Caddyshack is a 1980 U.S. comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis and Douglas Kenney. It stars Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe and Bill Murray. Doyle-Murray also has a supporting role.
| Caddyshack | |
|---|---|
 movie poster for Caddyshack | |
| Directed by | Harold Ramis |
| Written by | Douglas Kenney Harold Ramis Brian Doyle-Murray |
| Produced by | Douglas Kenney |
| Starring | Chevy Chase Rodney Dangerfield Ted Knight Michael O'Keefe Bill Murray |
| Cinematography | Stevan Larner |
| Edited by | William C. Carruth |
| Music by | Johnny Mandel |
| Distributed by | Orion Pictures Warner Bros. |
Release dates | July 25, 1980 |
Running time | 98 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6,000,000 |
The film was Ramis' first feature and was a major boost to Rodney Dangerfield's film career; he was previously known mostly for his stand-up comedy. Grossing almost $40 million in the U.S. alone (16th highest of the year), it was the first of a series of similar comedies. A sequel, Caddyshack II, followed in 1988, although it was not nearly as successful or as well-received.
In 2000, Caddyshack was placed at number 71 on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 funniest American films. Many outside critics were upset by this low ranking. In 2005, a line from the movie was chosen by AFI for their list of the top 100 movie quotes from U.S. films. This film is also second on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".[1]
Cast
- Chevy Chase - Ty Webb
- Rodney Dangerfield - Al Czervik
- Ted Knight - Judge Elihu Smails
- Michael O'Keefe - Danny Noonan
- Bill Murray - Carl Spackler
- Sarah Holcomb - Maggie O'Hooligan
- Scott Colomby - Tony D'Annunzio
- Cindy Morgan - Lacey Underall
- Dan Resin - Dr. Beeper
- Henry Wilcoxon - Bishop Bickering
- Albert Salmi - Mr. Noonan
- Elaine Aiken - Mrs. Noonan
- John Barmon - Spaulding Smails
Plot summary
Set primarily on the golf course at Bushwood Country Club (a tongue-in-cheek reference to both male and female private parts), the story is a farcical clash between classes, on one side the wealthy and privileged and on the other, the anarchic, young and noisy. The club is represented by the chronically uptight WASP Judge Smails (Knight) and opposite him the vulgar, noisy, witty nouveau riche self-made man Al Czervik (Dangerfield) and a group of caddies including Danny Noonan (O'Keefe), a blue-collar Irish-American who aspires to go to college. Ty Webb (Chase) is a well-to-do but unassuming golf savant who blithely plays both sides of the brawl. Out of the fight, but periodically crossing paths with the others, is Carl Spackler (Murray), a lunatic assistant greenskeeper locked in an increasingly armed death-struggle with a gopher.
The movie begins by showing caddy Danny Noonan being reprimanded by his father for wasting his college fund on junk food and soda while caddying. Danny throughout the movie is struggling to get money to go to college despite his poor grades and economic disadvantage but comes to realize he does not really want to go to college. This realization makes Danny live life for himself instead of trying to please his large family. The story comically progresses to the arrival of real estate tycoon Al Czervik along with his Asian business partner Mr. Wang ("no offense"). Czervik's rude and obnoxious character is meant to foil the snobbish Judge Smails. Judge Smails meets Al Czervik in the pro shop as Czervik comments on a hat he sees for sale, which he discovers is also being worn by Smails. ("This is the worst lookin' hat I ever saw. You buy a hat like this I'll bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh? Oh, but it looks good on you, though!" [Czervik rolls eyes])
Following the pro shop scene, Al Czervik annoys Judge Smails by first heckling him ("Let's go, while we're young!" He then procedes to say, "Hey, whitey, where's your hat?") and then betting he'll slice. Noonan, who is caddying for Smails, attempts to butter Smails up by turning away as Smails kicks his ball into a more favorable position. After admiring his subsequent shot, Smails is hit in the groin by Al Czervik's ball while standing in the fairway. Czervik then responds to his caddy's difficulty in carrying Al's abnormally large golf bag by turning on a radio contained in it and blasting Journey's "Any Way You Want It", to which he, his caddy, Mr. Wang, and everybody nearby dance to.
Later at a fancy dinner for the Fourth of July, Al continues his obnoxious behavior by referring to the chef's cooking as "dog food." he then says, "Boy, you get better food at the ball game. My steak still has marks from where the jockey was hitting it." Also, he makes several rude comments to Smails, the judge's aristocratic wife, and the judge's wimpy grandson. He continues throwing his money around lavishly, tipping the waitress, the conductor of the band and the musicians.
