Groundhog Day Page #17

PHIL:

No, it was real. I love you.

RITA:

Stop saying that! Do you really

expect me to trust you? The

whole secretarial pool is a Phil

Connors recovery group.

-71-

PHIL:

But I can change! I really can--

Rita slaps him hard on the cheek.

RITA:

That's for making me care about

you.

She turns and stomps off, leaving Phil standing there hurting.

CUT TO:

EXT. MAIN STREET - ANOTHER NIGHT

The snowball fight with the kids is going on as before. Phil

falls into the snowbank with Rita and they almost kiss.

CUT TO:

INT. QUALITY INN MOTEL - LATER

Phil is trying (MOS) to talk his way into Rita's room. She

^pushes him away and slams the door in his face.

CUT TO:

EXT. MOTEL - NIGHT

The streets are deserted except for Phil, staring up at Rita's

window in the Quality Inn.

Rita comes to her window and looks out. She sees Phil looking

up at her and draws the curtains.

CUT TO:

INT. PHIL'S ROOM - DAWN

"I Got You, Babe" is playing. Phil hits the clock radio to

turn it off. He lies there for a moment, then hefts himself

heavily out of bed, not eager to repeat the day yet another

time. With the radio off, Phil does the deejays' morning

routine himself, seemingly for the millionth time.

PHIL:

(DULLY)

Okay, campers, rise and shine,

and don't forget your booties

because it's cooooold out there

today.

Phil continues the radio report at his own pace, obviously

fatigued.

-72-

PHIL:

It's cold out there everyday.

What is this -- Miami Beach? Haw.

Not hardly. And you can expect

hazardous travel later today with

that, you know, blizzard thing.

CUT TO:

EXT. GOBBLER'S KNOB - DAWN

Phil is walking through the crowd. He spots Nancy, walks up to

her and greets her half-heartedly .

PHIL:

Hi, Nancy.

NANCY:

(PLEASANTLY)

Hi. Do I know you?

Phil can't manage enough enthusiasm to pursue her yet again.

PHIL:

No, I guess not. I thought you

were someone else.

Phil wanders over to where Rita and Larry are setting up the

camera. Rita comes over to him.

RITA:

Are you all right, Phil? You

look terrible.

Phil looks at her sadly, then turns away.

PHIL:

(VACANTLY)

I ' m fine.

CUT TO:

INT . BIKER BAR - NIGHT

The balls CRACK as the cue ball breaks the rack.

Phil is walking around the table, cue in hand, sinking ball

after ball, while several admiring HUSTLERS look on.

FIRST HUSTLER:

Who is this guy?

-73-

SECOND HUSTLER:

I don't know. Hey, mister--

(Phil doesn't stop

SHOOTING)

Who are you, anyway?

Phil shoots, sinks a tough one.

PHIL:

You don't know me? I've been

playing here every day for two

months.

FIRST HUSTLER:

Oh, yeah? So how come I ain't

seen you?

PHIL:

I don't know. I seen you.

SECOND HUSTLER:

So what's your name?

PHIL:

They call me-- Punxsutawney Phil.

SECOND HUSTLER:

Punxsutawney Phil? Like the

groundhog.

PHIL:

Yeah, like the groundhog.

Phil sinks another one.

CUT TO:

EXT. GOBBLER'S KNOB - DAWN

The crowd is waiting expectantly for the groundhog to appear

Phil is a wreck, squatting unprofessionally in front of the

camera.

PHIL:

(CYNICALLY)

This is one of the most pitiful

spectacles known to civilization.

With one nod from a filthy rodent

best known to pest control

agencies, a moribund old coal

mining hamlet turns magically

into the Lourdes of Pennsylvania,

Mecca to thousands of people who,

if they hated the winter so

damned much, why don't they move

to Florida, anyway?

-74-

Larry and Rita look on, incredulous.

. CUT TO:

CLOSE UP - TV SET

The program JEOPARDY! is playing.

ALEX TREBECK:

(on TV)

Nobel prize-winning co-

discoverers of the DNA molecule.

PHIL (O.C.)

Who are Watson and Crick.

CONTESTANT:

(on TV)

Who are Watson and Crick?

ALEX:

(on TV)

Correct.

There is a cheering from a small group of people off-screen.

INT. PARLOR - CONTINUOUS

Phil is sitting in his bathrobe in a big lounge chair in the

parlor of his hotel. Mrs. Lancaster, and other guests watch

his performance, awed by his "intellect."

ALEX:

(on TV)

Twin brother and sister Sebastian

and Olivia create confusion in

this Shakespearean comedy.

PHIL:

What is "Twelfth Night."

CONTESTANT:

(on TV)

What is "Twelfth Night?"

ALEX:

(on TV)

Correct.

More cheering from the small group.

CONTESTANT:

(on TV)

I'll take New Jersey for eight

hundred, Alex.

-75-

ALEX:

(on TV)

And the answer is-- an audio

daily double.

PHIL:

Count Basie.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREET - DAY

Phil is walking through town, still dressed only in his pajamas

and overcoat, counting the sidewalk cracks, taking giants steps

from one to the next. He looks crazy.

PHIL:

Two thousand six hundred and

s e ve n ty -o n e--

(takes another step)

two thousand six hundred and

se v en t y -t w o --

(another step)

two thousand six hundred and

seventy-thr-ee-^-

A woman passes walking her dog.

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