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Groundhog Day (film)

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Groundhog Day
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHarold Ramis
Screenplay byDanny Rubin
Harold Ramis
Story byDanny Rubin
Produced byTrevor Albert
Harold Ramis
StarringBill Murray
Andie MacDowell
Chris Elliott
CinematographyJohn Bailey
Edited byPembroke J. Herring
Music byGeorge Fenton
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
February 12, 1993
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$14.6 million
Box office$70,906,973[1]

Groundhog Day is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell and Chris Elliott. It was written by Ramis and Danny Rubin, based on a story by Rubin.

Murray plays Phil Connors, an arrogant and egocentric Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, finds himself in a time loop, repeating the same day again and again. After indulging in hedonism and numerous suicide attempts, he begins to re-examine his life and priorities.

In 2006, the film was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."[2]

Plot

Sardonic, self-absorbed TV meteorologist Phil Connors (Murray), news producer Rita (MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Elliott) from fictional Pittsburgh television station WPBH-TV9 travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities with Punxsutawney Phil. Having grown annoyed with the assignment, Phil grudgingly gives his sarcastic report and attempts to return to Pittsburgh when a blizzard shuts down the roads. Phil and his team are forced to return to Punxsutawney and stay in town overnight.

Phil wakes up to find that he is reliving February 2. The day plays out exactly as it did before, with no one else aware of the time loop, and only Phil aware of past events. He is initially confused, but when the phenomenon continues each subsequent day, he decides to take advantage of the situation: he learns the town's residents secrets, seduces women, plays pranks, overindulges in unhealthy foods, steals money, drives recklessly, and gets thrown in jail. However, his attempts to get closer to Rita repeatedly fail.

Eventually Phil tires of his excesses, becomes despondent and resorts to increasingly drastic measures to end the time loop; he gives ridiculous and offensive reports on the festival, abuses residents, eventually kidnaps Punxsutawney Phil and, after a car chase involving the police, drives into a quarry, evidently killing both himself and the groundhog. However, Phil wakes up again in his bed and finds that nothing has changed; further attempts at suicide are equally fruitless as he continues to find himself waking at six o'clock on the morning of February 2 with the clock radio on his nightstand playing "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher.

When Phil explains the situation to Rita she suggests that he should work to improve himself. Inspired, Phil endeavors to try to learn more about Rita, building upon his knowledge of her and the town each day. He begins to use his by-now vast experience of the day to help as many people as possible. He also learns, among other things, to play piano at a professional level, ice sculpt expertly, and speak fluent French.

Eventually, Phil is able to befriend almost everyone he meets during the day. He uses his knowledge of that day's experiences to save lives, help townspeople, and to get closer to Rita. He crafts a report on the Groundhog Day celebration so eloquent that all the other stations turn their microphones to him and the surrounding crowd erupts in applause and cheers at the report's conclusion. After the evening dance, Rita and Phil retire together to Phil's room. He wakes the next morning and finds the time loop is broken; it is now February 3 and Rita is still with him. After going outside, Phil suggests to Rita that they move to Punxsutawney, at least initially on a rental basis.

Cast

Andie MacDowell with groundhog, 2008

Production

"Ned's Corner" commemorative plaque, Woodstock, IL.
Tip Top Cafe, Woodstock, IL.

According to Ramis' DVD commentary, Danny Rubin's original script and the film as it was actually released are different in several ways.[citation needed]

The original script began mid narrative, without explaining how or why Phil was repeating Groundhog Day. The filmmakers believed the audience would feel cheated without seeing Phil's growing realization of the nature of the time loop.[citation needed]

Rubin had also originally envisioned Andie MacDowell's character Rita reliving the day with Phil, and portrayed the pair as being stuck together in the time loop for far longer than the film showed, possibly for thousands of years (Phil tracked time by reading a page of a book each day and had managed to read through the entire public library).[citation needed]

