One of the many regular errands that Phil, played by Bill Murray, performs as he lives the same day over and over again in Groundhog Day is catching a young boy as he falls out of a tree. He obviously saves the kid from grievous physical injury—that’s quite a tumble otherwise—but he can’t save him every time, and just in case you want a glimpse at what that kid’s future would entail if Phil wasn’t around, here’s what it would look like.
A user on Reddit pointed out that, at the 53-second mark in this video, during the scene where the old homeless man dies in the hospital, the very same kid who falls out of that tree everyday at the precisely the same time, is there in the hospital with a broken leg.
Surely, some of you eagle-eyed viewers out there have probably already noticed this moment, but it is a nice little nod for those fans paying close attention. If nothing else, it should serve as a reminder of just how intricately layered and meticulously constructed Harold Ramis’ 1993 comedy classic actually is. It’s certainly the kind of movie that rewards multiple viewings and up close, intimate examination.
If you’re having trouble remembering the kid in the red parka falling from his tree fort, only to be caught by a passing Phil—maybe it’s been a while since you watched Groundhog Day—skip ahead to the 1:10 mark of this video for a quick refresher.
Or you could always just watch the movie again. It’s still great and still holds up, even though it’s more than twenty years old at this point. Groundhog Day still stands as one of Bill Murray’s best roles, and gives him the opportunity to flex all of his various acting muscles and show of what really is an astonishing range. He has moments where he pulls out his manic, maverick comedy chops he’s so known for; others where he takes the role of the heel, which he does so damn well; he gets to be a romantic lead, playing across from Andie MacDowell; and as you saw in that first video, which compiles all the scenes with the elderly homeless man, he shows glimpses of his dramatic skills that he has used so well in his later career.
