Groundhog Day (1993)

Director:

Harold Ramis

Writers (WGA):

Danny Rubin (screenplay) and
Harold Ramis (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 February 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

He's having the worst day of his life... over, and over...

Plot:

A weatherman finds himself living the same day over and over again.

Plot Keywords:

Groundhog | Groundhog Day | Weather | Weatherman | Love

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 6 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Bill Murray	...	Phil
Andie MacDowell	...	Rita
Chris Elliott	...	Larry
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Ned
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Buster
Marita Geraghty	...	Nancy
Angela Paton	...	Mrs. Lancaster
Rick Ducommun	...	Gus
Rick Overton	...	Ralph
Robin Duke	...	Doris the Waitress
Carol Bivins	...	Anchorwoman
Willie Garson	...	Phil's Assistant Kenny
Ken Hudson Campbell	...	Man in Hallway
Les Podewell	...	Old Man
Rod Sell	...	Groundhog Official
Tom Milanovich	...	State Trooper
John M. Watson Sr.	...	Bartender (as John Watson Sr.)
Peggy Roeder	...	Piano Teacher
Harold Ramis	...	Neurologist
David Pasquesi	...	Psychiatrist
Lee R. Sellars	...	Cop
Chet Dubowski	...	Bank Guard Felix
C.O. Erickson	...	Bank Guard Herman (as Doc Erickson)
Sandy Maschmeyer	...	Phil's Movie Date
Leighanne O'Neil	...	Fan on Street
Evangeline Binkley	...	Jeopardy! Viewer
Samuel Mages	...	Jeopardy! Viewer
Ben Zwick	...	Jeopardy! Viewer
Hynden Walch	...	Debbie (as Hynden Walsh)
Michael Shannon	...	Fred
Timothy Hendrickson	...	Waiter Bill
Martha Webster	...	Waitress Alice
Angela Gollan	...	Piano Student
Shaun Chaiyabhat	...	Boy in Tree
Dianne B. Shaw	...	E.R. Nurse
Barbara Ann Grimes	...	Flat Tire Lady
Ann Heekin	...	Flat Tire Lady
Lucina Paquet	...	Flat Tire Lady
Brenda Pickleman	...	Buster's Wife
Amy Murdoch	...	Buster's Daughter
Eric Saiet	...	Buster's Son
Lindsay Albert	...	Woman with Cigarette (as Lindsay Reinsch)
Roger Adler	...	Guitar Player
Ben A. Fish	...	Bass Player
Don Riozz McNichols	...	Drum Player (as Don Rio McNichols)
Brian Willig	...	Saxophone Player
Richard Henzel	...	D.J. (voice)
Rob Riley	...	D.J. (voice)
Scooter	...	The Groundhog
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Douglas Blakeslee	...	Man with Snow Shovel (uncredited)
Tony DeGuide	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Leslie Frates	...	Herself - 'Jeopardy!' Contestant (uncredited)
Ari Golan	...	Ch. 3 Cameraman (uncredited)
Simon Harvey	...	News Reporter (uncredited)
Grady Hutt	...	(uncredited)
Robert Minkoff	...	Bit (uncredited)
Regina Prokop	...	Polka Dancer (uncredited)
Daniel Riggs	...	Bachelor (uncredited)

Directed by
Harold Ramis

Writing credits (WGA)
Danny Rubin		(screenplay) and
Harold Ramis		(screenplay)
Danny Rubin		(story)

Produced by
Trevor Albert	....	producer
C.O. Erickson	....	executive producer
Harold Ramis	....	producer
Whitney White	....	associate producer

Original Music by
George Fenton

Cinematography by
John Bailey		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pembroke J. Herring

Casting by
Howard Feuer

Production Design by
David Nichols

Art Direction by
Peter Landsdown Smith

Set Decoration by
Lisa Fischer

Costume Design by
Jennifer Butler

Makeup Department
Art Anthony	....	special prosthetic makeup
Deborah K. Dee	....	makeup artist
Emanuel Millar	....	key hair stylist (as Emanuel 'Manny' Millar)
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	key makeup artist (as Dorothy Pearl)
Gunnar Swanson	....	hair stylist
James Lacey	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
C.O. Erickson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Cyd Adams	....	second second assistant director
Brian W. Boyd	....	second assistant director: second unit
Steve Boyum	....	second unit director
Michael Haley	....	first assistant director
Sam Hoffman	....	second second assistant director
Alan Hopkins	....	first assistant director: second unit (as J. Alan Hopkins)
Gaetano Lisi	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Gaetano 'Tom' Lisi)
John L. Roman	....	second assistant director
Jackie Hudson	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Timothy J. Lonsdale	....	assistant director: reshoots (uncredited)

