Yes, it's that time of the year again. Romantic comedy lovers, romantics, lovers comedic or serious -- pretty much all humans with beating hearts know that as soon as February rolls around, there's a major holiday to be reckoned with, one that's come to symbolize the meaning of love and romance for America, if not the world.
I'm speaking, of course, about Groundhog Day.
Granted, there was a time, long, long ago (i.e. before 1993), when this holiday lacked the romantic associations since bestowed on it, due to the efforts of Danny Rubin, Harold Ramis and Bill Murray. But ever since the writer, director and star, respectively of Groundhog Day created what's now generally acknowledged as one of the great American movies of all time, February 2nd has become synonymous with romance and comedy. In fact, when people ask me to name a couple of my favorite romantic comedies, this one invariably comes to mind.
What's that? You've never thought of this cinematic classic as a romantic comedy? For shame. I have it on good, nay, unassailable authority that the film more than qualifies. For starters, it says so right on the friggin' DVD box's front cover ("A romantic comedy fantasy that is Bill Murray's best screen performance" -- thank you, Gene Shalit). But you can also look up the definition of romantic comedy in the um, definitive text on same, and find (p.12) that "a romantic comedy is a comedy whose central plot is embodied in a romantic relationship" and that (p.13) "the central question posed by a romantic comedy is: 'Will these two individuals become a couple?'"
As you well know, when TV weatherman Phil Connors (Murray) gets inexplicably trapped in the same repeating February 2nd, his sole recourse to getting out of it becomes the object of his affections, producer Rita (Andie MacDowell); his salvation lies in the answer to their coupling question. (Screenwriting theorist sticklers may point out that the story's central question is really, Will Phil ever get out of February 2nd? To this I say, also true, because the movie is a rom-com hybrid -- ibid, pp.21-28 -- a romantic comedy/high concept fantasy, and thus the couple/escape conflicts are intertwined. But let's stop boring our civilian readers, shall we? Thanks.)
Strange but true, there still exist deprived, disadvantaged people who have not seen the movie Groundhog Day. If you are one of those poor souls, what better opportunity to improve the quality of your life, than to view it today, on the official Day itself? And even if you're one of the many enriched individuals who's seen it, Groundhog Day is of course a movie that you can watch over and over, and over, and over and over and over...
...And if you're a major Groundhog Day fan, you might even consider journeying to the scene of the crime: the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is having its annual celebration, and it promises to be quite a hoot. Such a trip was actually enjoyed by Day's writer and star before the movie was made, and therein lies a little tale that speaks, I believe, to the true spirit of romance, or as we might say, what love's got to do with it.
Danny Rubin recounts the following in his illuminating interview accompanying an early draft of the screenplay in Scenario (Spring '95 issue, regrettably out of print). He talks of having been hired, fired and re-hired to work on the script, and when he, his wife Louise and kids were preparing to move from Los Angeles to New Mexico, getting a call from Bill Murray:
He says, "Do you realize that the day after tomorrow is Groundhog Day?"--"Yep."--"And do you realize that between the director, the producer, the star and the writer of this film, nobody has been to the festival at Punxsutawney? Doesn't that seem wrong to you?" And I said, "Absolutely. And I think you should go, I think that will be a great thing." And he said, "I think we should go." And I said, "Bill, that's a really nice offer, sounds like fun, but I'm moving, I'm moving my family, we're up to our necks in boxes, I can't just abandon them and go off to Punxsutawney." And he said, "Well, think about it and call me back. Here's my number." When I got off the phone, Louise asked who it was. "Bill Murray," I said. "He wants me to go to Punxsutawney tomorrow." And she said, "Cool." And I said I'd told him I couldn't do it. She said, "Are you nuts?" So I talked to [the studio] and they said, "We'll pay for the move, we'll get someone to help pack, we'll fly out a friend of your wife's to help her move in so you don't have to be there."
This level of support was very nice, and I embarked on the most surreal adventure of my professional life. All of a sudden I'm flying in a private plane from the middle of nowhere to the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night with Bill Murray and we're talking about the script. We landed somewhere near Punxsutawney at 2:00 in the morning. And there were fans out there waiting for him--it was supposed to be a secret...
Rubin goes on to say that he used a lot of what he saw on that trip in the script. He'd originally only spoken to the town's Chamber of Commerce and looked at their literature, but:
After we actually saw it, there was a whole different feel to it than we had imagined. It was delightful, really delightful--a wonderful civic event. We incorporated a lot of that into the movie... Everyone there knew it was a goofy ritual--it was almost sophisticated in its hickyness. What was so much fun about the festival is, it's the middle of the night, zero degrees, they've got bonfires going--and they're playing Beach Boys music.
Sometimes I read this excerpt to a screenwriting class when I'm talking about the inestimable value of research, to illustrate how really being there can make all the difference in writing a given project. But I quote it now in this pre-Valentine's Day context to highlight my favorite moment in Rubin's story, which is when Louise says, "Are you nuts?"
I just love that! Gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling every time, because it seems to me that Danny Rubin's wife is the hidden heroine of the Groundhog Day saga. Love doesn't mean never having to say you're sorry. It means having someone be able to say "Are you nuts?!" to you at a crucial moment. Love is sometimes about saving loved ones from themselves -- which come to think of it, is kind of at the core of what the movie ended up being about, don't you think?
Go watch it again, again, and see if you agree.
