“And every day the groundhog says hello”
RomCom hit US theaters 30 years ago
The longer Phil Connors (Bill Murray, right) is trapped in the time warp, the more he feels attracted to colleague Rita (Andie MacDowell, left).
© imago/United Archives
The comedy “Groundhog Day” was released in US cinemas 30 years ago and has lost none of its charm and comedy.
“Good morning, do you want to see the marmot?” This sentence should have burned itself into everyone who has seen “And daily Groundhog Day” even once. After all, the question and much more is repeated really often in the time warp comedy.
Exactly 30 years ago, the RomCom with Bill Murray (72) and Andie MacDowell (64) came to US cinemas and has long since achieved cult status. This is mainly due to Murray’s outstanding performance as a cynical puke who turns into a charming benefactor in a time warp. Directed by Murray’s “Ghostbusters” sidekick Harold Ramis (1944-2014).
That’s what “Groundhog Day” is about
TV meteorologist Phil Connors (Murray) drives to the small town of Punxsutawney together with production manager Rita (MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott, 62) to report on a curious tradition: groundhog day. If the animal awakens on February 2nd and casts a shadow, so be it remain wintry for six more weeks. According to custom, without shade, spring is near. Phil rattles off his report listlessly and actually wants to get back to Pittsburgh as soon as possible. But he and his companions have to spend the night in the small town because of a snowstorm.
The next morning, the curmudgeon finds that everything is exactly the same again: It’s groundhog day again, everyone greets him exactly the same way and the clock radio plays “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher again. Stinky Boot soon finds himself trapped in a time warp. No matter what he does or where he goes, he always wakes up the next morning in the Punxsutawney hotel. First, the meteorologist makes fun of it and tries out some crazy things. But he soon becomes disillusioned. At the same time he begins to fall in love with Rita. Little by little, the cynic thaws out completely and changes his view of the world.
Celebrated by critics and audience
Although the original comedy never reached Oscar spheres, it is still very much appreciated to this day. On the reviews collection page “Rotten Tomatoes” The film gets 94 percent positive reviews from critics and 88 percent positive audience votes. Among other things, the strip has received an MTV Movie Award, a British Comedy Award and the Saturn Award.
The production was also financially worthwhile, according to “Box Office Mojo” the RomCom grossed over 70 million US dollars in the USA alone.
The Ramis-Murray dispute
On the set of “Groundhog Day”, however, things were not harmonious at all. At least between leading actor Bill Murray and director Harold Ramis there was allegedly great tension. The two are said to have argued above all about the basic tone of the film: Murray preferred a melancholic-philosophical touch, Ramis relied on comedy and optimism. The director prevailed, but that ended the long-standing friendship between the two.
It was only when Ramis was dying of an autoimmune disease in 2014 that Murray visited him with a police escort and a box of donuts and broke up the argument, as director’s daughter Violet Ramis Stiel (46) revealed in the biography “Ghostbuster’s Daughter”.
Murray was always satisfied with the cinematic end result. “It’s a very important film. The premise of the film is great and the execution is very, very good,” he said on CNBC’s Squawk Box in February 2017. However, he does not deserve the credit for this himself, but rather screenwriter Danny Rubin (66). “He was really touched by God writing that,” Murray said.