It's almost February 2, and as I sit in my study on a subzero Minnesota winter day, the length of winter does seem to be a source of great concern for me. This movie came to mind today. As I thought about it, I couldn't help but reflect on something I once heard Bill Murray say in an interview. One of the interesting things about Bill Murray (and there are many interesting things about him), is that he has a background in improvisation. He spent some of his early years in Chicago's Second City Comedy Club, a club that is all about improvisation. With that in mind, his statement about "Groundhog Day" is all the more interesting. He stated in this interview that almost every movie he has ever done has involved a lot of improv on his part. He sees the script as a starting point, and a lot of the work he does goes beyond what is written. He went on to say that one of the only times that he didn't even touch the script was for "Groundhog Day", a movie that he thought was written so well that it needed no amendments. This movie is startlingly well executed. It is very funny, but it also is actually quite profound as well. It is a perfect example of how the Academy does not value comedy. This movie is not just a comedy classic, but a classic.
Phil Connors (Murray) is a Pittsburgh weatherman who is on his way to Punxatawny, PA for the annual Groundhog Day festival. Accompanying him is his producer Rita (Andie McDowell) and Larry (a wonderfully smarmy Chris Elliot). Phil is a prima donna. He hates doing this annual festival. He feels that he is above everyone in the town, and he certainly feels that he is above doing this stupid groundhog day festival again. He phones in his story and can't wait to get back home. Unfortunately, a snow storm keeps his and his crew from going back to Pittsburgh. He returns to his bed and breakfast for another night, wanting desperately to get back to his home in the big city.
The next morning, Phil wakes up and realizes he is living the same February 2 again. This troubles him obviously weird for Phil, as he seems to be living the same day he just finished, but everyone else seems oblivious to that fact. Day after day, Phil wakes up in the same place, on the same day. The audience is the only "person" who also knows of Phil's predicament, and it is fascinating to watch the different stages he lives through. He goes through a sage of debauchery. He goes through a stage of depression. He goes through a wild stage. He goes through a suicidal stage. His reaction to his situation ends up running the gamut of human emotion. Along the way, his reactions are at times hilarious. He begins to use his sudden immortality to hit on women, take enormous risks, eat whatever he want, and basically indulge his flesh. After a while, he begins to see his colleague Rita in a new light. She is a lovely woman who is completely disgusted by Phil's insensitivity and selfishness. As Phil begins to fall for her, he begins to see a new purpose for his life, and he tries to become a better man.
I had never seen a movie remotely like this before I saw it, and nothing has been made like it since. The ability of the writer for us to be so entertained by some of the same events time and again is noteworthy. Phil is our device to view all of it in a new light and find it all funny. The actors around Murray do an amazing job of repeating their tone and emotions, while Bill Murray's character can react to their actions in a new way each time. In the long run, the movie is actually quite profound. It has a lot to say about existence, selfishness, and why we do what we do. But the movie would not work so well if it was not also light hearted and very funny. Not only is Bill Murray perfect in his role, but the supporting cast and character actors in the film all create a wonderful world in Pennsylvania. As Phil becomes increasingly desperate to escape Groundhog Day, the obliviousness of everyone around him makes his frustration even funnier. "Schindler's List" run Best Picture the year this movie came out, and that is appropriate. But this movie is a giant, and I think it will be remembered and only get better with age. One of the only weak spots I can find in it is how dated the music is sounds. The last time I watched it, I found it hard to get through the song playing under the opening credits! Other than that, this is a great movie. Dust it off and enjoy it again!
