Groundhog Day Page #8

PHIL:

Ned Ryerson?

NED:

Bing! First shot right out of

the box. So how's it going, ol'

buddy?

PHIL:

To tell you the truth, Neddy, I ' m

not feeling real well. Could you

excuse me?

NED:

Now it's funny you should mention

your health 'cause you'll never

guess what I do.

-30-

PHIL:

(very distressed and

desperate to get away

from this guy)

Do you sell insurance, Ned?

NED:

Bing again! You're sharp as a

tack today. Do you have life

insurance, Phil? 'Cause if you

do, I bet you could use more --

who couldn't?" -- but I got a

feeling you don't have any. Am

I right?

PHIL:

(really annoyed now)

Did I say "f*** off, " Ned? I

can't talk to you right now.

He backs away from Ned and steps right into the same deep,

slushy puddle he stepped in the day before.

NED:

(BRAYING)

Hey, look .out for that first v

step. It's a doozyi

Phil looks down at his wet shoes and cuffs and stumbles off

toward Gobbler's Knob.

CUT TO:

EXT . GOBBLER ' S KNOB - DAWN

The crowd is gathered as before for the big moment.

In the press area, Rita is having the same dialogue with Larry,

when she spots Phil heading into the crowd.

RITA:

Here he comes. Phill Hey, Phil!

Over here!

Phil waves to her and heads straight for an obscure corner of

the Knob, gesturing for her to follow.

Larry shakes his head as Rita charges through the crowd toward

Phil. She catches up to him just as he is scratching a mark in

the snow with his foot. She notices immediately that he is

uncharacteristically dishevelled, his tie askew, his hair

mussed.

RITA:

Where ' ve you been?

-31-

PHIL:

(nervous, sweat ing)

I've got to talk to you. I think

I'm losing my mind.

. RITA

I know you're losing it. What

are you doing over here? The

camera's over there.

PHIL:

Slap me, Rita.

RITA:

What is this?

PHIL:

(INSISTENT)

Just slap me-- hard.

She gives up and taps him lightly on the cheek.

PHIL:

I said hardl

. . .. ... .RITA .

I can't!

PHIL:

Do it!

Rita shrugs and slaps him very hard.

PHIL:

(his cheek smarting)

Better. Almost too hard, Rita.

RITA:

Are you drunk?

PHIL:

No, drunk is more fun. Can I be

serious with you for a minute?

RITA:

I don't know. Can you?

PHIL:

Yes. I ' m being serious. I' m

having a problem-- no, I may be

having a problem.

RITA:

What are you trying to say?

-32-

PHIL:

I'm trying to say that if I was

having a problem, just

hypothetical ly, I ' d like to know

that you're someone I could count

on in a crisis.

RITA:

(WORRIED)

What did you do last night?

The crowd begins to hush.

LARRY:

We better get started. We're

going to miss it.

PHIL:

Were not going to miss it.

(indicating the other

REPORTERS)

They're going to miss it.

RITA:

(EMPHATIC)

Phil. We've been out here for an

hour. We're cold and tired.

Let's just get this and get out

of here.

PHIL:

Okay, put it here.

RITA:

What?

PHIL:

Put the camera here .

Rita takes a forlorn glance towards the press area, where all

of the other cameras are set up .

RITA:

Phil , there is no tomorrow on

this one. It's Groundhog Day.

PHIL:

We were in the wrong spot

yesterday .

RITA:

(IRKED)

W ha t? Yesterday? What are you

talking about?

PHIL:

Just trust me. Put the camera

here .

-33-

Rita looks at him like he's crazy, then looks at her watch and

gives up.

RITA:

Larry!

She charges off toward the cameras.

In the Press Area, several reporters are already talking to

their cameras, dribbling on about how "He could appear any

second now." Rita and Larry grab their gear and rush back to

Phil.

Larry hurriedly sets up the camera.

LARRY:

You want me to roll tape?

RITA:

(to Phil)

Are you going to get on your

mark?

PHIL:

No hurry.

Larry glances over at the other news reporters, all talking to

their cameras and pointing towards the mound.

LARRY:

(DESPERATELY)

Everyone else is rolling!

Rita looks helplessly at Phil.

RITA:

I'm begging you, all right?

Gould we please just do this?

Phil glances down at his watch.

PHIL:

Okay, let's do it.

He crosses over to Larry and taps him on the shoulder.

PHIL:

Roll tape.

LARRY:

(MUMBLING)

Prima donnas.

Phil takes the microphone from Rita and positions himself

against the fence.

LARRY:

Rolling.

-34-

Phil does a similar intro to the one he did before, though this

time it's a bit tentative.

PHIL:

(to camera)

We ll, it's Groundhog Day-- again--

and you know what that means.

Everybody's here on Gobbler's

Knob waiting in the cold for the

appearance of the most famous

groundhog in the world,

Punxsutawney Phil, who's going to

tell us just how much more of

this we can expect.

The Groundhog Club Official knocks on the groundhog's door,

then opens it and retreats.

Phil takes a deep breath and makes his first experimental

prediction, recalling the previous day.

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