Happy, Texas (1999)

Director:

Mark Illsley

Writers:

Ed Stone (writer) &
Mark Illsley (writer) ...

Release Date:

3 December 1999 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

Escaped convicts disguised as beauty pageant experts? This could get ugly.

Plot:

Two escaped convicts (Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn) arrive in the town of Happy, Texas, where they are...

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Beauty Pageant | Teacher | Judge | Texas

Awards:

6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Steve Zahn	...	Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr., aka David
Jeremy Northam	...	Harry Sawyer, aka Steven 'Steve'
William H. Macy	...	Sheriff Chappy Dent
Ally Walker	...	Josephine 'Joe' McClintock the Banker
Illeana Douglas	...	Doreen Schaefer
M.C. Gainey	...	Robert 'Bob' Allen Maslow
Ron Perlman	...	Marshal Nalhober
Mo Gaffney	...	Mrs. Bromley
Paul Dooley	...	The Judge
Jillian Berard	...	Madison 'Maddie'
Scarlett Pomers	...	Jency (Flaming Batons)
Melissa Arnold	...	Another Happy Girl
Cassie Silva	...	Another Happy Girl
Tiffany Takara	...	Another Happy Girl
Tim Bagley	...	David, Pagent Professional

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content and some violence.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:6 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Piru, California, USA

Company:

Marked Entertainment

Trivia:

William H. Macy's character has a discussion on the phone where he complains he cannot read a smudgy fax, and the message should be mailed, not faxed. This is exactly like a conversation his character has in Fargo (1996).

Goofs:

Errors in geography: There are no mountains or vineyards anywhere near Happy, Texas.

Quotes:

Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr.: Hey, maybe we are tailors. We travel from town to town, tailoring dresses, for circus midgets.
Harry Sawyer: Traveling midget tailors?
Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr.: Yeah, ya think?
Harry Sawyer: No.

Movie Connections:

References Fargo (1996)

Soundtrack:

Ordinary Heart

Small Texas Town Lives Up To Its Name

Happy Texas is one of the greatest comedies you've probably never heard of. Shot in just 29 days on a shoestring budget, this film's acting, directing, script and comedic timing are so clever and incisive that it has attracted an almost cult following, especially among Steve Zahn fans.

There are plots within plots that all pull together in the end to make a perfect film. Starting with escaped convicts (Wayne Wayne Wayne played by Steve Zahn and Harry Sawyer played by Jeremy Northam) who have to hide and steal an RV belonging to two gay pageant designers, to discovering the gay lifestyle in a small Texas community (Happy), to finding love in the arms of a doe-eyed banker (Ally Walker ...sorry for the cliché, but she really does have doe-eyes), this movie hits on all aspects of life and puts a hilarious spin on them.

The greatest things about this film were Steve Zahn's acting while trying to teach pre-teen girls how to dance, and William H. Macy's stunning performance as Happy's town sheriff who comes out of the closet.

Always sharp, incredibly funny, superbly paced, this movie's small budget belies its excellent acting and directing.

Few films will tickle your funny bone as perfectly as HAPPY Texas. Watch it. Buy it. Live it!