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Lesson 1
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Bill Southwell: Groundhog Day analysis
What I learned doing this assignment is: Seeing the life before is important to a movie to clarify the need for change and to contrast with the new way.
What is the CHANGE this movie is
about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie? The movie is about hope. After long
winters there will be spring when love abounds.
Lead characters:Who is the Change Agent (the one
causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the
change? Rita is the Change
Agent because of her, Phil changes to become worthy of her.Who is the Transformable Character
(the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to
deliver this profound journey? Phil has the transformational journey
going from a grouchy negative man to one filled with love and skill.What is the Oppression? The oppression
is the time loop he is caught in. Every day repeats, seemingly endlessly.How are we lured into the profound
journey? What causes us to connect with this story? We are often caught
in boring jobs and activities, feeling there is no way out.
Looking at the character(s) who are
changed the most, what is the profound journey? Phil is changed with the oppression of
endless day with no tomorrow. From “old ways” to “new way of being.”
Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion: The
old way was not fulfilling, making his critical. The new way is full of
creative achievements including love, kindness, and romance
What is the gradient the change?
What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were
changing? The gradient begins when Phil decides to become worthy of Rita’s
attention. Gradually he changes to become the man she would admire.
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 ways are seen as being hum-drum
and depressing. The new way if profoundly better and happier.
What are the most profound moments
of the movie? Scenes with the old man, catching the boy falling from
the tree, playing the piano well, reciting poetry…
What are the most profound lines of
the movie? Those are the comments of kindness he makes to the various characters,
the old man, the piano teacher. He begins to show wisdom.
How does the ending payoff the
setups of this movie? The ending where they wake up and it is Feb 3, the
day after groundhog day, is the ultimate payoff.
What is the Profound Truth of this
movie? Repentance or true character change brings hope into reality-
Bill,
I enjoyed reading your crisp and clear ideas.
They helped me understand some ideas that had not occurred to me before.
Thanks.
Susan
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Susan, I really like your answers but particularly how you defined the steps of the gradient change. I understand that concept much better now thanks to your answer. Jeanne
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ScreenWritingU Class: The Profound Movie Map
05/02/2023: Day 1, Assignment 1 Ground Hog Day Susan A. Willard
We are looking at this movie from the perspective of the change that occurs for the lead character and the audience.
What I learned from doing this assignment is I am able pick out elements of the story that I had not noticed before.
What I learned from doing this assignment is that all aspects of the movie have a purpose, with greater focus or repeated viewing smaller pieces become more meaningful to the entire story.
What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational
Journey of this movie?The CHANGE, in the movie, is the change that happens to Phil Conners, the TV Weatherman when he lives Ground Hog Day repeatedly.
Phil’s Transformational Journey is from a tired, agitated, mean, self-centered, unhappy, Prima donna to a humble, caring, observant, intelligent, kind, sensitive, gentle, funny, supportive, romantic, courageous, man, who helps everyone he sees that needs help and who wants to get married, have children.
Phil transforms into a new man by listening, learning, applying lessons learned, being patient, and seeing things through. He has learned life skills that will allow him to survive in his old life, because now Phil is happy and fulfilled on the inside, by have a servant’s heart and thinking of other’s first.
Lead characters:
Who is the Change Agent (the one
causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the
change?Rita, the new TV Producer, is the Change Agent. She is new to the station and everyone there, especially to Phil. She is completely different from other people he has known. He even says that he was drawn to her since the first time he saw her. It can be imagined that subconsciously or consciously he compared her joy and happiness for life to his current miserable situation (emotionally).
Who is the Transformable
Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right
character to deliver this profound journey?Phil, the TV Weatherman is the Transformable Character. He makes a change from an unhappy, self-centered professional to a loving, kind, and caring married man first. He was the right character to go on this profound journey because he was already dissatisfied with his life. He had no where else to go; either be miserable, or change.
What is the Oppression?
