Groundhog Day Page #5

RITA:

Here he comes. Phil! Hey, Phil.

Over here!

Phil joins them in the press area. Rita pulls him to his mark

near the rail fence.

RITA:

Where've you been?

PHIL:

I got hung up with some jerk I

went to high school with. So,

did you sleep okay without me?

You tossed and turned, didn't

you?

Rita holds up a slate for Larry to ID the tape.

RITA:

You're incredible.

PHIL:

Who told you?

RITA:

Ready when you are.

Phil takes the microphone from Rita and positions himself

against the fence.

The Groundhog Club Officials in top hats, striped trousers and

cutaway coats parade out to the burrow that houses Punxsutawney

Phil.

RITA:

Looks like they're starting.

Roll tape.

-18-

LARRY:

Rolling.

Rita silently counts down from five and cues Phil who instantly

snaps into announce mode.

PHIL:

(to camera)

Once a year, the eyes of the

nation turn here, to this tiny

hamlet in Pennsylvania, to watch

a master at work. The master?

Punxsutawney Phil, the world's

most famous weatherman, the

groundhog, who, as legend has it,

can predict the coming of an

early spring.

Rita turns to Larry. This is impressive-- so far, so good.

A Groundhog Club Official kneels at the burrow and

ceremoniously knocks on the small wooden door, then opens it

and retreats.

PHIL:

And here's the big moment we've

all been waiting for. Let's just

see what Mr. Groundhog has to

say.

The groundhog sticks his head out, looks around, steps out of

the hole, and runs over to the other side of the mound, about

as far away from the cameras as he can get.

PHIL:

Hey! Over here, you little

weasel!

Larry zooms in as far as he can but the best he can manage is

a close-up of the groundhog's back. The groundhog stands there

a moment, his body casting a long shadow, then he lets out a

squeak and runs back into the hole.

PHIL:

Great shot, huh, folks? Well,

that was certainly worth the

trip. Now we'll be hearing from

Mr. Buster Greene, President of

the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club,

the so-called Seer of Seers who

will interpret for us.

BUSTER GREENE, dressed up in his top hat and cutaway coat,

walks onto the mound and hushes the crowd.

-19-

B U ST E R:

He came out, and he saw his

shadow. Sorry, ladies and

gentlemen, but it looks like it's

going to be a long winter.

The crowd lets out a good-natured "Awwwwww" in disappointment.

PHIL:

(sarcastic, to camera)

Well, that's it. Sorry you

couldn't be here in person to

share the electric moment. This

is one event where televison

really fails to capture the

excitement of thousands of people

gathered to watch a large

squirrel predict the weather, and

I for one am deeply grateful to

have been a part of it.

Reporting for Channel 9, this is

Phil Connors.

Larry cuts the camera.

RITA:

(to Phil)

You want to try one that's a

little sweeter?

PHIL:

(to Rita)

That's as sweet as I get. I'm

outa here.

As he exits, Phil tosses the mike to Larry, who isn't expecting

the throw and bobbles it, dropping the mike on the ground.

LARRY:

(MUTTERS)

Prima donnas.

CUT TO:

INT . DINER - LATER

Phil is sitting alone having a cup of coffee in a busy, loud

and lively cafe. Rita enters, sees him sitting there, crosses

to his table and sits down across from him.

RITA:

That was really lousy.

PHIL:

Is it my fault the little rat

went south on us?

-20-

RITA:

A real professional would have

handled it. You acted like it

was a personal insult. Who do

you think you are -- Wolf Blitzer?

PHIL:

God, you really take this stuff

seriously, don't you.

RITA:

Yes, I do. As far as I ' m

concerned there are no little

stories, Phil. Only little

reporters with big egos who think

they're too good for the job they

have to do.

PHIL:

(trying to look hurt)

You really don't know me very

well, do you. 'Cause if you did

you could never say something

like that about me. I care!

Call me a cockeyed optimist but

I happen to think there's more to

this job than just getting my

ugly mug on the boob tube every

night.

RITA:

Is that so.

PHIL:

Yes, that is so.

Rita is so irritated by him she can't even respond.

Phil looks at her evenly for a long moment.

PHIL:

So as far as us getting together,

would you say the glass is half

empty or half full?

Larry pokes his head in the doorway, looks around, spots Rita

and makes his way over to their table.

LARRY:

(to Rita)

You ready? We better get going

if we ' re going to stay ahead of

the weather.

PHIL:

You don't have to rush off, you

know. That storm is 'going to

miss us completely.

-21-

RITA:

Nice working with you, Phil. See

you around.

Rita walks away, leaving him sitting alone.

CUT TO:

«

EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY

Phil's Lexus is driving down the highway. Light snow is just

starting to fall.

PHIL(V.O)

(on the earphone)

I'll call you after I see the

network guy. I should be back

there in a couple of

hours...What?...1 can't hear you--

you're breaking up...Hello?

Sabrina?

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes