cult film freak: CHEVY CHASE, CINDY MORGAN & MICHAEL O'KEEFE 'CADDYSHACK'

Japenese Poster for CADDYSHACK Year: 1980 Rating: ****1/2

Originally an ANIMAL HOUSE of golf, directed by its co-writer, Harold Ramis, CADDYSHACK morphed into an eclectic comedy starring four comic actors that — had the rudimentary vision sustained — probably would have been random guest appearances amid the shack-dwelling youngsters...

Although a youngster's still the main character — the straight-man pawn, Michael O'Keefe as Danny Noonan, with one of the best natural golf swings recorded on film (most actors have horrible swings even when playing pros)...

Michael O'Keefe as Danny Noonan in CADDYSHACK

After an opening credit bicycle ride from a crowded and noisy, low class home, he passes a strip of mansions to classy Bushwood Country Club backed by Kenny Loggins' smooth party anthem I'm Alright: bridging a grainy late-70's yacht rock groove into the preppy vs anti-preppy decade to come as then Danny winds in and out of sometimes hilarious, sometimes slightly humorous and other times plot-strategic misadventures...

Including an attempt to appeal to Ted Knight's stuffy yet hilariously one-sided villain Judge Smails ("the world needs ditch diggers too") for a possible college scholarship... while faithfully caddying his mentor in Chevy Chase's quirky and eccentric flaky millionaire Ty Webb ("Me winning is, you do!"), sharing the most subtle yet hilarious moments in-between butting heads with cool cat Italian bully Scott Colomby, the other "kid" whose role wasn't diminished to a cameo...

Michael O'Keefe as Danny Noonan in CADDYSHACK with Chevy Chase as Ty Webb

The R-Rating is earned between our caddy and one of the hottest of underrated and underused starlets, Cindy Morgan (who'd soon after turn up in TRON), far more beautiful and interesting than Laurie Metcalf as Danny's knocked-up girlfriend (using a bad accent of some kind), whose bland romantic melodrama should've been left on the cutting room floor...

Meanwhile, Bill Murray, despite the overall cult popularity of his character, isn't at his best here, chasing a stuffed gopher that, getting around cooler and funnier than CGI, seems a nod to b-movies that can't afford any better...

Loggerheads Ted Knight and Rodney Dangerfield in CADDYSHACK

With a dimwitted manner in place of his MEATBALLS (later STRIPES and GHOSTBUSTERS) glib confidence, Murray's assistant groundskeeper, Carl, borders on mental retardation, seeming part of an SNL skit stretched too long...

Leaving ultimate fan-favorite Rodney Dangerfield, as a condo developer who insults anyone within verbal/audible reach, for the epitome of a scene-stealer: While we see Bushwood through the vulnerable young eyes of O'Keefe's Danny Noonan, it's Dangerfield's cocky Al Czervik who provides both the Roman Chorus and an unintentional narration, from start to finish, in a perfectly timed 97-minute ride.