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Day 1 Assignments
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Marie’s Analysis of Groundhog Day
What I learned doing this assignment is that if you change a person gradually (gradient steps) in your screenplay then the transformation can be entirely believable.
1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
The change in this movie is about finding reason to live, not just being so clever that you putting everything down to the point where you might as well shoot yourself. The transformational journey is Phil learning to consider others before himself and realize that that’s what makes life worth living
2. Lead characters:
– Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
Rita – she is the right character because she doesn’t take any insincere crap from Phil or anyone.
– Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
Phil – he’s right because he’s so cynical that he won’t have anywhere to go but further into cynicism which eventually means living without love or meaning
– What is the Oppression?
The oppression is the repetition of the same day and the inability to change that.
3. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
We connect with it because sometimes life seems like you’re stuck in one time or place, just as Phil literally is. We are also lured into the journey with the use of humour; Phil is really an entertaining guy with all his wit and sarcasm, and we may feel like we’d love to also call everyone a moron or a hick.
4. Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.”
Identify their old way: Phil’s old way is cynicism towards life and an attitude bordering on hatred of others; he thinks he’s smarter than everyone else; as Rita says: his “defining characteristic” is “egotism”.
Identify their new way at the conclusion: Phil’s new way is caring for others, understanding others, loving and appreciating others and the world around him.
5. What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
The first step is when the drunks tell him there will be no consequences; he tries that idea out and rolls with it for a few days – he enjoys it mostly because he can use people and do whatever he wants to reach his cynical ends. Next it starts making him philosophical and also “trying to talk like normal people do”, and it leads to interest in Rita. He then uses his reality to manipulate Rita. But when he says “I love you” to Rita, she gets hip to him – “You never love anyone but yourself”. So he learns as he repeats days but he learns the wrong things – he is still egocentric and insincere; he’s confounded by all his failures to get together with Rita; he’s depressed as the clock rolls over to 6 am; he drinks and makes insulting on air reports. He’s desperate and crashes the car…goes further over the edge and keeps trying to kill himself.
6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
The old way is challenged by Rita. Phil really likes her but can’t get anywhere with her because he using his old ways of manipulation. His belief that everyone but him is a moron is challenged to the point where his perspective shifts…when… and he wakes up one morning understanding what life really means to him.
7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?
When he dives from the building and we see his dead face. When he’s begging Rita to believe him and then he describes her, ending with “you look like an angel”. His resignation is profound.
When he lets Rita sleep; stops being a smart ass, and talks gently about his real feelings toward her. The next day, the real change is evident in all his moves – he gives money to the guy on the corner (whom he usually shuns) and brings coffee to his coworkers – he’s happy and helpful – he starts feeling interested in other people; he takes piano lessons; he embraces the day even in its repetition; piano, ice sculpting: he’s being creative and enjoying life; and then he brings the old guy to the hospital and he dies – every repeat day thereafter he takes care of the guy – he wants him to live so much – when he dies in the alley he’s brought to his knees; next day he’s quoting Chekhov in his on-air report; he makes a really profound speech and his cameraman says: “Man, you touched me.” Now he goes round helping people – fixing a flat tire, catching a falling boy; saving a man with from choking.
8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?
His speech to her in the cafe: “You like boats but not the ocean…you’re a sucker for French poetry and rhinestones… When you stand in the snow you look like an angel.” Also: “And there’s nothing I can do about it.” “Please believe me, you’ve got to believe me”; “Killed myself so many times it doesn’t matter”; and “no matter what happens tomorrow or the rest of of my life I’m happy now because I love you.”
9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
Every new repetition was leading us to the day he’d wake up and it’d be different. All the setups either begin with the clock hitting 6 or with some other repetition, and the payoff at the end is the clock hits 6 but different things happen – the repetition is over – and he’s a different man, like Scrooge after the 3 spirits visit him.
10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
It’s that value in life is in caring for others and living in the moment; it’s that love is the answer – Phil is out of his nightmare because he found love and caring for others and this made the beauty of the whole universe precious to him.