Art Department
Gary Baugh	....	assistant art director
Amy Berk	....	art department coordinator
Ron Bolanowski	....	assistant property master
Karen Fletcher Trujillo	....	set designer (as Karen Fletcher-Trujillo)
Amie McCarthy	....	property master (as Amie Frances McCarthy)
James J. Murakami	....	assistant art director
Joel Prihoda	....	leadman
Phil Read	....	construction coordinator
Anthony Joseph Fatigato	....	painter (uncredited)
Michael Anthony Jackson	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Mike Monckton	....	signwriter (uncredited)

Sound Department
George H. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor
Mary Andrews	....	adr editor
Kevin Barlia	....	sound editor
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ed Callahan	....	sound editor
Ann Ducommun	....	assistant sound editor
David Giammarco	....	sound editor
John A. Larsen	....	sound editor
Les Lazarowitz	....	production sound mixer
Linda Martin	....	assistant sound editor
Cindy Marty	....	sound editor
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
B. Tennyson Sebastian II	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott R. Thomson	....	sound cable
Jeffrey A. Williams	....	boom operator (as Jeff Williams)
Gary Marullo	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Harry E. Snodgrass	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tom Ryba	....	special effects
Rick Lazzarini	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Stunts
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Frank P. Calzavara	....	stunts
Rudy J. Calzavara	....	stunts (as Rudy Calzavara)
Eddie J. Fernandez	....	stunts (as Ed Fernandez)
James Fierro	....	stunts
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts
Mark Harper	....	stunts
Maryann Kelman	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt coordinator (as Rick LeFevour)
Stacy Logan	....	stunts
James R. Mammoser	....	stunts
Jim McCarthy	....	stunts
Linda Perlin	....	stunts
Randy Popplewell	....	stunts
Gina Reale	....	stunts
Rich Wilkie	....	stunts
Jeff Williams	....	stunts (as Jeffrey Martin Williams)
Daniel Maldonado	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Blanford	....	director of photography: second unit
Beth Cotter	....	second assistant camera
Dennis De La Mata	....	key grip: second unit (as Dennis E. de la Mata)
Linda Gacsko	....	loader
Louis Goldman	....	still photographer
Michael Kohnhorst	....	camera operator: second unit
George Kohut	....	director of photography: second unit
Peter Kuttner	....	first assistant camera
Morgan Michael Lewis	....	key grip
Thomas Lewis	....	chief lighting technician: second unit (as Tom Lewis)
Mark R. Lindberg	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Ann Lukacs	....	camera operator: second unit
Bradley T. Matthys	....	dolly grip
Mark E. Matthys	....	best boy grip
Mike Moyer	....	chief lighting technician (as Mike G. Moyer)
Michael Stone	....	camera operator
Paolo Cascio	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit (uncredited)
Larry Cottrill	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Nicole Arbusto	....	casting assistant
Jane Brody	....	casting: Chicago
Catherine Jane Holzer	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Barbara L. Roche	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Butler	....	costume supervisor (as Mike Butler)
Patrick Caulfield	....	costumer
Julie Glick	....	costumer (as Julie Lynn Glick)

Editorial Department
Tony Ciccone	....	first assistant editor
Lin Coleman	....	first assistant editor
James Durante	....	apprentice editor (as Jim Durante)
Sandy French	....	second assistant editor (as Sandra French)
Craig Herring	....	additional editor
Kimberly Lord	....	apprentice editor
Scot Deer	....	telecine colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Sally Boldt	....	music editor
Sharon Boyle	....	music supervisor
John Richards	....	scoring mixer
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
Jeffrey Pollack	....	music consultant (uncredited)
Dana Sano	....	music coordinator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
George DiLeonardi	....	transportation captain (as George J. DiLeonardi)
Danny Maxwell	....	transportation co-captain (as Dan Maxwell)

Other crew
Jennifer Bird	....	production office assistant
Rafe Blasi	....	unit publicist
Mary J. Carlson	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Mary Carlson)
Julie Chandler	....	script supervisor: second unit
Ritchie Copenhaver	....	location manager: second unit
Dawn Erickson	....	assistant: Mr. Albert
Terry Fryer	....	hand double: piano
Suzanne Herrington	....	assistant: Mr. Ramis
Bill Hoffman	....	animal handler
Bill Hoffman	....	animal trainer
Craig Hosking	....	helicopter pilot: second unit
Bob Hudgins	....	location manager
Jim Kindelon	....	stand-in: Bill Murray
Jim Klever-Weis	....	key set production assistant (as James Richard Weis)
Alecia LaRue	....	production coordinator
Susan B. Mencke	....	craft service
Kim Miller	....	animal handler
Kim Miller	....	animal trainer
Kimberly K. Miller	....	assistant location manager
Margaret Mitchell	....	production accountant (as Margaret A. Mitchell)
Judd Nissen	....	production office assistant
Margaret J. Orlando	....	production secretary
Brian M. Schwartz	....	set production assistant
Christina Stauffer	....	set production assistant (as Christina J. Stauffer)
Judi Townsend	....	script supervisor
Valerie Flueger Veras	....	set production assistant (as Valerie Flueger)
Nancy Willen	....	unit publicist
Natalie Alexander	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Kay Lyn Byrne	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)
Michelle Landes	....	extras wrangler (uncredited)
Billy Pittard	....	title designer (uncredited)
Cliff T.E. Roseman	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents) (as Columbia Pictures)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1993) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1993) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1993) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1993) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors (1993) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (1993) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1993) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1993) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1994) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1993) (Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1995) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (????) (Italy) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (199?) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• LK-TEL (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (15th anniversary special edition)

