Groundhog Day (1993)

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I first watched this film a year ago, after seeing a poster picture on DB, which looked very much like some old film from the 40s or 50s. I started to watch it, didn't expect much, but it got more and more interesting, by the middle of it, it was already on my favorite list. I have watched it a couple more times since, always a good chuckle.

The film has all the good elements, story, script, directing, casting, music and rhythm. Bill Murray was especially good for the role, Andie MacDowell was as always beautiful, all the supporting cast was good, even that little furry groundhog. The story was funny, though I am not particularly taken by the implied logic, that love is the key of salvation, Phil started to have a positive take on the situation after he confessed his love to Rita, and was eventually rescued after he gained her love, a little bit of preaching, ha, Hollywood. The music went perfect with the plot, was, of course, done by George Fenton, whose other works include Life series and Planet Earth, and among others, White Palace.

The story started when Phil and Rita and camera man Larry went to Punxsutawney PA to report the annual Groundhog Festival, which Phil hated. On the way back they were caught by an unexpected blizzard and was stuck in Punxsutawney.

The next day, Phil found he was reliving the same day as yesterday, he tried to act normal, but this day just kept repeating itself, he became a little nutty, got drunk and had a little escapade with the police, the next day it went back as nothing had ever happened.

Then he started to take a little advantage of the situation, women chasing and bank robbing, then he tried to seduce Rita, painstakingly improving bits by bits every day, but still failed. Then he got so desperate and started to commit a series of suicides, car wrecking (with the Groundhog Phil), electrocuting (bathtub with a toaster), hitting a car, jumping from tower, and a bunch of others didn't show in the film, and of course, he couldn't die.

He told Rita, they spent the day together, he confessed his love to her, and the next day he decided to make some good out of this one day. He studied, he learned to play piano, he went around to help people, and of course, at the end, Rita fell in love with him and the next day was come.

Favorite scenes:

1, the two cold showers, first one is hilarious, second one even better, tears actually are coming out.

2, the succession of slappings, the last one the force of the slap made Phil naturally leaned towards the door and opened it for the angry girl.

3, of course the groundhog driving.

4, the spade pounding in the telephone booth.

5, the therapy session.

6, and every 'I've got you, baby' song, especially the one coming from the broken radio.

Favorite quotes:

Phil: 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.

Phil: People like blood sausage too, people are morons. ... Would you like some blood sausages?
Rita: I like blood sausage.

Mrs. Lancaster: Did you sleep well, Mr. Connors?
Phil: I slept alone, Mrs. Lancaster.

Ned: So what are you doing for dinner?
Phil: Umm... something else.

Phil: Do you ever have déjà vu, Mrs. Lancaster?
Mrs. Lancaster: I don't think so, but I could check with the kitchen.

Larry: If you need any help with the other cheek, let me know, I am right here.

Rita: I like to see a man of advancing years throwing caution to the wind. It's inspiring in a way.
Phil: My years are not advancing as fast as you might think.

Phil: Well you can, it just takes awful lot of work.

Phil: You want a prediction about the weather, you're asking the wrong Phil. I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life.

Phil: I'm a god.
Rita: You're God?
Phil: I'm A god. I'm not THE God... I don't think.

Phil: Well maybe the REAL God uses tricks, you know? Maybe he's not omnipotent. He's just been around so long he knows everything.

Rita: Is that what you do with eternity?

Favorite trivias:

"Punxsutawney" is actually Woodstock, Illinoi.

Since the film's release, the town of Punxatawney has now become a major tourist attraction.

On February 2 1993 the sun did not rise until 7:25am in Punxsutawney, 賓夕法尼亞 so the film is technically inaccurate - it would still have been dark at 6am.

Director Harold Ramis originally wanted Tom Hanks for the lead role, but decided against it, saying that Hanks was "too nice".

There are exactly 38 days depicted in this film either partially or in full.

Bill Murray was bitten by the groundhog twice during shooting.

The scene where Phil picks up the alarm clock and slams it onto the floor didn't go as planned. Bill Murray slammed down the clock but it barely broke, so the crew bashed it with a hammer to give it the really smashed look. The clock actually continued playing the song like in the movie. (the toughest clock ever:)))

When Phil is explaining to Rita his experiences he first says "I have been stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen" and so on. Those were all methods used by the assassins of Russian mystic Grigory Rasputin, but (with the exception of electrocution) were not seen done to Phil.

Phil at the piano teacher's house, when he is fumblingly playing Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paginini", is actually Bill Murray playing. He does not read music, but he learned that much of the song by ear.

According to an interview with Harold Ramis, he and Bill Murray argued over the tone of the film. Murray wanted the film to be more philosophical while Ramis wanted it to be more comedic. The two argued throughout the production and have not spoken to each other since.