Reports regarding how long Phil is trapped in the time loop vary widely. Ramis states in the DVD commentary that he believes 10 years pass.[citation needed] However, in an e-mail response sent to Heeb magazine, Ramis said, "I think the 10-year estimate is too short. It takes at least 10 years to get good at anything, and allotting for the down time and misguided years he spent, it had to be more like 30 or 40 years."[3]

According to Stephen Tobolowsky, Ramis told him that the entire progress of Groundhog Day covered 10,000 years. "I always thought that there were nine days represented [in the film], and Danny Rubin, the writer, said that he felt something like 23 days were represented in the movie, [but they lasted] over 10,000 years."[4]

During the filming, Ramis and Murray, despite their longtime collaboration, had a personal and professional falling out which remained unresolved for more than 10 years.[5][6]

Location

The shooting location[7][8] for most of the film was Woodstock, Illinois, a far northwest suburb of Chicago about 10 mi (16 km) from the Wisconsin border. Residents of the city helped in the production by bringing out heaters to warm the cast and crew in cold weather. The real Gobbler's Knob is located in a rural area about 2 mi (3.2 km) east of Punxsutawney, but the film location gives the impression that it is in the town. The Tip Top Cafe, where much of the film takes place, was originally a set created for the film, but local demand led to its remaining open as a real cafe. After it closed, the Tip Top Bistro took its place, eventually to be replaced by Bella's Gelateria.[7]

Final scene

Stephen Tobolowsky at Groundhog Day 2010 in Punxsutawney recalled the making of the final scene:

He [Bill Murray] said, “I refuse to shoot this scene until I know how I am dressed. Am I wearing the clothes I wore the night before? Am I wearing p.j.’s? Am I not wearing that?” That is, what happened that night between him and Andie [MacDowell]? So, he refused to shoot it. Harold Ramis, the director, had not thought of this question, and he didn’t know. So he took a vote from the cast and crew as to what Bill was wearing. Is he wearing the clothes from the night before, or is he wearing pajamas? And it was a tie, a tie vote, so Bill still refused to shoot the scene.

Then one girl in the movie—it was her first film—she was assistant set director. She raised her hand and said, “He is absolutely wearing the clothes he wore the night before. If he is not wearing the clothes he wore the night before, it will ruin the movie. That’s my vote.” So Harold Ramis said, “Then that’s what we are going to do.” I’ve never told anybody that behind-the-scenes story, so keep that a secret now.[4]

Reception

The film was released to generally favorable reviews, holding a score of 72 out of 100 at Metacritic.[9] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave it a B–[10] and Desson Howe of the The Washington Post noted that even though the film is a good Bill Murray vehicle, "'Groundhog' will never be designated a national film treasure by the Library of Congress."[11] Among positive reviews, Janet Maslin of The New York Times called it "a particularly witty and resonant comedy"[12] and Hal Hinson of The Washington Post called it "the best American comedy since 'Tootsie.'".[13] It was a solid performer in its initial release, grossing $70.9 million in North America and ranking 13th among films released in 1993.[14] And it was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, but lost to Jurassic Park.[15]

The critical opinion and popularity of Groundhog Day has significantly improved since its initial release, with the film currently holding a 96% "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, among mostly recent reviews,[16] and being ranked 176 on the IMDb's Top 250, the second highest ranked film of 1993, behind Schindler's List.[17] Roger Ebert has revisited it in his "Great Movies" series.[18] After giving it a three-star rating in his original review,[19] Ebert acknowledged in his "Great Movies" essay that, like many viewers, he had initially underestimated the film's many virtues and only came to truly appreciate it through repeated viewings. The film was ranked at number thirty-four on the American Film Institute's list of 100 Funniest Movies in 2000, was named the number eight Fantasy film in AFI's 10 Top 10 in 2008, and was selected by the US National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress in 2006.[20] The film is number 32 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies". In Total Film's 1990s special issue, Groundhog Day was deemed the best film of 1993 (the year that saw the release of Schindler's List, The Piano and The Fugitive). In 2000, readers of Total Film voted it the seventh greatest comedy film of all time. The Writers Guild of America ranked the screenplay #27 on their list of 101 Greatest Screenplays ever written.[21] In 2009, the American literary theorist and legal scholar Stanley Fish named the film as among the ten best American films ever.[22]

