Groundhog Day Page #23

RITA:

Oh, hi, Phil.

PHIL:

Thought you might like some--

He hands her the coffee.

RITA:

Thanks!

PHIL:

Careful, it's hot. Larry?

He hands Larry a cup.

LARRY:

(surprised, mutters)

Yeah, great.

RITA:

We're just setting up.

PHIL:

You know, I bumped into Buster

Greene, he kind of runs this

thing, and he tipped me off that

we might get a better shot over

there.

RITA:

Really?

-99-

PHIL:

I mean, maybe we should go for

it. What do you think?

RITA:

Sounds good to me. Larry?

LARRY:

Sure, why not?

RITA:

All right. Thanks, Phil. Good

work.

She reaches for an equipment case.

PHIL:

I'll get that.

Phil helps Larry carry the camera gear.

PHIL:

(to Larry)

You and I never talk, Larry. You

got kids?

Larry looks suspicious. Rita looks on, reevaluating Phil.

CUT TO:

INT. LIBRARY - DAY

Phil enters the library, approaches the Librarian.

PHIL:

Where would I find the Philosophy

section?

LIBRARIAN:

Down and to the left, 600's.

Phil walks through the stacks, past the groundhog window.

CUT TO:

EXT. A HOUSE - DAY

Phil rings the doorbell. A kindly young woman, MARY, answers

MARY:

Yes?

PHIL:

I ' d like a piano lesson, please.

-100-

MARY:

Oh. Okay, I ' m with a student

now, but --

PHIL:

I'll give you a thousand dollars.

Mary hesitates only a moment, then ushers Phil into the house

and closes the door.

A moment later the door opens and a LITTLE GIRL with an armloa

of music books exits as if pushed. The door closes behind her.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - DAWN

Phil walks happily down the hallway. He passes the chubby man.

CHUBBY MAN:

Morning.

PHIL:

Buon Giorno, signore.

/ '.

. '

·

-

:

CHUBBY MAN:

Think it ' 11 be an early Spring?

PHIL:

"Winter slumbering in the open

air wears on his smiling face a

dream of Spring."

CHUBBY MAN:

Oh.

CUT TO :

INT. MARY'S HOUSE - DAY

Phil and Mary are sitting together at the piano. Phil is

playing, poorly.

MARY:

Not bad, Mr. Connors. You say

this is your first lesson?

PHIL:

Technically, yes.

Phil plays on, definitely improving.

CUT TO:

-101-

INT. LIBRARY - DAY

We see several cuts of Phil studying at the library.

SUPERED over these cuts is a calendar with the pages flipping

by. They all read "February 2 . "

CUT TO:

EXT. GOBBLER'S KNOB - DAWN

Phil stands in front of the camera, giving his report.

PHIL:

In fact, the groundhog's

legendary ability to predict the

weather may be more than just the

German folklore of the region.

Higher temperatures trigger

hormonal changes in the

testosterone levels of male

groundhogs, which may in fact

wake them from hibernation and

send them out to battle with

other males ;for mating rights.

So, the truth is they're not

looking for their shadows,

they're looking for groundhog

chicks.

Rita looks on, clearly delighted with the report.

CUT TO:

INT. MARY'S HOUSE - DAY

Phil is playing the piano with ever increasing skill as more

February 2 calendar pages flip by.

CUT TO:

EXT. GOBBLER'S KNOB - DAWN

Phil is delivering another report.

-102-

PHIL:

Groundhog Day, February second,

also known as Candlemas Day or

the Feast of the Purification of

the Virgin Mary, the day Mary

first came to the temple for

ritual blessings following the

birth of the infant Jesus, and

celebrated since the Middle Ages

by the sacramental lighting of

candles. Hence the old Scottish

couplet which long predates the

.American groundhog tradition: "If

Candlemas dawns bright and clear,

there'll be two winters in the

year."

Larry whispers an aside to Rita.

LARRY:

Is he making this stuff up?

RITA:

(RIVETED)

Shhhhh.

CUT TO:

EXT. CEMETERY - DAY

Beyond the graveyard is a work shed with various tombstones

scattered about. Old TUCKER, the town stonecarver, is at work

chiseling a name into a gravemarker.

Behind him, Phil is chipping away at a small hunk of marble,

sculpting a very lovely cherub.

Rita sits on a stool eating an apple and sipping hot tea

watching him with amazed interest.

PHIL:

But what if the rules changed?

What if none of your actions had

consequences?

RITA:

There would still be an absolute

morality. There has to be an

absolute good, regardless of the

circumstances.

PHIL:

Oh, is that so, Miss Plato? Then

let me ask you this. Where does

this "absolute good" come from?

From the sky?

-103-

Rita shrugs.

RITA:

I don't know. From my freshman

Philosophy course, I guess.

They both laugh. Then she looks at him for a long moment and

grins.

PHIL:

What?

RITA:

Nothing. I just can't believe

you're such a fine sculptor.

Phil takes a bite of her apple and gets up.

PHIL:

I gotta go.

RITA:

Where do you have to go in

Punxsutawney?

PHIL:

I got piano and then drums.

RITA:

Here?

PHIL:

Come on, I'll drop you off.

They exit.

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