In the 1993 comedy classic, "Groundhog Day", Bill Murray and Director- fellow actor Harold Ramis teamed again to bring us one of the finest movie comedies ever. It is set in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the 2nd of february, on this day, the main character is forced to relive the day over and over again until he can learn to give up his selfishness and become a better person. It was written by Ramis and Danny Rubin.
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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Groundhog Day is a traditional holiday celebrated on February 2. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then the spring season will arrive early, some time before the vernal equinox; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its den, and winter weather will persist for six more weeks. The celebration began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries. It has its origins in ancient European weather lore, in which a badger or a sacred bear is the prognosticator, as opposed to a groundhog. It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc (the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 2 and also involves weather prognostication), and to St. Swithun's Day on July 15.
The Director
Harold Allen Ramis (November 21, 1944 – February 24, 2014) was an American actor, director, writer, and comedian. His best-known film acting roles were as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989) and Russell Ziskey in Stripes (1981); he also co-wrote those films. As a writer-director, his films include the comedies Caddyshack(1980), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Groundhog Day (1993), and Analyze This (1999). Ramis was the original head writer of the television series SCTV, on which he also performed, and he was one of three screenwriters of the film National Lampoon's Animal House (1978).
Murray plays Phil Connors, an arrogant Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, during an assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, finds himself in a time loop, repeating the same day again and again. After indulging in hedonism and committing suicide numerous times, he begins to re-examine his life and priorities.
Director Harold Ramis originally wanted Tom Hanks for the lead role, but decided against it, saying that Hanks was "too nice". The idea comes from 'The Gay Science', a famous book by Friedrich Nietzsche. In his book, Nietzsche gives a description of a man who is living the same day over and over again.
There are exactly 38 days depicted in this film either partially or in full.
In 2006, the film was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". A stage musical version of the film premiered in 2016.
Prior to Murray's casting, Tom Hanks and Michael Keaton turned down the lead role. In the original screenplay by Danny Rubin, the story line began mid-narrative with Phil already inexplicably trapped in the time loop, and ended with his suicide, only to awaken on the morning of February 2 once again. In that version, Rita eventually confessed to being trapped in a time loop of her own. Many critical script alterations were written as filming progressed, according to Stephen Tobolowsky, who played Ned Ryerson. 
The idea of Phil reading to Rita while she sleeps came from Bill Murray. His wife drank too much champagne on their wedding night and fell asleep early, so Murray read aloud to her until he too fell asleep.
Who makes Phil... FEEL BETTER?
Tori Amos was considered for the role of Rita. Rita is portrayed by Andie Macdowell , she is Phil´s producer. She tries to be nice to him but just gets sarcasm back. She is all of us watching Phil, from being Narcissistic and self centered to a kind and giving person. She watches in awe as Phil tells her "I´m not god, i´m A god ,Not THE GOD".
Until he starts finding her interesting enough to have a conversation and asking her personal questions. He feels he can make her fall in love with him rapidly by knowing all her favorite things. Soon enough Phil finds himself saddened by Ritas intelligence , as she is more clever, finding very odd that Phil magically knows everything about her. There is no MAGIC TRICK in LOVE. Phil finds out by a clever montage of several slaps in the face in various ocassions being rejected by Rita.
Screenwriter Danny Rubin had written a script for a film called Groundhog Day, in which its main character would find himself in a loop, repeating the same day over and over. Rubin recalls Ramis helping rewrite the script, playing to Bill Murray’s strengths to get the actor onboard as the lead.
Harold built it into a three-act studio movie by giving it a very clear arc: ‘This is the worst day of Phil’s life. What would make it even worse? Repeating it every day.’
As the main character, how did bill Murray pulled off from being despeicable to being lovable. Easy, its bill Murray being Bill Murray. As in most of his films , Murray always have a comedic way of pushing the plot forward. Being part of a team or doing a one man show. Murray did with the script as in SCROOGED the only way of doing his part on this little town was making changes to his character. From being all powerful to being cinical and suicidal to realising there is much to do for others not for ONE SELF EGO.