Awards

In June 2008, AFI revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Groundhog Day was acknowledged as the eighth best film in the fantasy genre.[23][24]

American Film Institute recognition

Legacy

The phrase "Groundhog Day" has entered common use as a reference to an unpleasant situation that continually repeats, or seems to.[27]

In the military, referring to unpleasant, unchanging, repetitive situations as “Groundhog Day” was widespread very soon after the movie’s release in February 1993. A magazine article about the aircraft carrier USS America mentions its use by sailors in September 1993.[28] The film was a favorite among the Rangers deployed for Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia in 1993, because they saw the film as a metaphor of their own situation, waiting long periods between raids and monotonous long days.[29] In February 1994, the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga referred to its deployment in the Adriatic Sea, in support of Bosnia operations, as Groundhog Station. A speech by President Clinton in January 1996 specifically referred to the movie and the use of the phrase by military personnel in Bosnia.[30] Fourteen years after the movie was released, "Groundhog Day" was noted as American military slang for any day of a tour of duty in Iraq.[31]

Member of Parliament Dennis Skinner likened British Prime Minister Tony Blair's treatment following the 2004 Hutton Inquiry to Groundhog Day. "[The affair] was, he said, like Groundhog Day, with the prime minister's critics demanding one inquiry, then another inquiry, then another inquiry." Blair responded approvingly, "I could not have put it better myself. Indeed I did not put it better myself."[32]

Groundhog Day has been considered a tale of self-improvement which emphasizes the need to look inside oneself and realize that the only satisfaction in life comes from turning outward and concerning oneself with others rather than concentrating solely on one's own wants and desires. The phrase also has become a shorthand illustration for the concept of spiritual transcendence.[33][34] As such, the film has become a favorite of Buddhists[35][36] because they see its themes of selflessness and rebirth as a reflection of their own spiritual messages. It has also, in the Catholic tradition, been seen as a representation of Purgatory. It has even been dubbed by some religious leaders as the "most spiritual film of our time."[37]

In economics, the movie has been used by economists to illustrate the theory of "perfectly competitive equilibrium based on perfect information", and its associated theoretical shortcomings.[38]