The Oppression is his internal misery amplified by the forced repeating of the same Ground Hog Day for many, many, many days, with no end that he can come up with.
How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to
connect with this story?Everyone in the audience knows and/or has worked with Phil, Rita, and
Larry. The personalities are shown right in the beginning with the action and dialogue to set the scene: A new producer fun and full of life, A miserable Weatherman who hates going to the Ground Hog Day for the 5<sup>th</sup> time (not to mention being with those hicks), and Larry the camera man.
Once the scene is set, everyone will want to see what could happen.
Just about anything can happen, so we keep watching.
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 and Rita are changed.
Phil goes from being a mean, unhappy, self-centered professional who
puts himself first always, closing off from others: to a humble, intelligent,
helpful husband-type, who wants to live life to its fullest and share his life with others.
Rita changes her perspective of Phil as she observes him acting differently from her first expectations. As she sees his kindness, caring for others. She becomes attracted to the new man he has become.
What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational
Character go through as they were changing?The Gradient of Change is made up of all the shifts in actions, thinking, talking, learning, and applied learning that happens to Phil as he is stuck in Ground Hog Day hell.
Phil goes through:
· Confusion, not knowing what is happening to him.
· Ignoring his surroundings, rushing to get through the day so that it will end.
· Getting checked out physically and mentally to find out what is wrong with him.
· Letting go of the rules he has lived by and doing anything he want any way he wants to.
· Not worrying about anything, indulging in anything he wants to. (Sex, stealing money, eating anything and everything…)
· Questioning: What would you do if you only had one day to live? Asks Rita what she wants out of life, and she tells him in detail.
· Experimenting with developing some of the skills she desires in a man she would date.
· Frustrated with each failure and just stews for day before starting over the next day. But all is lost.
· Gives up all hope and tries to kill himself (stabbed, shot, hung, frozen, poisoned, burned, electrocuted, and fell off a building).
· Considers that he may be immortal. Discusses it with Rita. <Note: at this point his old inner man is gone, Phil tells Rita, “It doesn’t make a difference. I’ve killed myself so many times. I don’t even exist anymore.”> Rita states, “Maybe it’s not a curse, – it depends upon how you look at it.” Rita has now given Phil a reason to live. She is his new measuring stick.
· Trying out a new life, applying what he has learned: Phil begins to really analyze each person and each situation he encounters so that if he can help, he does. He takes his time learning new skills, like playing the piano, learning how to ice sculptures, reading poetry and more. Until one day he…
· Applies all he has learned into one successful giving, caring day.
How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are
challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make
the change?Phil’s old way of life is challenged by his opinions and actions towards others. He has already determined outcomes based on his past experiences at previous Ground Hog Days. When he gets stuck in the repeated nightmare of what he hates, he no longer has power over his surroundings or his future.
It is at this point that Phil goes on a journey to discover what other ways of living life can help him get out of the rut he is in. It is a will journey as he goes from one avenue to the next until he slows down enough to list to those around him, especially Rita who he is really drawn to.
What are the most profound moments of the movie?
The most profound moments came in the movie when Phil started treating people differently, not as a phony, but from a pure caring perspective, such as catching the boy falling out of the tree, helping the homeless man the best as he could, changing a tire for three old ladies, saving a man from chocking, and when he used all the personal skills learned to share with Rita.
What are the most profound lines of the movie?
One of the most profound set of lines was the speech that Phil gave at the last Ground Hog Day shoot about winter being another step in the cycle of life. “Standing here among the people of Punxsutawney basking in the warmth of their homes and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate that a long and luxurious winter.” (Something like this)
One of the most profound lines of the movies was on the last repeat of the Ground Hog Day, that evening Phil says, to a sleeping Rita, “No matter what happens for the rest of my life, I’m happy now, because I love you.”
How does the ending pay off the setup of this movie?