Spending my days believing in impossible things and chasing them towards an inner truth, now that's a pretty good gig.
--Danny Rubin
(photograph at post's top by sabine)
Or you can travel to Woodstock, Illinois-- where they filmed the Punxsutawney scenes-- not too far from where I grew up.
It's funny-- I just picked up a copy of your book the other day (okay, I checked it out-- I work at a bookstore and we can rent books whenever we want). So when you referenced the quotes I turned to the book sitting on my desk to check-- yup, there they are.
Truly a great film-- and it's surprising that the screenplay was completely overlooked-- okay, it did win the BAFTA for Best Original SCreenplay, but still...
Posted by: Tavis | February 02, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Am I nuts or is it part of the Ground Hog Day deja vu joke the feeling that I've read this post before? Or at least part of it?
Am I nuts or is it part of the Ground Hog Day deja vu joke the feeling that I've read this post before? Or at least part of it?
At any rate, Good Yontiff!
Posted by: binnie | February 02, 2008 at 11:54 AM
I just watched that movie again today with 5 friends...it can't possibly ever get old.
...although that scene where he takes a bath with a toaster scarred me when I was a little kid. I had nightmares of toasters falling into my bath for weeks.
No kidding. I was afraid of everything.
Posted by: jess | February 02, 2008 at 04:21 PM
Billy, if memory serves me right, you've already posted this "Groundhog Day" post before. Why retread it? Why not bang out a fresh, NEW post?
Wouldn't it be nice today to experience the euphoria that comes from creating a fresh, new, Billy Mernit original? Young, fertile, impressionable minds need to be feed, Billy. Basically all I'm asking you to do is reward the faithfull with what you do so well. And there's still time! As I tittitly tap out this comment it's not even 9 a.m yet!
That said, Billy, I hope you will do everything in your power to ensure the groundhog DOESN'T see his shaddow this year. It's been an especially gloomy winter up here in the Pacific Northwest. Basically yours truely just needs to physically verify that yes, that giant fireball in the sky still exists. Bring on summer! And while you're at it, bring on the hotties in mini-skirts too!
- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA
Posted by: E.C. Henry | February 03, 2008 at 07:20 AM
All I can say is "I'm not going to live by their rules anymore."
Posted by: Christian Howell | February 03, 2008 at 08:47 AM
And we need more Rom Coms about that kind of real love. Could Danny please write us some. What we're getting on screen at the moment doesn't even scratch the surface.
Posted by: Joanna Farnsworth | February 03, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Thanks for this. Really, I am in total awe of the screenplay and the movie and I didn't know any of this background on it.
Posted by: Rosina Lippi | February 03, 2008 at 07:12 PM
Tavis: It's one of those films (and screenplays) that's become more revered and well-loved over time... Meanwhile, would it KILL you to actually BUY a copy?! Just kidding, I'm a big supporter of libraries. But wait a second, you don't work in a library--
Binnie: I have no idea what you're talking about. I have no idea what you're talking about. I have... If only the Pope were a fan of this blog; then I'd be able to say, Good Yontiff, Pontiff!
Jess: At least they were taking you to see a Bill Murray comedy when you were five, as opposed to BAMBI -- talk about a movie that can scar you for life!!!
EC: There's this movie, see, where the same day keeps repeating over and over again, see...
Christian: "Well, what if there IS no tomorrow? There wasn't one today."
Joanna: Hear, here.
Rosina: You might want to check out Danny's website and blog -- the link's in the post and on the sidebar (above left).
Posted by: mernitman | February 04, 2008 at 09:50 AM
Really? What IS titikaka? Perhaps it's what makes Nancy make those chipmunk noises when she gets REALLY excited.
Posted by: Christian Howell | February 04, 2008 at 09:56 AM
Billy - I love that you reposted this Groundhog essay. (Unlike at least one of your loyal readers, I got the joke).
The truth is I don't always (knowingly) draw true personal connections from my life to my work, and in writing Ghog I wasn't consciously applying what I know about love and relationships from my own experience. And yet, here you are to draw the lines for me, and not only remind me to appreciate the sweet situation I'm in (23 years married, thank you very much), but by forwarding a link to Louise I most definitely get laid. You have done us all a great service.
Posted by: Danny Rubin | February 07, 2008 at 09:07 AM
That's classic, Danny Rubin comments on the post. And now we all know he's getting laid.
I didn't read this until today. (Feb. 7th) but I did watch Groundhog Day on Feb 2nd. I watch it every year! It's a ritual I established like 5 years ago. One of my favorite comedies of all time.
Posted by: Christina | February 07, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Wow, Danny Rubin posted. I'd like to say the movie was pretty good for a bi-ped.
I guess you've just been around long enough. But then again, we've all come together time and again to worship a rat, so it makes you wonder if we all aren't just prima donnas.
Posted by: Christian Howell | February 07, 2008 at 04:42 PM
Yay for Billy, Danny, the Rom Com and getting laid! Yay for all the beautiful writers here. Let Love Rule!
Posted by: debbieb | February 11, 2008 at 03:00 PM
Danny: We aim to please, and as you've improved life on the planet by providing your fellow humans with Groundhog Day, helping you get lucky is the least Living RomCom can do.
Christina: A great and worthy ritual.
Christian: Don't drive angry.
Debbie: How could we stop it?!
Posted by: mernitman | February 16, 2008 at 11:46 PM