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| “ | Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Shut up! | „ |
| ~ Billy Madison's most famous quote. |
| “ | I am the smartest man alive! | „ |
| ~ Billy Madison after winning the 2nd grade spelling bee. |
William Theodore "Billy" Madison is the titular main protagonist of the 1995 film of the same name. Billy is a slacker who repeats school grades 1 through 12 to prove he can take over his father's hotel empire
He was portrayed by Adam Sandler, who also portrayed Bobby Boucher in The Waterboy, Davey Stone and Whitey Duvall in Eight Crazy Nights, Michael Newman in Click, Zohan Dvir in You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Skeeter Bronson in Bedtime Stories, Dracula in the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Sam Brenner and Q*bert in Pixels, Archie Moses in Bulletproof, Dink the Clown in Shakes the Clown, Hubie Dubois in Hubie Halloween, Tommy Stockburn in The Ridiculous 6, Barry Egan in Punch-Drunk Love, Longfellow Deeds in Mr. Deeds, Robbie Hart in The Wedding Singer, Little Nicky in Little Nicky, Chuck Levine in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Lenny Feder in the Grown Ups films, Leo in Leo, and Paul Crewe in The Longest yard 2005.
Biography[]
Billy Madison is the 27-year-old heir to a Fortune 500 hotel company that his father, Brian, has created. 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. Brian loses confidence in his son and chooses the conniving Eric Gordon as his successor. When Billy begs his father to reconsider his decision, Brian reveals that he secretly bribed Billy's school teachers to give him passing grades. The two finally compromise: Billy must complete all 12 grades in two-week intervals to prove he is competent enough to manage the company.
Shortly after enrolling into school, Billy becomes attracted to a teacher named Veronica Vaughn, who initially ignores him. Nevertheless Billy successfully progresses through his first two grades. He finds himself as one of Veronica's students in the third grade and earns her respect by standing up for Ernie, his friend and classmate. Billy becomes popular among the third graders and misses them as he advances through school. Billy's progress alarms Eric, who becomes increasingly agitated as Billy completes each grade. Eric blackmails Billy's principal, Max Anderson, into claiming that Billy bribed him for passing grades.
Brian swiftly terminates his agreement with Billy and names Eric as his successor. Billy grows distraught and reverts to his carefree lifestyle. Veronica motivates him to return to school, while his grade school classmates convince Max to retract his bribery accusations. Brian agrees to give Billy another chance but Eric cites that Billy failed the challenge by taking more than two weeks to complete a grade. He then threatens to sue Brian if he does not pass the company onto him. Billy intervenes and challenges Eric to an academic decathlon to finally settle their feud.
Both men excel in different activities but Billy manages to take a single-point lead before the contest's final event, a Jeopardy-style academic test. Billy stumbles on the opening question in the event, and Eric is given the chance to win the contest by answering a question about business ethics. Eric is unable to withstand the pressure and breaks down. He brandishes a handgun, but Max tackles Eric before he can harm Billy. Eric recovers from the attack and attempts to shoot Veronica, but he is shot by Danny McGrath, a rifle-wielding madman whom Billy apologized to earlier in the film.
At his graduation, Billy is delivering a speech. Billy announces he will pass the hotel business to Carl Alphonse, one of his father's more polite businessmen, and attend college in order to become a teacher. Eric watches on and fumes in frustration over Billy's decision.
Personality[]
Billy Madison is a character that starts off as the epitome of a manchild. He is entitled, spoiled, and cares only about partying and having a good time. However, as the movie progresses, we see a transformation in his personality as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
At the beginning of the movie, Billy is carefree and irresponsible. He relies on his father's wealth and connections to get by in life, even though he is well into his 20s. He has never had to face any real consequences for his actions and acts like a child in a grown man's body. He is immature and lacks direction or ambition. But when he learns the truth about his education, that his father had bribed his teachers to pass him, he is truly shaken. This is the catalyst for his growth and development throughout the movie.
As Billy embarks on his journey back to school, we see a new side of him emerging. He starts to take responsibility for his actions and accepts the consequences of his bullying behavior in the past. This shows a sense of maturity and self-awareness that was previously lacking in him. He begins to understand the value of hard work and determination as he struggles to pass each grade and earn his diploma.
One of the most significant changes in Billy's personality is his newfound empathy and compassion. He realizes the harm he has caused to those around him, especially to his classmates and teachers. He takes the time to apologize for his behavior and makes an effort to mend the relationships he has damaged. This displays a level of emotional growth that is rare in someone as selfish as he used to be.
As Billy starts to excel academically, he also discovers his passion for teaching. He sees the impact that a teacher can have on a student's life and realizes that it is something he wants to pursue. This is a significant turning point for him as he goes from wanting to inherit his father's hotel business to choosing a career that truly fulfills him.
In the end, Billy Madison is no longer the partying, irresponsible manchild we met at the beginning of the movie. He has grown into a responsible, empathetic, and mature young man who is eager to make a positive impact on others. His journey has taught him valuable life lessons, and he emerges as a well-rounded individual with a clear sense of direction and purpose.
In conclusion, Billy Madison's personality can be described as a tale of growth and transformation. From a selfish and immature manchild to a responsible and empathetic young man, his journey is a testament to the power of self-discovery and personal growth. He serves as a reminder that no matter how old we are, it is never too late to change and become the best version of ourselves.