The second major part of the film consists of Danny's love life with two very different women: Lacy Underall, Judge Smail's niece; and Maggie, a co-employee at the club. Danny is able to get Judge Smails out of a rough spot when Smails hurls his putter in frustration after yet another run-in with Czervik; the putter strikes a woman dining near the clubhouse, and Danny accepts the blame ("I should have noticed your grips were worn, sir," he says).
Judge Smails informs Danny he can have a scholarship sponsored by the country club if Danny wins the caddy championship, which he does by sinking a putt despite the heckles of his opponents.
The movie closes with an illegal golf match involving big stakes gambling. With the team of Ty and Al losing badly to Smails and the doctor, Al pretends to be hurt and Danny must take over, forfeiting his caddy scholarship, but with Al promising to act as a benefactor to the caddy if he wins. In a climactic scene, Danny leaves the winning putt on the lip of the cup, but Carl Spackler destroys the golf course in a series of high intensity explosions (with the intention of destroying the gopher), the vibrations of which shake the ground and cause Danny's ball to fall into the cup. In a celebratory moment, to the pleasure of the crowd, Al inexplicably yells, "Hey everybody! We're all gonna get laid!" As everyone departs the course, Judge Smalls is seen fleeing Czervik's goons to avoid paying up, and the gopher emerges unharmed from the explosions.
Production
The movie was inspired by writer and co-star Brian Doyle Murray's memories working as a caddy at a golf club. His brother Bill Murray and director Harold Ramis also worked as caddies when they were teenagers. Many of the characters in the film were based on characters they had encountered through their various experiences at the club, including The Havercamps, the doddery old couple who can barely hit the ball out of their shadow ("That's a peach, hon"), which were based on a couple Doyle-Murray had known at his club, and Maggie the Irish waitress. The infamouse incident involving a Baby Ruth candy bar being thrown into the swimming pool was based on a real-life incident at Brian Doyle Murray's high school.
The film was shot over 11 weeks during the autumn of 1979. Golf scenes were filmed at the Rolling Hills Golf & Tennis resort in Davie, Florida. Reportedly the ___location was chosen because it did not look like it was in south Florida, but could pass for the midwestern US (the movie appears to have been set in Nebraska, based on a line early in the film when Ty asks Danny if he wants to go to college; Danny replies "In Nebraska?").
The explosions that take place during the climax of the film were reported at the nearby Fort Lauderdale airport by an incoming pilot, who suspected a plane had crashed.
The famous scene that begins when Ty Webb's golf ball crashes into Carl Spackler's ramshackle house was not in the original script. It was added by director Harold Ramis after realizing his two biggest stars, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray, did not have a scene together. The three met for lunch and wrote the scene together. Although the scene has nothing to do with the plot, it is widely regarded as the funniest in the movie. This is the only time that Chase and Murray have appeared in a movie together.
The gopher sequences were written and filmed after most of the movie was shot. Originally, director Harold Ramis wanted to cast a live animal to play the gopher. When that did not work out, the animatronic gopher (credited as "Chuck Rodent") and its tunnels were built by John Dykstra.
Improvisation
The rowdy, improvisational atmosphere around the filming, created by Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield, didn't get on well with all the members of the cast. Ted Knight, widely regarded as a very nice man, got fed up with the constant shenanigans on set. Initially, Murray's and Dangerfield's role were to be cameo appearances. But their deft improvising caused their roles to be expanded much to the chagrin of Scott Colomby and some of the other cast members whose roles were reduced as a result.
- Bill Murray improvised the "Cinderella story" sequence from two lines of stage direction. Director Harold Ramis simply asked Murray to emulate a kid announcing his own fantasy sports moment. Murray simply asked for four rows of 'mums and did the scene in one take.
- Cindy Morgan (Lacy Underall) has said that the oil massage scene with Chevy Chase (Ty Webb) was also completely improvised. When Lacy exclaims "You're crazy!" that was Morgan's genuine reaction to Chase dousing her with oil.
Taglines
- At last, a comedy that bites!
- Some people just don't belong.
- The snobs against the slobs!
- Playing a round of golf at The Bushwood Club isn't just confined to the golf course!
- At last, a comedy with balls!
- Thank you very little!
- It's your honor, your Honor!
- I said the gophers, not the golfers!
References
External links
