Classic Flicks: Groundhog Day an insightful comedy

By Joseph Allencherril     2/10/11 6:00pm

The way I see it, the Pennsylvanian Germans invented the holiday of Groundhog Day so that, centuries later, it might inspire Harold Ramis and Danny Rubin to pen the remarkable screenplay of the film Groundhog Day, which was one of the nicest cinematic surprises to find among a collection of old family DVDs.The movie follows the story of Phil Connors (Bill Murray, Ghostbusters), an egotistical weatherman who comes to Punxsatawney, Pa. to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities for his TV station in Pittsburgh. But when a snow storm shuts down the roads, Phil and his crew - news producer Rita (Andie MacDowell, Four Weddings and a Funeral) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott, Cabin Boy) - are forced to stay an extra day in the small town. Up until this point, the film might seem a bit unremarkable and reminiscent of the '90s.

But when Connors wakes up the next day, it is still Feb. 2, Groundhog Day. And when Connors wakes up the next day, it is still Feb. 2. And so forth. At the risk of giving away too much of the plot, I will only say that this time-loop continues for the bulk of the movie, the replay of one day over and over. Though the time-loop motif could be rehashed in any number of stories, Ramis' handling of the material makes the idea seem fresh. With Connors' every reawakening, the viewer unpeels the enigmatic onion of time. I like to imagine that Christopher Nolan wrote the screenplay for Inception while watching a DVD of Groundhog Day on repeat for many years.

Groundhog Day is really an amazing feat of filmmaking: How many movies can make one keel over with laughter in one moment and then hold back tears in the next? The film walks on the tightrope between art and entertainment; some scenes are so hilarious that it's easy for the viewer to miss the profound philosophical points. One cannot resist being affected by this film.

---

---

Groundhog Day is also one of the most spiritual films I have seen. The universal themes of love and time are tackled so originally and masterfully in Groundhog Day that literature professors could greatly improve their interpretations of Catullus and Horace by viewing this film.

Murray's acting is understated - you always know what's on his mind. Take, for instance, the scene in the bar when he tries to seduce Rita: A lesser actor would have given a trite performance through showy shenanigans.

The ending is truly inevitable, though it may seem somewhat like a deus ex machina - viewers can judge it for themselves. The greatness lies in the rest of the movie, though the ending left me with one message: Live every day like it's your last Groundhog Day.

After watching Groundhog Day, I was particularly keen on finding out what, if anything, the screenwriters were up to now. Director and co-screenwriter Harold Ramis, of Ghostbusters fame, went on to direct comedies like Analyze This and Analyze That (and even a few episodes of "The Office"). Unfortunately, co-screenwriter Danny Rubin hasn't written any screenplays since Groundhog Day and seems to have gone the way of many writers, currently teaching his craft at Harvard University. I suppose some people have just one great screenplay in them. But that's one more than most.

To be honest, I didn't watch Groundhog Day with high expectations. And apparently, I am not alone. Pulitzer-prize winning film critic Roger Ebert gave Groundhog Day a lukewarm review when it came out in 1993, but the film now proudly occupies a spot among Ebert's Great Movies selections. So I highly suggest that you stick with the critics - keeping in mind that beginnings and endings do not always have to make or break a film - and find out what the hullabaloo is about if you don't know already.

Joseph Allencherril is a Will Rice College sophomore. Classic Flicks is a column reexamining and rediscovering the best that cinema has to offer.

---