Billy Madison
| Billy Madison | |
|---|---|
 Billy Madison poster | |
| Directed by | Tamra Davis |
| Written by | Tim Herlihy Adam Sandler |
| Produced by | Robert Simonds |
| Starring | Adam Sandler Darren McGavin Bridgette Wilson Bradley Whitford |
| Cinematography | Victor Hammer |
| Edited by | John Gilroy Jeffrey Wolf |
| Music by | Randy Edelman Adam Sandler |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates | February 10, 1995 |
Running time | 89 min. |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
Billy Madison is a 1995 comedy starring Adam Sandler in the title role about a slacker who must go back to school in order to take over his father's company. The comedy film also features Bradley Whitford, Josh Mostel, Bridgette Wilson, Chris Farley, Norm MacDonald, and Darren McGavin. It was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy and produced by Universal Pictures.
Despite the film's subpar reception, the film has gained a cult-like following.
Plot
Billy Madison, the protagonist of the film, has spent his entire life reaping the benefits of his father's hotel chain. He spends his days drinking with friends, and creating disturbances across his father's estate. One day, Billy ruins a dinner meeting between his father and his associates by acting obnoxiously. This prompts his father to lose faith in his son, and choose Eric Gordon, to become the next owner of the hotel. Billy despises Gordon, and begs his father to reconsider his decision. However, his father states that Billy only managed to pass through school because he bribed his teachers. The two finally come to compromise; Billy must pass grammar and high school within the course of twenty-four weeks (two-weeks per grade), in order to prove his competence.
Shortly after enrolling into school, Billy becomes attracted to a teacher named Veronica Vaughn, who initially attempts to ignore him. Nevertheless Billy successfully progresses to his first two grades. He eventually finds himself as one of Vaughn's students in the third grade. He manages to earn her respect by defending Ernie, his friend and classmate. Billy becomes popular among the third graders, and misses them as he advances through school. Billy's development and progression alarms Gordon, who becomes increasingly agitated as Billy completes each grade. Gordon takes the offensive while Billy struggles in high school. He visits Billy's grammar school principal, and makes numerous references to his controversial past as a professional wrestler. Fearing that the blackmail will ruin his teaching career, the principal publicly states he received bribes from Billy.
The announcement angers Billy's father, who chooses to give the hotel chain to Gordon. Billy becomes distraught, and reverts to his original care-free lifestyle. Vaughn, many school children, and other random characters from previous scenes come to Billy's aid, and forcefully motivate him to keep fighting Gordon. He returns to school and begins to study again. However, Billy realizes that he must reclaim the hotel chain. He challenges Gordon to an academic decathlon, contest of brawns and brains that will determine the his father's successor. Although both men excel in different activities, Billy manages to a take a single-point lead before the contest's final event, a Jeopardy!-style academic test. Billy attempts to win the contest by answering a question pertaining to the Industrial Revolution. Billy answers the question by presenting an elongated comparison to a children's book that was read to him earlier in the film. The contest's host voices disgust to the answer, and awards Billy with no points.
Gordon is then given the chance to answer a question, and potentially win the contest. He is ironically asked to answer a question about business ethics. Gordon cannot answer the question, and begins to break down. Refusing to admit defeat, he begins to brandish a gun. However, Billy's former principal, clad in his wrestling suit, subdues Gordon. The attack fails to keep Gordon down; he makes a final attempt to get back at Billy by turning his gun to Vaughn. Fortunately, a gun-wielding madman, whom Billy apologized to earlier in the film for picking on him in high school, disables Gordon by firing a single shot at his buttocks. The film then moves to a graduation scene, where Billy is delivering a speech. In the final moments of the film, Billy announces that he plans on becoming a teacher, and hopes on passing his business on to Carl, one of his father's more polite businessmen.
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (May 2007) |
- Happy Madison, Adam Sandler's film production company, took its title from this film and the following year's Happy Gilmore, also starring Sandler.
- In 2006, a US Bankruptcy Judge quoted Billy Madison when he dismissed a Defendant's motion on the grounds that it was incomprehensible. In a footnote, the judge quoted the contest referee: [1]
- Chris Farley plays the bus driver, but is not credited for his role.
- In the movie, Billy is confronted by a red-headed family of bullies by the name of O'Doyle. In Sandler's recent movie Click, a bully with the same surname, makes an appearance.
- In 1995, Billy Madison earned Adam Sandler a nomination for an MTV Movie Award in the category of Best Comedic Performance.