“You Don’t Temp The Devil”: Adam Sandler’s Alligator Fight In 1996 Comedy Gets Warning From Expert

A real-life animal expert assesses Adam Sandler’s alligator fight scene in Happy Gilmore, adding that there’s no type of reality involved in it.

Adam Sandler’s famous alligator fight scene in the 1996 sports comedy movie Happy Gilmore gets brutally analyzed by a real-life animal expert. Starring Adam Sandler as the titular character, along with other talented names including Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, Frances Bay, and Carl Weathers, the movie revolves around a wannabe hockey player who becomes a viral golf star, in part for his ill temper. Happy’s short fuse causes him to engage in a couple of memorable squabbles throughout the movie, including one with an alligator.

While the alligator fight scene in Happy Gilmore is both hilarious and spirited, crocodile wrangler Frank Robb, in a recent video for Insider, broke down the famous scene, pointing out just how ludicrous it is. The alligator expert explains that there’s no type of reality involved in Sandler’s famous wrestle with an alligator, and he also states that engaging in such a tussle is tantamount to tempting the devil. Read his full comments below:

There are a lot of behaviors that change completely when alligators are on a golf course. They get fed a lot. The ones that aren’t fed are used to getting people walking by them, golfing by them and moving by them. The alligators get complacent, the people get complacent.

Take the stroke and move on or drop a new ball somewhere else. You don’t play those kinds of games. A gator can close its jaws faster than you can react to it. There’s a misconception about alligator wrestling. It’s not a real thing. It’s an entertainment thing, there’s no type of reality involved in that. As my uncle would say, you don’t tempt the devil. I’ll give it a 1. The way the clip played out with him jumping into the water after it, wrestling it headbutting it, you wouldn’t be coming back from that.

Happy Gilmore’s Unrealistic Scenes Do Not Take Away The Movie’s Appeal

Happy Gilmore’s theatrical release back in 1996 was met with polarizing reviews among critics, who were divided about the overall quality of the movie. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the comedy holds an approval rating of 62%, with the consensus among critics also split between those who enjoyed Sandler’s characteristic schtick and those who thought the movie was pretty forgettable.

The divide in opinion regarding the quality of Happy Gilmore, however, was not reflective in the movie’s commercial performance. The movie was a box office success, grossing a total of $41.2 million worldwide against a lowly budget of $12 million. The general audience seemed to enjoy the movie, especially Sandler’s famous fight with Bob Barker which has subsequently been reenacted, most notably on Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars.

Adam Sandler recently revealed that he would be interested in bringing back Happy Gilmore for a belated sequel, and his idea is perfect.

Regardless of some of the movie’s scenes which clearly have no regard for reality, just like the alligator fight scene which Frank Robb completely discredits, Happy Gilmore remains an enjoyable comedy movie that’s beloved even till this day. It is undeniable that Sandler’s compelling performance is a huge reason for the movie’s success and why it garnered and maintains a loyal following even many years after its release, remaining one of his better-received comedies from both the ’90s and his overall filmography.