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Great analysis, you hit some points dead on the head!!
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Trosky Long’s Analysis of Groundhog Day
1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie? The change was in Phil as a person. He went from a self-absorbing, selfish, arrogant person to become a person who was selfless, generous, kind person and all about helping others.
Transformational journey – The beginning of arriving in the small town(not wanting to be there). In the end, when he decided with Rita he wanted to live there permanently.
2. Lead characters: Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change? Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey? What is the Oppression? Rita is the change agent, but she is unaware of it. Because of her zest for life and how she treats people.
* Phil is a transformable character because his overall look at life changed dramatically from beginning to the end.
* Phil realized his life was a continuous cycle at first and he abused that power at first, but in the process, he realized no matter what he tried he could never get what he wanted.
3. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story? Wondering if Phil would ever move on to another day, thinking he was forever trapped to that exact day.
* Phil’s transformation as a person.
4. Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion: Phil
* old ways – selfish, arrogant, manipulative, thoughtless, careless, greedy
* new ways – Kind, generous, fun-loving, selfless, thoughtful, aware, more into helping others
5. What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing? The gradient change went through 3 phases for me….
1st- When Phil realized what was happening he abused the situation by each day doing what was exactly best for him in order to get exactly what he wanted from each day.
2nd- Phil became destructive with the numerous attempts to kill himself and was extremely careless on each given day.
3rd- Phil decided to make the best out of each day and made it a point to better himself as a person while in the process of getting to know and helping others. I felt like he found his sense of purpose in life.
6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause the main character to shift their perspective…and make the change? The old way was challenged that no matter what Phil did differently each day he had to live with himself.
* The belief that Phil could make Rita fall in love with him by manipulating her thoughts, which never succeeded and never got him the true love he wanted from her.
7. What are the most profound moments of the movie? When Phil made it a point to help people each day, truly better himself as a person and make the best out of each situation.
8. What are the most profound lines of the movie? When Phil asked, “What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same and nothing else mattered?”
* Phil said, “What if there were no tomorrow, we could do exactly what we wanted.”
9. How does the ending pay off the setups of this movie? Rita explained to Phil what the perfect guy was to her. Phil tried to artificially become that guy and through manipulation but it never worked. Once chose to better himself as a person that’s when Rita took notice and he truly gained her heart and love.
10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie? No matter what life throws at us, if we take time to appreciate each day for what it’s worth and choosing to help others we will experience the true gratification of life.
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Kathleen Gamble
———————QUESTIONS FOR THE MOVIE Groundhog Day——————-
We are looking at this movie from the perspective of the change that occurs for the lead character and the audience.
What is the CHANGE this movie
is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie? Going from
an arrogant, condescending man to a kindhearted thoughtful person.For audience: From a person who is ungrateful to seeing value in other and loving life.
Lead
characters:Who is the Change Agent (the
one causing the change)
and what makes this the right
character to cause the change? Rita. She becomes his love interest.Who is the Transformable
Character (the one who makes the change)Phil
and what makes them the right
character to deliver this profound journey?He’s the one who needs a life lesson.
What is the Oppression? Time
(the calendar)How are we lured into the
profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?The fact that a day repeats itself is intriguing. The audience is interested in what he is going to do each day to better himself. What would we do if we had a second chance to repeat a day?
Looking
at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound
journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way:
Identify their new way at the conclusion:Phil changes the most.
Old way: Egotistical, snarky weatherman. He detests his yearly Groundhog Day assignment and takes it out on the crew and local people of the town.
New way: Outgoing, friendly, and helpful to the locals.
What is the gradient the
change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they
were changing?1. Sarcastic and condescending; unhappy.
2. Not good at his job (got the weather wrong)
3. Thinks he is famous
4. Reluctantly goes to Punxsutawney and takes it out on co-workers
5.Rude to the local people.