Special Effects

• Character Shop (uncredited)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  animal action monitoring
• Anti Cruelty Society of Chicago, The  on-set supervision
• Cinema Research  opticals
• Creative Casting  casting
• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutter (as Donah Bassett & Associates)
• Epic Soundtrax  soundtrack
• Holzer Roche Ridge Casting  extras casting (as Holzer, Roche, & Ridge Casting, Inc.)
• Illinois Film Office, The  special thanks (as Illinois Film Office)
• Jeopardy Productions  courtesy: tape material from "Jeopardy"
• Jerry Vogel Music  permission: "Trees", a poem by Joyce Kilmer (as Jerry Vogel Music Co., Inc)
• Pittard Sullivan Fitzgerald  title design (as Pittard/Sullivan/Fitzgerald)
• Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, The  special thanks (as The Members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club)
• Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania  special thanks (as The Citizens of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania)
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• Woodstock, IL  special thanks (as The Community Leaders and Citizens of Woodstock, Illinois)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for some thematic elements

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (as Dolby Stereo)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:K-10 | Germany:6 | Ireland:15 | Norway:10 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG (PCA #31714) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:Livre | Chile:TE

Filming Locations:

Algonquin, Illinois, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The French poem Phil recites in the German restaurant was written by Danny Rubin, based on the lyrics of Jacques Brel's "Bachelor's Dance". Translated into English the poem reads: The girl I will love / is like a fine wine / that gets a little better / every morning.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the police chase scene on the railroad tracks, there is a shot where the train's headlights illuminates the tracks in front of the Phil's car. In that shot we can see that there is no break in the tracks. In the next shot they veer off the tracks, via a road without any rail crossings, and escape.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Phil:Somebody asked me today, "Phil, if you could be anywhere in the world, where would you like to be?" And I said to him, "Prob'ly right here - Elko, Nevada, our nation's high at 79 today." Out in California, they're gonna have some warm weather tomorrow, gang wars, and some *very* overpriced real estate. Up in the Pacific Northwest, as you can see, they're gonna have some very, very tall trees.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 1st to Die (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Pennsylvania Polka

Movies can change lives

Often you hear the adage, "It is just a film". Well, for most times it is true. But on rarest of rare occasions, it isn't. This was one of them. Like a great piece literature, painting, poetry, speech it has the capacity to change the way you feel and think. It is the biggest compliment I can pay to a film. I rank Groundhog Day with Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Waking Life, Synecdoche New York, Tokyo Story, Ikiru as one of the moves that has the capacity to change.

It is anything but a preachy film as the "intro" to the review might suggest. In fact it an extremely entertaining and funny film with one of the best performances ever by Bill Murray. The plot revolves around a weather man (Bill Murray) is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting "rat" (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration. On awaking the 'following' day he discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. First he uses this to his advantage, then comes the realization that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing every day.

The challenge here for the makers was in terms of screenplay, editing and performances. Bear in mind that, the "loops" Bill Murray's character goes through, might become redundant for the audience after a while. This is where the genius of Harold Ramis and Bill Murray comes into play, who seem to introduce a "novelty" factor with every shot of the same sequence. I couldn't think of any actor other than Murray who could have pulled this one off.

It is a movie likely to deceive you in its effortless narrative and casual comic tone. Yes, it is funny, but make no mistake about it, it is a film with a strong philosophical undertone. This is a quality that separates Groundhog from rest of the movies with similar intent. It tells you what it intends to on your terms. It deals with the questions that bother us for a better part of our lives i.e. meaning of life, purpose of life, existentialism, death, god but never preaches, nor propels any propaganda. But by the end of it, you know that something has changed, something you didn't see coming has happened. And then you watch it again only to realize the moment of Epiphany that eluded you the first time.

Every time I am down or losing perspective this is the movie that eases everything and makes me ask a simple question, "What is important?". One of the absolute great films of the 90s, but more than just a film for me.