# How many Groundhog Days in the movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 3, 2001, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539 "2001-12-03T01:42:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/161 "2011-02-05T23:46:39Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > I’ve always felt that Phil’s line, “Let’s live here!” was too much like “He loved Big Brother.” It seems to indicate that his spirit has been broken by the ordeal. Imagine a guy in prison for 30 years. He does his time, he’s getting out, and… he doesn’t want to leave! He knows this world inside out and all the choices available to him on the outside are just too overwhelming… I think pretty much the total opposite. He hated the place as a nowhere hicksville when he got there. But he learned pretty much everything there was to learn about the town and the people and he grew to love it all. And his spirit wasn’t broken. He remade himself into a better person and learned all kinds of cool skills, though it probably took him a while to decide to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/162 "2011-02-05T23:58:18Z")
Sorry, this has probably been mentioned (and I can’t believe I’M saying this) but isn’t the whole point of the film is that he changes enough to consummate a relationship with Andie, his true love? Ah, love and fate. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/163 "2011-02-06T00:39:44Z")
But he doesn’t actually consummate it, and he learns to be okay with that. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/164 "2011-02-06T00:41:01Z")
How many groundhogs for this zombie thread? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/165 "2011-02-06T00:46:33Z")
Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties 'cause it’s cooooold out there today. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/166 "2011-02-06T01:20:36Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > But he doesn’t actually consummate it, and he learns to be okay with that. Sure he does. But it’s really by changing himself enough to make it happen. It seems while he knows he’s stuck, he forgets about Andie and only cares about himself, soon he starts to really give a shit about other people, then his fateful love can accept him because he’s no longer bad, he’s good and good for others. To me it’s basically like the cosmos said, “Okay, news schmuck, you’re an asshole. Everyone knows this everywhere you go. But your one true love is the only way out of this, so you better freaking change. If you don’t, we’ll make you live the day you change over and over until you get it. Mwah ha ha ha haaaa!” For as much of an ass as he is, I’m leaning towards over a thousand days! Hell, he was even insulted by sharing his name with a groundhog. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/167 "2011-02-06T01:23:40Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > How many groundhogs for this zombie thread? This is the 5th reanimation of this thread. Makes a guy kinda proud. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/168 "2011-02-06T01:27:03Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Sure he does. But it’s really by changing himself enough to make it happen. > > It seems while he knows he’s stuck, he forgets about Andie and only cares about himself, soon he starts to really give a shit about other people, then his fateful love can accept him because he’s no longer bad, he’s good and good for others. > > To me it’s basically like the cosmos said, “Okay, news schmuck, you’re an asshole. Everyone knows this everywhere you go. But your one true love is the only way out of this, so you better freaking change. If you don’t, we’ll make you live the day you change over and over until you get it. Mwah ha ha ha haaaa!” > > For as much of an ass as he is, I’m leaning towards over a thousand days! Hell, he was even insulted by sharing his name with a groundhog. 😃 It is explicitly said at the end that they did not “do it”. Now, the next night… ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/169 "2011-02-06T01:49:08Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > This is the 5th reanimation of this thread. Makes a guy kinda proud. 🙂 And it’s only 3 days late. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/170 "2011-02-06T03:12:37Z")
I prefer to think of it as 362 days early. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/171 "2011-02-06T03:52:32Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I think pretty much the total opposite. He hated the place as a nowhere hicksville when he got there. But he learned pretty much everything there was to learn about the town and the people and he grew to love it all. > > And his spirit wasn’t broken. He remade himself into a better person and learned all kinds of cool skills, though it probably took him a while to decide to do it. But… he’s done _everything_ there is to do in Punxsutawney! It ain’t no Bedford Falls, ya know! 😃 Wow, but I bet he’s weirdly disoriented for a long time afterward. Watch what you say, Phil! No do-overs now! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/172 "2011-02-06T03:55:29Z")
I have the oddest feeling that I’ve posted in this thread before… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/173 "2011-02-06T04:06:04Z")
This is the 5th reanimation of this thread. Makes a guy kinda proud. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/174 "2011-02-06T06:43:03Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > It is explicitly said at the end that they did not “do it”. Now, the next night… Yes, that’s true. But they are talking about buying property in Punxatawney, so I think you’re right on “the next night”. So maybe it’s “you built yourself to be good, now you’re free to spread the goodness” kinda thing?? I’m watching this tonight again. Getting drunk first. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/175 "2011-02-06T06:47:21Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > This is the 5th reanimation of this thread. Makes a guy kinda proud. 🙂 > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > This is the 5th reanimation of this thread. Makes a guy kinda proud. 🙂 I see what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/176 "2011-02-06T06:57:46Z")
> [@Clark\_K](#): > > A blogger does some calculating here: [http://www.obsessedwithfilm.com/features/just-how-many-days-does-bill-murray-really-spend-stuck-reliving-groundhog-day.php](http://www.obsessedwithfilm.com/features/just-how-many-days-does-bill-murray-really-spend-stuck-reliving-groundhog-day.php) > > He concludes the total is a shade under 34 years. I think some of his assumptions are faulty, but his approach is solid enough that I think his conclusion is in the right ballpark. Maybe it was 25 years, maybe it was 50, but it doesn’t seem to be 100 or 1,000. I definitely don’t like some of his assumptions. Only 7,000 hours to learn to play piano that way? I just don’t believe that he knocked that out in only four or five years. But still, it’s an interesting exercise and I think he’s close enough to argue the point. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/177 "2011-02-06T09:21:29Z")
re the OP - if you go by Hollywood standards, where you can learn kungfu with a montage, then less than a hundred years. he wasn’t depicted as a jack of all trades, master of none. it was implied that he mastered and perfected everything by that last day. that surely takes several lifetimes to achieve. > [@Johnny\_B.Goode](#): > > Ok, I’m a pedant but two things about the notion that “getting it on” was the solution for advancing to Feb 3: > > 1. He kissed her many times before when he was trying to seduce her and that never advanced the date. > > 2. She makes it clear that they didn’t do anything much (in the intimate sense) the night before. > My _Deepish_ opinion > I prefer to believe that the movie is about salvation and while the selfish, egocentric Phil Connors continues to use the day for selfish means, he is doomed to repeat it. It is only once he discovers that he can use his situation for the good of others that he is saved from his predicament and Rita comes to love him. so the cycle was finally broken by True Love’s Kiss - the most powerful thing in the world! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/178 "2011-02-06T09:48:37Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > How many groundhogs for this zombie thread? God how many times are you going to keep asking that? I’ve told you like 24,000 times. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/179 "2011-02-06T14:22:39Z")
This is the 5th reanimation of this thread. Makes a guy kinda proud. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539/180 "2011-02-06T14:57:44Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > re the OP - if you go by Hollywood standards, where you can learn kungfu with a montage, then less than a hundred years. he wasn’t depicted as a jack of all trades, master of none. it was implied that he mastered and perfected everything by that last day. that surely takes several lifetimes to achieve. As has been discussed further upthread, Phil doesn’t need to go to work or anything - he can devote all the time he wants to the pursuit of those skills. He also wasn’t exactly playing a Rachmaninov piano concerto, either - he was playing Boogie Woogie on a digital piano, you don’t need a lifetime to perfect that, if you put your mind to it and practice every day, as he could. Same with some of the other stuff - I’m sure it wouldn’t take a lot more than a day to really get to know a person from the town (I’m sure he wasn’t trying to seduce most of them, like with Rita). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-groundhog-days-in-the-movie/96539.md?page=10)