Groundhog Day (1993)

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

Director:

Harold Ramis

Writers:

Danny Rubin (screenplay), Harold Ramis (screenplay)

Stars:

Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 6 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

A weather man 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 realisation that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing EVERY day.

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Plot Keywords:

trapped in a time loop | time loop | groundhog day | suicide | weatherman | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some thematic elements

Did You Know?

Trivia

The lines Rita (Andie MacDowell) quotes in the café - "unwept, unhonoured, and unsung" - are from Walter Scott's "Lay of the Last Minstrel", Canto vi, Stanza 1.

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Goofs

When Phil takes his "joyride" with Gus and Ralph, there isn't any snow, but the blizzard would already have hit the town by then.

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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.

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Alternate Versions

Some DVD versions have the missing scene in its original form.

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Connections

Referenced in The Truman Show (1998)

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Soundtracks

I Got You Babe
Written by Sonny Bono
Performed by Sonny & Cher
Courtesy of ATCO Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Neglected Masterpiece

I thought the film was terrific when I saw it in theaters twelve years ago. Recently in watching it again on cable, I was amazed at the quality of the screenplay. I didn't notice the first time. But on repeated viewings (like reliving Groundhog Day), I was impressed at the story created by the writers. This film is so much more than witty jokes and comic riffs arranged around a gimmick. It has an internal logic and consistency that is very rarely found in screenplays. No joke seemed disposable, and as you laugh your way along, the philosophy underlying the film takes over your imagination.

Check the IMDb listings for this film's awards: look at the numerous British awards for writing. And yet this film was not even nominated for an Oscar. It is so rare that a film's jokes seem just as fresh more than a decade later, but I believe that is because the theme underlying the humor will never go out of fashion.

The acting was terrific, and I now think this is Bill Murray's best work (though I didn't take it seriously when I first saw the film.) But the screenplay is the one of the finest ever written. I don't know if it's studied in film schools, but it ought to be.

* * * * *

ON HAROLD RAMIS' DEATH: Ramis told The Associated Press in a 2009 story about the 50th anniversary of Second City. "When you hit it right, those things last."

I found that quote in a story on Ramis' death. The story curiously did not mention "Groundhog Day." If there is any film to serve as a fitting memorial for Harold Ramis, it must be "Groundhog Day." A totally perfect script, perfectly executed. He hit it right, and when will he get the recognition he deserved decades ago?

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

12 February 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Groundhog Day

Filming Locations:

344 Fremont St, Woodstock, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,600,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,517,672, 14 February 1993

Gross USA:

$71,073,420

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$71,074,049

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1