Rita: You're God? Phil: I'm A god, I'm not THE God.
Why Groundhog Day of all days?
Rubin said that after he got the idea for the movie, his second task was to pick a notable day for Phil to relive. He said he considered setting it during a leap year, so that Phil would be trapped on February 29. But then he looked earlier in the month and landed on Groundhog Day. "It’s a completely unexploited holiday," Rubin said. "We can play it on TV every year like the Charlie Brown specials.”
Where is Punxsutawney?
Punxsutawney, PA -- about 85 miles northeast of Pittsburgh -- really does celebrate Groundhog Day by asking Phil (the groundhog, not the weatherman) if he saw his shadow. But if you ever visit the town, it won't look very familiar. Ramis chose to film the movie in the more picturesque Woodstock, IL, about 50 miles outside of Chicago (not far from where Ramis and Murray grew up). Woodstock now has its own yearly Groundhog Day celebration, complete with their weather-predicting rodent, Woodstock Willie.