Finding out he is not all powerful by watching the old man die several times. He just cannot save him. In this moment of the movie, the film changes drastically from a hilarious comedy to a real deep message. Why be nice when we all know the consequences. Would any of us feel happier knowing the date of our death?? no one would. You begin to suffer. Our longevity is at that moment questioned. Can´t we be better everyday, say hello, have a different view on life.NOT TODAY
That is life. There are things and cycles that have to happen like that. He feels crushed by this but begins changing for better, helping others in daily chores and not being sarcastic. By improving yourself, you can help others. But you can´t be in two places at the same time that is why Ramis was very careful , making a coherent movie. When Phil is told the old man died for the first time, we can see at the hospital scene in the background, the little boy he is supposed to rescue from falling off a tree with a broken leg. 
More than a morality tale Groundhog Day expresses a kind of Twilight Zone dilema . What if you were stuck living the same day over and over again. We are all Phil Connors living a life, a routine that all of a sudden comes to a halt. What would we do? get money? eat everything? it raises a lot of personal questions. And self discovery like travelling, helping, learning other languages, learn to play an instrument, reading books, watching films. I really love this film because i see a lot of myself reflected in it. I´m able to laugh at myself, i try to improove every day, but i can also get cranky and hate. I love the fact that it shows a human not an awesome hero we all aspire. It shows a real guy, with real problems, trying just to get over this weird and awful day.
TRIVIA FACTS
Both this film and Edge of Tomorrow (2014) have a character called Rita and both films are about men trapped in a never ending day; also, at the climax Phil pinches Rita to prove that tomorrow has finally arrived, and in the novel that inspired Edge of Tomorrow(2014), the lead character Cage pinches himself when time first resets. In the novel, Cage awakes at 6am, like Phil Connors, and he gets Phil's line, "same old, same old". Also, anything new terrified Cage while Phil has the opposite reaction.
Michael Keaton turned down the role of Phil Connors, while Andie MacDowell is in this movie. Both would later team up with director Harold Ramis for Multiplicity(1996).
During the card throwing scene, Phil tells Rita to 'be the hat', no doubt a nod to Bill Murray's previous role in Caddyshack.In the final shot, Phil carries Rita over the gate and then climbs over it. This is because the gate was actually frozen shut.
The movie was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois. In Woodstock, there’s a small plaque that reads “Bill Murray stepped here” on the curb where Murray continually steps into a puddle.
IN REAL LIFE
During the filming, Murray’s life was tumultuous. His marriage was dissolving, and his demeanor on the set was increasingly erratic. He would show up late to work, throw tantrums, and generally disagree with many of Ramis’ choices. While Ramis wanted the film to be a straight forward comedy, Murray wanted the film to be more contemplative.
With their professional relationship at a strain, Ramis sent Rubin to work with Murray on the script in lieu of their usual collaborative writing sessions. When Ramis would call to check up on their progress, Murray would ignore the phone calls, one of the reasons why Murray stopped speaking to Ramis for several years.
At times, Bill was just really irrationally mean and unavailable; he was constantly late on set. What I’d want to say to him is just what we tell our children: ‘You don’t have to throw tantrums to get what you want. Just say what you want.’
In May 2010, Ramis contracted an infection that resulted in complications from autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis and lost the ability to walk. After relearning to walk he suffered a relapse of the disease in late 2011.
He died of complications of the disease on February 24, 2014 at his home on Chicago's North Shore, at age 69. A private funeral was held for him two days later with family, friends, and several collaborators in attendance including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, David Pasquesi, Andrew Alexander, and the widows of John Belushi and Bernard Sahlins. He is buried at Shalom Memorial Park in Arlington Heights.
At the 2014 Academy Awards, Bill Murray — less than one week after the passing of his former friend and collaborator Harold Ramis — was presenting the Oscar for Best Cinematography. After reading the list of nominees, Murray said,
“Oh, we forgot one.
Harold Ramis
for
for
Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, and Groundhog Day.”
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