February 16, 1996
Happy Gilmore is a 1996 American sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, produced by Robert Simonds, and starring Adam Sandler in the title role, with Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen and Carl Weathers. The film follows the exploits of its title character, a failed ice hockey player who seeks to raise enough money to prevent the foreclosure of his grandmother's house. Happy unexpectedly learns he can make long shots in golf and competes in paid tournaments, amassing a following for his skill as well as his boorish behavior.
The screenplay was written by Sandler and his writing partner Tim Herlihy, in their second feature collaboration after the previous year's Billy Madison. The film also marks the first collaboration between Sandler and Dugan.
Happy Gilmore was released in theaters on February 16, 1996, by Universal Pictures, and received mixed reviews from critics. The film was a commercial success, earning $41.2 million on a $12 million budget, and it won an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight for Sandler and Bob Barker. It has developed a cult following, especially in the golf community. A sequel, Happy Gilmore 2, was released onto Netflix in 2025, nearly three decades after the first film.
Storyline
Happy Gilmore is an aspiring ice hockey player, but despite a powerful slapshot learned from his late father, his short temper and lack of skating coordination limit his professional prospects. One day, Happy learns that his grandmother, who raised him after his father's death, owes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $270,000 in back taxes. She has 90 days to pay off the debt or face foreclosure on her house. Happy sends Grandma to a retirement home until he can figure out a way to pay off the debt; unbeknownst to Happy, the residents are mistreated and forced to work in a sweatshop.
While challenging a pair of movers repossessing his late grandfather's old golf clubs, Happy discovers that his unorthodox slapshot-style swing can drive a ball 400 yards. He begins hustling golfers at a driving range, where he meets Chubbs Peterson, a former pro golf star who lost a hand in an alligator attack.
Chubbs urges Happy to enter the Waterbury Open, the winner of which will earn an automatic spot on the PGA Tour, as well as a sizable cash reward. Desperate to reclaim his grandmother's house, Happy agrees and wins the Open. Learning that he needs to supply his own caddy on the tour, Happy hastily hires a homeless man named Otto.
Happy quickly becomes a fan favorite due to his extraordinarily long drives and unorthodox antics. Though his driving goes far, Happy struggles with putting, and his on-course profane meltdowns and lack of golf etiquette soon draw the ire of tour officials. Due to improved television ratings with a broader spectrum of viewers, higher attendance, and new sponsorship offers, tour public relations head Virginia Venit intervenes on Happy's behalf and promises to help him with his anger. With her support, Happy improves his accuracy and behavior, and they become romantically involved.
Shooter McGavin, the tour's arrogant presumed favorite, views Happy as a threat so he hires a heckler named Donald Floyd to taunt him at a pro-am event. He distracts Happy by repeatedly calling him a "jackass", hindering his gameplay. A subsequent fistfight with his celebrity partner Bob Barker, who criticizes Happy's frequent misses, leads to a $25,000 fine and one-month suspension.
Virginia secures Happy a lucrative endorsement deal with Subway to make up for the lost revenue, giving him the money he needs to pay Grandma's taxes. During the auction, however, Shooter spitefully outbids Happy in an attempt to force him to quit the tour. Virginia encourages Happy not to quit, and he makes a deal with Shooter: if Happy wins the Tour Championship, Shooter will return the house, but if Shooter wins, he can keep it and Happy will quit golf.
Knowing he must improve his short game to defeat Shooter, Happy seeks out Chubbs, who helps him improve his putting by practicing at a miniature golf course and gifts him a custom putter in the shape of a hockey stick. As thanks, Happy presents Chubbs with the head of the alligator that took his hand, startling him and causing him to fall out of a nearby window to his death.
Happy is paired with Shooter for the Tour Championship. Shooter takes the lead early, but Happy's regular game puts him in front with one round to go. Desperate to finally win a Championship jacket, Shooter again bribes Donald, who drives a car onto the course and runs over Happy, impairing his long-drive ability and focus. Shooter takes the lead, but Happy, encouraged by Grandma, rallies to tie him.
On the final hole, Shooter's tee shot lands in the crowd. Despite having to play the ball off the foot of Happy's imposing ex-boss, Mr. Larson, he manages to save par with a long putt. A television tower damaged by Donald's car falls onto the green and blocks Happy's line to a winning putt. Shooter insists Happy play the ball "as it lies," and, with Chubbs' divine intervention, Happy wins by using the tower as a Rube Goldberg machine to sink his putt. Enraged, Shooter tries to steal Happy's gold jacket and is chased and beaten by a mob of fans led by Larson. Upon returning to his grandmother's house, Happy celebrates his victory with her, Virginia, and Otto.
Also See
Sound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Trumpeting PE024801 (2nd trumpet)
- Hollywoodedge, Face Body Punches Wet TE027203/Hollywoodedge, Punch Body Hit 3 Sharp PE101001
- Hollywoodedge, Medium Exterior Crow PE140401? (needs clarification.)
- Hollywoodedge, Medium Exterior Crow PE141401
- Sound Ideas, CRASH, CARTOON - BIG CAR CRASH
- Sound Ideas, RICOCHET - CARTOON RICCO 02 (Heard whenever Happy makes a golf shot.)
- Sound Ideas, RICOCHET - CARTOON RICCO 04
Image Gallery