6. As Groundhog day continues to repeat itself. He uses his knowledge to take advantage of the people.
7. He gradually changes as he falls in love with Rita.
8. His plan backfires as he is not genuinely changing. He repeatedly tries to commit suicide because he can no longer take it, but that doesn’t work either.
9. He wakes up one Groundhog Day and he decides to become the man he should have been all along, a genuinely good person.
10. All the townspeople love him and Rita notices his change and she loves him too.
11. He wakes up with Rita by his side in bed and they live happily ever after.
How is the “old way”
challenged? His old way is
challenged when he sees that his way of living, thinking and acting was
keeping him in a time warp in which he could not escape.What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
His arrogance. Rita told him that he only loved himself.
What are the most profound
moments of the movie?All the moments when he rescued and saved the townspeople. He convinced Rita to stay the night in order to believe him. He gave the beggar money after snubbing him. He tried repeatedly to save the beggar’s life. The nurse said it was the man’s time to die.
What are the most profound
lines of the movie?Phil to Rita: The 1<sup>st</sup> time I saw you, something happened to me. I never told you. I know I wanted to hold you as hard as I could.
Phil: I don’t deserve someone like you, but if I ever could, I swear I would love you the rest of my life.
Insurance man to Phil: Phil, this is the best day of my life.
Phil response: Me too.
How does the ending payoff the
setups of this movie?
Phil had resolved that if that was
the way his life was going to be, he was going to live it as a genuinely
good thoughtful person no matter what,What is the Profound Truth of
this movie? A change of heart can change your future. -
What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
The change this movie is about is the power that we each have to change the outcomes our lives produce. A power that is often not recognized by the individual and a power that does not come from what we do, but from who we see ourselves as being. Phil’s journey takes him from a place where he knows about people to a place where he actually knows (and is known by) people; from a place where his true identity is not known to himself or others to a place where he can know himself and others can also. A place where his profession of “love” is challenged as inauthentic to a place where it is accepted without question.
Lead characters:
Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
The change agent is the unnamed “higher power” that causes him to relive groundhog day. This is the right “character” since the construct of this story requires a supernatural power to essentially supersede the usual course of time. A twist on deus ex machina from resolving a conflict to creating it.
Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
Phil is the transformable character as the persona he initially projects is not who he really is and, since he apparently has no idea of who he actually is, he can be transformed by a profound journey of discovery.
What is the Oppression?
In some ways, Phil himself is the opposition. Once he gets over the initial shock of realizing that groundhog day will be repeating itself, he experiments with ways to exploit the situation to his advantage before settling on the seduction of Rita as a worthy project. Once he realizes that his continuing chances of success are no longer increasing but decreasing, he becomes bitter and rebels against the possibilities to discover himself inherent in repeating the day by attempting suicide. In other ways, it is the repeating day itself that provides the opposition.
How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
I believe that all of us, at one time or another, have wondered what would happen if we had the opportunity to relive a particular day. It might be a pleasant one that we would like to enjoy again or one that was so unpleasant we wish we could change how it ended. The basic premise of this story (the repeating day) invites us to vicariously experience how that might turn out as we go along with Phil on his journey.
Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion:
The old Phil is a self-centered, insensitive, insincere person who, although he may know a lot about other people, has very little respect or concern for them, as reflected in a sarcastic and hurtful sense of humor. Although he doesn’t really know himself, he doesn’t like himself, and is focused on using/exploiting others to fill the needs he cannot identify and to distract himself from the emptiness of his life. He appears to lack personal values.
The new Phil is a sincere person who is other-centered, who is capable of knowing other people and is caring and sensitive towards them. He has discovered who he is and has found ways to meet his own needs without using other people. He has filled his life with the things that are important to him and are consistent with the values he has chosen for himself.
To a certain extent, both Rita and Larry appear to change, particularly in regard to how they interact with Phil. However, they and all the other characters only exist for the same one day. There can be no profound change in them, only a revelation of their character as it exists on that day in response to different stimulus. Phil on the other hand, is seen over the course of numerous days and his character grows and develops in response to different albeit the same days.
