14 Incredible Facts About The Blockbuster Movie, Groundhog Day, That You've Never Heard About

These facts will give you something to talk about

Jesse

• Published in Film & TV
• March 12, 2022

For those who want to distract themselves from all the hustle and bustle of life, it's time to sit back, get popcorn, and feast your eyes on this 90's blockbuster movie. This time-loop comedy starring Bill Murray will lift your spirit and even make you feel good about reliving your past. 

The movie was released in 1993, and If you haven't seen it, you were probably born after the year 2000. We'll be revealing the storyline of this exciting movie in a bit, but before that, we'd like to give you a hint.

Think about a situation where every day is the same day; you wake up in a never-ending cycle where it seems like the world is on rewind. Sounds crazy, right?

The story of the movie follows a cranky weatherman who finds himself stuck in the exact same day, as he relives his past again and again, and again. But the question is, "What day exactly?" It's Groundhog Day, of course.

If you had to choose one day you could relive, I'm pretty sure the first week of February would offer the least appealing options. For those who have seen the movie a couple of times, these amazing facts will give you a new perspective about what went into the production.

1. Bill Murray was bitten by the groundhog multiple times, prompting the actor to seek medical advice for rabies shots

He revealed the conversation he had with a doctor in an interview;

I went to the doc and said, ‘Hey, I got bit by a groundhog, should I get a rabies shot?’ He said, ‘Well, no.’ ‘You mean I’m not going to get it?’ He said, ‘Well, no. See, we don’t know if groundhogs give rabies.’ And I’m like, ‘Because you don’t know, you can’t give me the shot?’ He said, ‘That’s right.’ ‘And what if I get it, then what?’ He said, ‘Then we’ll know. Then we’ll know, then, won’t we?’

2. Bill Murray tried to smash the alarm but wasn't successful, causing the crew to make use of hammers to shatter it.  The song is still being played on the radio in a jumbled and depressing manner, which ended up being used in the movie.

3. Tom Hanks had been considered for the role, but director Harold Ramis changed his mind because he felt that Hanks was "too nice" to play Phil.

Look at that face...such a nice guy.

4. The initial plan was for Phil to be trapped in the time loop for 10,000 years.

Now, that would have been crazy! However, a total of 38 days are depicted in the movie.

5. Stephen Tobolowsky, who played Ned Reyerson, was invited as the honorary grand marshal to the Groundhog Day celebrations in Punxsutawney in 2010.

Bill Murray was also a candidate for this role. The whistling belly-button routine mentioned in the film was done by Tobolowsky when he was still a guest.

6. Shape of Water (2017) star Michael Shannon landed his first feature role in the film. Murray didn't seem to like him very much.

Micheal sought to connect with Bill Murray by discussing the band The Talking Heads, but Murray brushed him off.

Murray was made to apologize to the young actor by Harold Ramis, and the situation only got worse from there.

7. Every clock in the diner has gone dead.

8. A tiny plaque marks the spot where the Ned and Phil sequences take place in Woodstock, Illinois.

The plaque reads “Bill Murray stepped here” in honor of Ned’s warning about “that first step…it’s a doozie!” 

9. In the original draft, Phil Connors was already trapped in the time loop before the action began.

According to reports, screenwriter Danny Rubin thought he had convinced Harold Ramis to maintain the ambiguous plot element in the script in order for viewers to be perplexed and captivated by the opening sequence. Unfortunately, Ramis failed to keep his end of the bargain.

10. There were several other clips that showed Philip doing absurd things to demonstrate that he was trapped in the same day. However, all of them were cut out.

In addition to the above scene about Phil becoming a pool shark, there were other shots of Phil spraypainting everything in his room and destroying stuff with a chainsaw.

These scenes were removed because they were too extravagant, and they were replaced by the simple snapping of a pencil to illustrate the situation at hand.

11. Bill Murray's friendship with Harold Ramis took a hit due to this film.

Although they reconciled after two decades of estrangement, the pair had ceased communicating because Bill Murray's divorce was adding to their already high levels of stress throughout the filming process.

After the shoot was over, Harold Ramis no longer had time for Bill's frantic phone calls, and the two stopped talking.

12. Several authors claimed to have come up with Danny Rubin's concept first.

In light of the numerous claims by some sci-fi writers, Dann Rubin pointed to a short tale from 1892 called "Christmas Every Day" as the inspiration for the movie.

13. The ice sculptures were created by "The Chainsaw Wizard," a real-life Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania resident.

14. When the movie was over, the crew cast a vote if they thought Rita and Phil had sex at the end of it or not.

Bill was eager to take his shirt off in the concluding scene, but a crewmember declined his request.

The night the couple spent together was a source of confusion. The movie doesn't go into great detail as to what transpired. Oh well, we may never know.

Groundhog Day is one of the most beloved comedies of all time. It's a movie that has something for everyone, and it's no wonder why it has become such a classic.

If you haven't seen it, be sure to check it out – especially if you're feeling down in the dumps. It just might change your outlook on life.

And if you've seen it before, maybe these facts will give you a new appreciation for this classic film.

Jesse