Groundhog DayBloomsbury Publishing, 2019 M07 25 - 96 pages It is becoming clearer and clearer that Groundhog Day (1993), directed by Harold Ramis, is one of the masterpieces of 1990s Hollywood cinema. One of the first films to use a science-fiction premise as the basis for romantic comedy, it tells the story of a splenetic TV weatherman, Phil Connors (Bill Murray at his disreputable best), who finds himself repeating indefinitely one drab day in the milk-and-cookies town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. At first glance it seems like a feel-good parable in the tradition of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1943). But on closer inspection it is a deeply ambivalent fable, with strong echoes of Samuel Beckett: before he finds redemption Phil must plumb the depths of suicidal despair - and even after he has survived this, the film offers no guarantees that he will live happily ever after. Ryan Gilbey begins his account of Groundhog Day with the long and unlucky gestation of the script by Danny Rubin (who was interviewed specially for this book) which formed the basis of the finished film. Gilbey celebrates the inspired casting of Murray, alongside Andie MacDowell and less well-known actors such as Stephen Tobolowsky (who plays the reptilian sa |
Contents
6 | |
1 A Funny Film | 7 |
2 In the Loop | 13 |
3 1 February | 24 |
4 Groundhog Days | 34 |
5 Days without End | 59 |
6 3 February | 80 |
Notes | 89 |
Credits | 92 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
already asks Assistant audience Author interview become begins Bill Murray called camera characters cinema close-up Columbia comedy comes Danny Rubin death directed Director don’t draft eyes face February feel film film’s final give going gonna Groundhog Day hand happen Harold He’s hear idea it’s kind Larry later leaves less live look loop minutes morning moves movie Murray’s narrative never night notes once opening original passing performed person Phil Phil and Rita Phil’s piano picture played Production Punxsutawney radio alarm clock Ramis Ramis’s reading remember repeated repetition Rita Rubin says scene screen script Second revision September 2003 shot song Sonny and Cher sound stay straight street studio suggest takes thing town square turned voice watch weather writing