meets Chubbs Peterson, a club pro and former golf star, who lost his right hand after an alligator attack. Chubbs convinces Gilmore to enter a local tournament to earn a spot on the Pro Golf Tour. Gilmore, desperate to get his grandmother's house back, accepts after Chubbs informs him of the significant prize money involved. Gilmore wins the tournament and a spot on the tour. He quickly becomes a fan-favorite due to his long drives and unorthodox antics, like asking fans to cheer instead of staying quiet, and hiring a homeless man named Otto as his caddie.

Gilmore meets Shooter McGavin, who sees him as a detriment to golf's etiquette. Though Gilmore has a powerful drive, his putting is terrible, and his outbursts along with a lack of etiquette draw the attention of Tour Commissioner Doug Thompson, who tries to expel him from the tour. However, public relations head Virginia Venit convinces Thompson to reconsider, citing higher TV ratings, attendance, drawing more youthful sponsors, and offers to work on Gilmore's anger issues.

Gilmore begins to improve his performance and behavior due to Virginia's influence. During a pro-am tournament, in which he is partnered with Bob Barker, Gilmore plays poorly due to the heckling of an unruly fan named Donald, who was hired by Shooter to antagonize Gilmore. Gilmore and Barker get into a fist fight and, as a result, Gilmore is suspended from the tour for one month and fined $25,000.

Virginia secures Gilmore an endorsement deal with Subway, allowing him to earn the remaining money needed to take back his grandmother's foreclosed house. However, when Gilmore and the others arrive at the house for the auction, Shooter spitefully outbids Gilmore for the house and offers it to Gilmore — if he quits the tour. Gilmore initially accepts, but Virginia talks him out of it, telling him that his grandmother would rather see Gilmore win and succeed rather than have her house back. Gilmore makes a wager with Shooter for the upcoming Tour Championship: If Gilmore wins, Shooter will return the house, but if Shooter wins, Gilmore will quit golf.

In order to improve his short game, Gilmore seeks out Chubbs and the two head to a miniature golf course to practice putting. Gilmore improves and Chubbs presents Gilmore with a gift: his own original putter that he had used, modified to look like a hockey stick. Gilmore then reciprocates and presents Chubbs with a gift: the head of the alligator that bit his hand off. Chubbs is startled and falls out an open window to his death.

Now determined to win for Chubbs and his grandmother, Gilmore plays well, and leads Shooter by the end of the third round. On the fourth and final day, Gilmore seems unstoppable until Donald hits him with a car, after Shooter had called him to enlist his services again to distract Gilmore. Gilmore loses his long-drive ability and falls into a slump, resulting in Shooter taking the lead. However, after recalling advice from Chubbs and encouragement from his grandmother, Virginia, and the crowd, Gilmore rebounds to pull even with Shooter.

On the eighteenth hole, a TV tower that was hit by Donald's car earlier falls over, blocking the green. Just as he did at the mini-golf course with Chubbs, Gilmore sinks a miraculous trick shot, winning the tournament. A stunned Shooter attempts to steal the winner's championship gold blazer, but he is chased down and beaten up by Mr. Larson, Gilmore's imposing former boss who had been making threats to Shooter during the tournament, and a mob of fans. With his grandmother's house recovered, Happy sees a vision of a two-handed Chubbs, Abraham Lincoln, and the alligator waving and smiling down at him from the sky, and waves to them as Gilmore's grandmother, Virginia, and Otto look on in confusion before they all go into the house to celebrate.

Cast

  • Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, a high-strung former hockey player who discovers a unique talent for golf. He joins the pro golf tour to win some money to save his grandmother's house.
  • Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, an arrogant golfer who is one of the top stars of the Pro Golf Tour.
  • Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit, a public relations director for the Pro Golf Tour who becomes Happy's romantic interest.
  • 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. He becomes Happy's coach and mentor to help him win the tournament championship. Weathers reprises the role in 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 for the tour. The character is unnamed in the film (although his name is revealed in a deleted scene and is listed in the end credits). Covert reprises the role in Sandler's 2011 film Jack and Jill.
  • Kevin Nealon as Gary Potter, an eccentric pro who Happy plays with in his first tournament.
  • Peter Kelamis as Gary Potter's caddy.
  • 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 Donald, an unruly fan hired by Shooter to heckle Happy.
  • Jared Van Snellenberg as Happy Gilmore's caddy at the Waterbury Open.
  • 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, they 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 amongst younger demographics. Barker claimed that someone in the audience asked him about Happy Gilmore almost every day. The show's producers had previously tried, but failed, to appeal to a younger demographic 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]

Legacy

Golf.com, Consequence of Sound, and Golf Digest discussed the film, predominantly praising the villain Shooter McGavin.[6][7][8] Other articles have covered relatively unknown trivial facts, such as Carl Weathers's missing arm, which was the same arm from the movie Predator, and the number of times nurse orderly Hal committed nursing home abuse.[9][10]

The "Happy Gilmore swing," featuring a walking or running approach, is often imitated or attempted for fun, including by touring golf professionals.[11] Three-time major champion Pádraig Harrington is particularly well known for his impression and even uses the technique in training.[12] The TV series Sport Science has featured Harrington's "Happy Gilmore swing," demonstrating how it can indeed generate additional distance, though at the cost of accuracy.[13]

Long drive champion and professional golfer Jamie Sadlowski, also a former hockey player who can hit golf balls over 400 yards, has been called "the real-life version of Happy Gilmore."[14]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result
1997 Kid's Choice Awards Best Movie Nominated
1996 MTV Movie Award Best Comedic Performance - Adam Sandler Nominated
1996 MTV Movie Award Best Fight - Adam Sandler and Bob Barker Won

References

  1. 1 2 "Happy Gilmore". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
  2. ↑ "Happy Gilmore". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "Happy Gilmore". Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  4. ↑ Lowry, Brian (February 19, 1996). "Happy Gilmore". Variety. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  5. ↑ Ebert, Roger (February 16, 1996). "Happy Gilmore". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Happy Gilmore Turns 20: In Praise of Shooter McGavin". 2016-02-17. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  7. ↑ Myers, Alex. "Shooter McGavin is still winning tournaments, is now officially the best villain ever - Golf Digest". Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  8. ↑ "Tiger Woods Takes Selfie With Shooter McGavin". Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  9. ↑ "12 Things You Didn't Know About Happy Gilmore". 2016-06-08. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
  10. ↑ "4 Instances of Nursing Home Abuse In Happy Gilmore - J Antonio Tramontana - Personal Injury Attorney". 2016-09-15. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
  11. ↑ "Happy Gilmore - European Tour". 2013-06-12. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  12. ↑ "Padraig Harrington demonstrates his Happy Gilmore shot at The Open Zone". Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  13. ↑ "Sport Science Happy Gilmore". 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  14. ↑ "Golf Channel Digital - Meet real-life version of Happy Gilmore". 2016-03-23. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
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