Groundhog Day Research Paper

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To give the reader an idea of what this great movie is all about, we need to look at the history of Groundhog Day, which many places in the USA celebrate, on February 2nd. Though there are some individual states with their own, adopted mascots, the recognised and main official Groundhog – Punxsutawney Phil – is to be found in the Pennsylvania township of Gobblers Knob, destination annually for thousands of visitors.

It has been known for the governor of Pennsylvania to attend Groundhog Day ceremonies, though this is not a US public holiday. It is believed that the event is loosely based on a European tradition, several millennia old, of observing Badgers to find out best times for crop planting. Descendants who landed in Pennsylvania realised that Badgers were not an option there, so they used the Groundhog instead, which tradition says should this creature see its …show more content…

In this iconic movie, which is just so much fun, Bill Murray plays TV weatherman Phil, a local newscaster seeking a bigger stage for his talents, which he is self-centred enough to believe are immense in nature.

Phil is bitter – because his big break still eludes him – and treats his producer Rita -Andie MacDowell – and cameraman Larry – Chris Elliot – very badly. February 2, 1992, on a much loathed assignment – the annual Punxutawney Groundhog Day festivities – Phil is especially ill-mannered, even more so after a freak snowstorm strands him in the town he despises.

Next morning, of course, Phil awakens to find himself – incredibly – re-living the previous day exactly, and the real beauty of the movie is that this embittered character starts to learn – by being forced to re-live, again and again, the events of that one day – that caring for others is far more rewarding than he had ever thought

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