'Groundhog Day'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and actress and writer Issa Rae tell us if we can expect six more weeks of winter or an early spring by rewatching the 1993 classic 'Groundhog Day' starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.
Cast
Bill Murray as Phil Connors
Andie MacDowell as Rita
Chris Elliott as Larry
Stephen Tobolowsky as Ned Ryerson
Michael Shannon as Fred
Directed by: Harold Ramis
Written by: Danny Rubin, Harold Ramis
Notes
- Made on a $15 million budget and grossed $70.9 million.
- Bill Murray was bitten by the groundhog 2-3 times during filming – one bite was severe enough to require anti-rabies injections.
- Murray and Harold Ramis did not speak for 21 years after the film due to on-set tensions – they reconciled near the end of Ramis's life.
- Filmed in Woodstock, IL (50 miles from Murray's hometown), not Punxsutawney, PA – there's a plaque that says 'Bill Murray stepped here'.
- In the original script, the movie just starts with Phil already in the loop – Ramis changed it to show the first normal day.
- Danny Rubin was inspired by Interview with the Vampire and thinking about what it would be like to live forever.
- The movie has been adopted by Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Christians as spiritually meaningful.
- Later added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
- Ebert initially gave it 3 stars, then upgraded to 4 stars 12 years later.
Categories
Quote from Rog's review:
“Groundhog Day is a film that finds its note and purpose so precisely that its genius may not be immediately apparent. It unfolds so inevitably, is so entertaining, so apparently effortless.”
Initially 3 stars, upgraded to 4 stars 12 years later. On revisit, Ebert wrote: 'The good news is we can learn to be better people.'
- Phil's 'flipping out' montage – kissing the old lady, punching Ned, eating a massive breakfast: 'I don't even have to floss'.
- Phil getting every Jeopardy answer right, followed by the surly on-camera rant about 'Groundhog Day'.
- The Groundhog heist – stealing the groundhog and driving with it: 'Don't drive angry'.
- The suicide/dark sequence – praised for Harold Ramis's tonal shift from comedy to drama.
- The slap montage – Phil getting slapped repeatedly trying to seduce Rita.
- The entire premise – especially relevant during COVID-19: 'the ultimate pandemic movie'.
- The Ned Ryerson scenes – 'Needle Nose Ned, Ned the Head!'
- Michael Shannon's cameo – his first movie ever.
- Phil trying to save the homeless man – the inevitability of death.
- The movie's timelessness – doesn't need cell phones or the internet; could be made today.
- 'I'm Your Weatherman' theme song – co-written by Ramis, tacky and too 'late 80s'.
- Chris Elliott as a casting choice – 'a very 80s decision'.
- The 'staying up all night' plot hole – never explored why Phil didn't just stay awake past midnight.
- Tom Hanks – Ramis considered him but decided he was 'too nice'.
- Eddie Murphy – Ramis originally wanted him.
- Michael Keaton – turned it down because 'the idea was too confusing,' then regretted it.
- Tori Amos was considered for Rita instead of Andie MacDowell.
Stephen Tobolowsky as Ned Ryerson – one of the greatest That Guys ever. They half-joked about renaming the category 'The Stephen Tobolowsky Award.'
Michael Shannon as Fred the newlywed – his first movie ever, 'he was overacting like shit.' Full WrestleMania energy.
Stephen Tobolowsky – not in the movie that much but maximizes every moment
- Harold Ramis – yes, the culmination of a great 17-18 year run starting with National Lampoon.
- Bill Murray – this is 'the pivotal role of the back half of his career'.
- Andie MacDowell – debatable; Sex, Lies, and Videotape may be her real apex.
- 'I Got You Babe' – for anyone under 40, the song lives on because of this movie.
- Why didn't Phil just stay awake past midnight? The biggest nit – never explored.
- What happens when Phil commits suicide? Does he wake up immediately the next day?
- No explanation for why the time loop starts or ends.
Rick Ducommun's part (Gus the barfly) – could have done better. Suggestions: Bill Hicks, Steve Buscemi, Randy Quaid.
- How long was Phil trapped? Bill: 18 years. Issa: 20. Sean: 32. Ramis said 10 then 30-40 years. Co-screenwriter said ~100 years. Buddhists say 10,000.
- Do Phil and Rita stay together? Bill says no – at some point he'd tell her the truth and she'd be freaked out.
Bill Murray – unanimously. Sean calls it 'the pivotal role of the back half of his career.'
- All the clocks in the diner are stopped, mirroring Phil's predicament.
- They shot 25 takes of the closing scene debating whether Phil and Rita should be clothed or not.
- During the snowball fight, Ramis told the kids to throw hard at Murray because he was annoyed at him.
- There was a cut scene where Phil goes into the groundhog's lair to blow it up – too close to 'Caddyshack'.