Review of Caddyshack (1980) by Stuart K — 27 Apr 2014
The directorial debut of Harold Ramis, who went on to have big success with National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Groundhog Day (1993) and Analyze This (1999). This was partially inspired by co-writer Brian Doyle-Murray's experiences of working on a golf course as a teenager.
It is a product of it's time, but it is very funny in places, and it led the way for a whole wave of 80's comedies. Set at the prestigious Bushwood Country Club, where Danny Noonan (Michael O'Keefe) works to raise enough money to go to college, he caddies for experienced golfer Ty Webb (Chevy Chase), but Noonan wants to win favour with Judge Elihu Smails (Ted Knight), co-founder of Bushwood Country Club, by caddying for him, and hopefully get to apply for Caddy Scholarship.
However, things change when the obnoxious Al Czervik (Rodney Dangerfield) joins the club, and greenskeeper Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) goes after a destructive gopher. It's a very silly film, which helped to make stars out of Chase and Murray, and it got the likeable and cheeky Dangerfield his own film deal.
It's the sort of film that sums up the brashness of the 1980's, with the gaudy clothes and Kenny Loggins songs, but it has a likeable charm and it has some very good laughs.
This review of Caddyshack (1980) was written by Stuart K on 27 Apr 2014.
Caddyshack has generally received positive reviews.
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