In August 2003, Stephen Sondheim responded to a question about his next project that he was interested in something like a theme and variations—possibly a musical adaptation of Groundhog Day;[39][40] however, in a 2008 live chat said that "to make a musical of Groundhog Day would be to gild the lily. It cannot be improved."[41]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Groundhog Day, Box Office Information". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  2. ^ "Films Added to National Film Registry for 2006" (Press release). Library of Congress. December 27, 2006. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  3. ^ "Harold Ramis's Response to the Groundhog Day Timeline Study". Heeb. Archived from the original on 2009-08-18.
  4. ^ a b Jekelek, Jan (2010-02-11). "In Depth With 'Groundhog Day's' Ned Ryerson, Actor Stephen Tobolowsky". Epoch Times. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  5. ^ Friend, Tad (2009-01-07). "Annals of Hollywood: Comedy First". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  6. ^ Heisler, Steve. "Harold Ramis | Film". A.V. Club. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  7. ^ a b "Woodstock, Illinois - Groundhog Day Movie Town". Retrieved 2007-04-08.
  8. ^ "Woodstock, set of Groundhog Day". Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  9. ^ "Groundhog Day - Metacritic". Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  10. ^ "Entertainment Weekly Movie Reviews: Groundhog Day". Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  11. ^ "Washintong Post: "Groundhog Day"". Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  12. ^ "New York Time Movie Review: Groundhog Day". Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  13. ^ "Washington Post: "Groundhog Day"". Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  14. ^ "1993 Domestic Grosses".
  15. ^ "1994 Hugo Awards". World Science Fiction Society. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  16. ^ "Groundhog Day - Rotten Tomatoes". Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  17. ^ "IMDb Top 250". Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  18. ^ Roger Ebert's Great Movies Review of Groundhog Day January 30, 2005
  19. ^ Roger Ebert's Review of Groundhog Day February 12, 1993
  20. ^ "National Film Preservation Board, December 27, 2006". Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  21. ^ "The 101 Greatest Screenplays". Writers Guild of America. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
  22. ^ Stanley Fish (2009-01-04). "The 10 Best American Movies". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  23. ^ American Film Institute (2008-06-17). "AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Genres". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  24. ^ "Top 10 Fantasy". American Film Institute. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  25. ^ AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions Nominees
  26. ^ AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) Ballot
  27. ^ "Hurricane Fatigue". USA Today. 2004-09-26. Retrieved 2009-10-10.
  28. ^ "Diplomacy's Gunboat". U.S. News & World Report. 1994-02-22. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  29. ^ Bowden, Black Hawk Down, Corgi edition, 2000 p.534.
  30. ^ Remarks to American Troops at Tuzla Airfield, Bosnia-Herzegovina, January 13, 1996
  31. ^ "'Embrace the Suck' and More Military Speak". Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  32. ^ Nick Assinder (2004-02-04). "Politics: Prime Minister's Questions". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  33. ^ "The spiritual power of repetitive form: Steps toward transcendence in Groundhog Day." Suzanne Daughton, Critical Studies in Mass Communication. Annandale: Jun 1996. Vol. 13, Iss. 2; pg. 138, 17 pgs
  34. ^ Kuczynski, Alex (December 7, 2003). "Groundhog Almighty". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 7, 2003. Retrieved 2009-10-10. Angela Zito, a co-director of the Center for Religion and Media at New York University, screens the film for students in her Buddhism class. She said that "Groundhog Day" perfectly illustrates the Buddhist notion of samsara, the continuing cycle of rebirth that Buddhists regard as suffering that humans must try to escape (a belief, Dr. Zito noted, that was missed by executives at Guerlain, who, searching for an exotic name, introduced a perfume called Samsara in the 1980s, overlooking the negative connotations). "Groundhog Day," Dr. Zito said, is a cinematic version of the teachings in Mahayana Buddhism, known as "the greater vehicle." "In Mahayana," she said, "nobody ever imagines they are going to escape samsara until everybody else does. That is why you have bodhisattvas, who reach the brink of nirvana, and stop and come back and save the rest of us. Bill Murray is the bodhisattva. He is not going to abandon the world. On the contrary, he is released back into the world to save it."
  35. ^ Paul Schindler. "Groundhog Day The Movie, Buddhism and Me". schindler.org. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  36. ^ Shambhala Sun. "And If He Sees His Shadow..."
  37. ^ Andrew Buncombe (2004-02-02). "Is this the greatest story ever told?". The Independent. London: independent.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-01-07.[dead link‍]
  38. ^ MacKenzie, D. W. (March 2007). "Austrian Economics in Action: The economics of Groundhog Day". Review - Institute of Public Affairs. Vol. 59. Melbourne. p. 20.
  39. ^ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Broadway". Institute for Studies In American Music. Fall 2003. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
  40. ^ "Sondheim plans changes to Bounce". The Stephen Sondheim Society. August 25, 2003. Retrieved 2006-10-10.[dead link‍]
  41. ^ "Roundabout Live Chat". Roundabout Theatre. May 6, 2009. Retrieved 2011-12-21.

Further reading

  • Gilbey, Ryan (2004), Groundhog Day, London: British Film Institute, ISBN 1-84457-032-0.
  • Rubin, Danny (2012), How to Write "Groundhog Day", Boston: Triad Publishing.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Groundhog Day (film).
Look up Groundhog Day in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

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