- The Real Answer to Groundhog Day’s Biggest Question (youtube.com)
In this opening episode I provide some context and basic details about the movie Groundhog Day, including a brief synopsis, and also describe our upcoming topics. In the second half we talk about and find an answer to people’s biggest question about the film—how long is Phil stuck in Punxsutawney?
- The shadow of his smile (rogerebert.com)
“Groundhog Day” is a film that finds its note and purpose so precisely that its genius may not be immediately noticeable. It unfolds so inevitably, is so entertaining, so apparently effortless, that you have to stand back and slap yourself before you see how good it really is.
This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.
Phil Conners in Groundhog Day
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 Conners in Groundhog Day
- Groundhog Day (film) (Wikipedia)
Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis from a screenplay by him and Danny Rubin. Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott, it tells the story of Phil Connors (Murray), a cynical television weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who becomes trapped in a time loop, forcing him to relive February 2 repeatedly. The film also features Stephen Tobolowsky, Brian Doyle-Murray, Marita Geraghty, Angela Paton, Rick Ducommun, Rick Overton, and Robin Duke.
When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.
Phil Conners in Groundhog Day