What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
He initially chooses to see the occasion of the repeating day as an opportunity for him to take his exploitation of others to a new level and finally settles on seducing Rita as a project worthy of his efforts. Initially he appears to be making progress toward his objective until finally he gets as close as he is going to get. He tells her he loves her, she challenges that telling him he doesn’t know her and that he only loves himself, to which he defends himself by admitting that he does even like himself.
Since the day is repeating, this exchange doesn’t affect Rita (it never happened for her), but it profoundly impacts Phil, perhaps because he has realized that he doesn’t deserve her. From this point on, his efforts towards seducing Rita become less successful each day. In despair, Phil begins, unsuccessfully, to use each day as a chance to end it all.
The turning point comes when, in desperation, Phil becomes real with Rita about what is going on for him, suggesting that he might be a god. Instead of seeing her as a prize to be won, he enlists her as an ally to help him find a solution to the problem of the never ending day. Later that night, although she is asleep at the time, Phil becomes vulnerable to her, sharing the feelings that he has for her and expressing admiration for the rare kind of person he sees her as being, one who is so nice to people.
This night with Rita also takes Phil to another level. As he is perhaps becoming more aware of the person he wants to be, he is becoming aware of and caring about other people, as illustrated by his growing concern and intervention in the life of the old man. On his journey to self-discovery, he realizes that he has a desire to be able to play music and he seeks out a teacher. Finally, although at her request he has opportunity to spend time with Rita, he has higher priorities that involve coming to the aid of others apparently simply for the sake of making a difference in their lives. It appears as if he has come to a place of being satisfied with being himself.
How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
Initially, all of the adaptations that Phil makes to the repeating day would seem be designed to distract him from considering that there may be a bigger purpose behind it all. However, as each different tact he takes proves to be meaningless and without satisfaction, he is driven to end it all. This is the famous rock-bottom that is spoken of in addiction circles. Actually, this is below rock-bottom since his suicide attempts are doomed to fail.
In desperation, Phil is driven to seek out an ally, inviting Rita with his supposition that he may be a god. Without any ulterior motive, he is reaching out to another to help him make sense of his experience and, perhaps, find a way to resolve it. He has, of necessity, finally become authentic with another human being. That night he acknowledges to himself (since she is asleep) that he not only “loves” her, but that he admires who she is and that he sees himself as not being on the same level. Perhaps it is this realization that causes him to start to become aware of others and their needs and to consider the ways he can make a difference.
What are the most profound moments of the movie?
Phil’s realization of the futility of living as if there were no tomorrow. Rita’s rejection of Phil machinations as a demonstration of his love. Phil’s declaration that he didn’t like himself. Phil becoming authentic with Rita about his dilemma. Phil becoming invested in the life of the old man. Phil passing on time with Rita to serve others. Phil spending the night with Rita without having sex and that becomes the start of a new day (and new life) for him. This time, when he tells Rita he loves her, she accepts it as real. Something has changed and it is Phil.
What are the most profound lines of the movie?
He’s a half-empty kind of guy.
What if there were no tomorrows?
You make choices and you live with them.
How can you love me? You don’t even know me.
I don’t even like myself.
Maybe it’s not a curse. It just depends on how you see it.
How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
For the first two acts, Phil sought to gain the acceptance of Rita and others to make himself feel better but he never found satisfaction. There are several hints that Phil doesn’t know himself, including the use of the song, “You Don’t Know Me.” By the time the movie ends, it would appear that Phil has finally found himself. The things he is doing are because he enjoys doing them, He is not trying to prove anything to anybody. Earlier in the film he admiringly walks past a row of ice sculptures, after his change of focus, he has learned how to create them. His contentment with himself and his life opens the door for his desire for a healthy relationship with Rita to be realized.
What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
That who we appear to be (to others and ourselves) may not be who we are, but it is knowing and being who we are that is the key to attaining the satisfaction and fulfilment we desire from life.
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