Happy, Texas (1999)

Two escaped convicts arrive in the town of Happy, Texas, where they are mistaken for a gay couple who is to host the town's Little Miss Fresh Squeezed beauty pageant. Enjoying the celebrity... See full summary »

Director:

Mark Illsley

Writers:

Ed Stone, Mark Illsley

Stars:

Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy

6 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Northam	...	Harry
Steve Zahn	...	Wayne
William H. Macy	...	Chappy
Ally Walker	...	Joe
Illeana Douglas	...	Ms. Schaefer
M.C. Gainey	...	Bob Maslow
Ron Perlman	...	Nalhober
Mo Gaffney	...	Mrs. Bromley
Paul Dooley	...	The Judge
Jillian Berard	...	Madison
Scarlett Pomers	...	Jency
Melissa Arnold	...	Other Happy Girl
Cassie Silva	...	Other Happy Girl
Tiffany Takara	...	Other Happy Girl
Tim Bagley	...	David

Storyline

Two escaped convicts arrive in the town of Happy, Texas, where they are mistaken for a gay couple who is to host the town's Little Miss Fresh Squeezed beauty pageant. Enjoying the celebrity and using their skill as con-men, the two adopt their persona to take on the task. Of course, as the two are heterosexual, their interest in the involved ladies intensifies. Ally Walker is a banker, who is distrustful of men and has given up on love. Illeana Douglas plays the dowdy, badly dressed teacher.

---

Plot Keywords:

gay | beauty pageant | escaped convict | texas | small town | 

---

Taglines:

Escaped convicts disguised as beauty pageant experts? This could get ugly.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content and some violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 December 1999 (UK)

Also Known As:

Happy Texas - iloiset veikot

Filming Locations:

Lancaster, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$72,056, 3 October 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,943,649, 19 December 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

Marked Entertainment, Miramax

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Snapped up at the Sundance Film Festival for $12 million, the film ended up grossing just shy of $3 million.

---

Goofs

The hotdog that Jo was eating at the auction.

---

Quotes

Josephine McClintock: [while climbing out of the cab while towing the RV] What are you DOING?
Harry Sawyer: [while climbing out of the RV onto the towline] I'm trying to save you!
Josephine McClintock: Well, knock it off! I'm trying to save YOU!

---

Crazy Credits

Thanks to the people in Happy, Texas... even though we shot entirely on location in Piru, California. Sorry.

---

Connections

Featured in The 2000 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2000)

---

Soundtracks

Shot Gun
Written by Buck Miller
Performed by Southern Culture on the Skids
Published by Monkey Dog Music (BMI)
Courtesy of Geffen Records
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets

User Reviews

A real feel-good film

Happy, Texas is one of these films that you know from the beginning will end well, where everything work out, eventually, and nobody gets killed.

But it sure ain't all sweet, as foul language and sex is comic parts of the story, as are two supposedly gay men (they have stolen a camper belonging to two gay mane, so they, two escaped convicts, have to impersonate these guys for a while), a gay sheriff and so on.

The acting is nigh perfect, the story ludicrous, and it is all a great saga, but very modern at that. When Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr teaches the small girls how to dance on scene is one of the funniest scenes I've seen for a long time, and in all it outshines similar films by quite some distance!

If only Stuart Little had some of this energy and love of life, sigh!

8/10