Happy Gilmore (1996)

A rejected hockey player puts his skills to the golf course to save his grandmother's house.

Director:

Dennis Dugan

Writers:

Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler

Stars:

Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adam Sandler	...	Happy Gilmore
Christopher McDonald	...	Shooter McGavin
Julie Bowen	...	Virginia Venit
Frances Bay	...	Grandma
Carl Weathers	...	Chubbs
Allen Covert	...	Otto
Robert Smigel	...	IRS Agent
Bob Barker	...	Bob Barker
Richard Kiel	...	Mr. Larson
Dennis Dugan	...	Doug Thompson
Joe Flaherty	...	Jeering Fan
Lee Trevino	...	Self
Kevin Nealon	...	Potter
Verne Lundquist	...	Announcer
Jared Van Snellenberg	...	Happy's Waterbury Caddy

Storyline

A Hockey player wannabe finds out that he has the most powerful golf drive in history. He joins the P.G.A. tour to make some money to save grandma's house. The downside is that his hockey player mentality doesn't really go on the P.G.A. tour. Especially with the favorite to win the championship.

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Plot Keywords:

golf | golf course | reference to david hasselhoff | censored profanity | unpaid taxes | 

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Taglines:

He doesn't play golf... he destroys it.

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Genres:

Comedy | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and some comic sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

In real life, the PGA does have a tournament called The Tour Championship. It is played annually in September, at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, and is the final event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Unlike its movie counterpart, however, it is not considered one of golf's Major championships, and the winner does not take home a gold jacket.

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Goofs

At the hockey try-outs, the coaches are shown standing behind the glass right after Happy shatters it with his slap shot.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[opening narration voice over]
Happy Gilmore: My name is Happy Gilmore. Ever since I was old enough to skate, I loved hockey. I wasn't really the greatest skater though. But that didn't stop my dad from teaching me the secret of smacking his greatest slap shot.
[Young Happy, hits a hard plastic ball into his father's forehead]

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Alternate Versions

Television versions:

• When the tour managers are discussing whether to keep Happy on the tour he can be heard cursing on the TV in the background. On the TV version he clearly punctuates the discussion with "Piece of monkey sh*t!". Whereas on the video versions there are muffled, unspecified swear words.
• Happy tells Chubbs that golf requires "goofy pants and a fat ass". On television airings, "ass" is poorly overdubbed with "can".

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Connections

Referenced in Mike & Mike: Episode dated 17 August 2015 (2015)

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Soundtracks

Happy Day
Written by Eric Kupper, Orville Brinsley Evans
Performed by Uncanny Alliance
Courtesy of A&M Records, Inc.

User Reviews

I say, We just lay by the bay and make hay! Okay?"

Okies....here we have the indisputable King of mediocrity but one thing you gotta say for Sandler - they don't come more unpretentious! He delivers what you expect and in HAPPY GILMORE he came up undeniably with his best film!

As the wannabe hockey great in dire need of an anger-management course, Sandler discovers by chance his prodigious golfing talents - but using a hockey stick! In a performance best decribed as R-rated Jerry Lewis, Sandler is a hoot as he takes on Bob Barker, the establishment and Shooter McGavin - golfing's hissable "Mr Smarm" (An Oscar-worthy turn from Christopher McDonald)

Carl Weathers turns in a blinder as Sandler's newly come-by coach with an unfortunate earlier run-in with a hungry croc! If you don't find anything in this film funny, you're a dead person! Like many devotees, we have watched this film countless times - it just improves with age!

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 February 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore

Filming Locations:

Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,514,125, 18 February 1996

Gross USA:

$38,824,099

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$41,205,099

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, Robert Simonds Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1