The beginning of the movie began in a stressful situation. The ending resolved the stress and elevated the emotional feeling of harmony and satisfaction, through changes in Phils actions, care, feelings and dialogue with others.
What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
The Key to life is the only thing that you can really have power over and change in life is yourself. When you change yourself for the better, life will be better, and you will be happier. Don’t wait for someone else to do something or some situation to change. Do things in the moment of need for others, and yourself. You have the power to change your own situation.
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Subject: Kate Gleeson’s Analysis of Groundhog Day
What I learned doing this assignment is the importance of incremental change that moves forward and then back and then forward again. The rhythm of the change. It’s important to have those backsliding moments that create uncertainty because they pull the audience in and make the main character relatable.
What is the CHANGE this movie is about?
Going from being an egocentric, frustrated person who is never satisfied to being someone who is present and finds meaning in the day-to-day life.
What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
From being a career striver always looking for the next big step up to a successful weatherman who enjoys his current job and present life. <div>Lead characters:
Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change? Rita (Andie MacDowell)
Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey? Phil (Bill Murray)
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What is the Oppression?
Tedium of living a self-absorbed mundane life/meaninglessness of daily life
How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
Repeating variations of the waking up in the morning scene.
Repeating the song and radio hosts.
Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” </div>Identify their old way: Cynical, self-absorbed, arrogant, sarcastic, narcissistic
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Identify their new way at the conclusion: Present, kind, caring, embraces the futility of daily life, which liberates him and enables him to actually be present and enjoy life.What is the gradient the change? </div><div>
5 stages of grief (see next)
What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing? </div><div>Denial – Doesn’t believe it’s happening to him.
Anger/fighting it – Fights with everyone. Tries to rush through the day to make it end faster.
Bargaining – No consequences sequence to test whether it’s really happening.
Depression – Realizes that nothing is going to break the cycle so he tries to kill himself in different ways to get out of the cycle.
Acceptance – Breaks the spell and he can begin to live his life again.
How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change? </div><div>
When he keeps doing the same thing and getting the same result—misery (steps in puddle, rude to people, cold shower)
When he asks for help and realizes that no one else can help him.
When he realizes that he doesn’t have to step in the puddle because he can make a different choice.
When he starts really talking to Rita to get to know her and realizes that he cares about her and that relationships matter.
When he tries to be someone he’s not by studying Rita too closely—that the formula doesn’t work if it isn’t authentic.
What are the most profound moments of the movie?
The first morning that he realizes he’s stuck on repeat and steps in the puddle.
When he’s with the drunk guys and he drives them home and realizes that he can do anything he wants without consequences.
When he wakes up after crashing the car and he realizes that there really aren’t any consequences for his actions.
When he tracks everything that’s going to happen.
When he tries to kill himself the first time.
When he has the night with Rita and still wakes up to repeat the day and embraces the day, starting to accept his plight.
When he helps the old man even though he ends up dying over and over.
When he stops trying to be someone he’s not to impress Rita and starts just being present and being himself.
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What are the most profound lines of the movie?
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Phil: What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?
Drunk guy: That about sums it up for me. <div>
Phil: I’ve been stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, hung, electrocuted, and burned…and every morning I wake up without a scratch on me, not a dent in the fender…I am an immortal.
Rita: It was a perfect day. You can’t plan a day like this.
Phil: Well, you can but it takes an awful lot of work. </div><div>
Phil: I killed myself so many times I don’t even exist anymore.
Phil: No matter what happens tomorrow or for the rest of my life, I’m happy now because I love you.<div>
</div><div>Phil: Something is…different.
Rita: Good or bad?
Phil: Anything different is good. </div><div>How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
The music is the same so we assume the day is the same until the announcers complain about the song. It’s like Scrooge waking up on Christmas Day or Jimmy Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life. Phil is genuinely in the moment and grateful for his life.
What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
Being your authentic self and being present in the moment are what make a life meaningful.
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Hi Kate,
Thank you for the detailed Transformational Journey.
Your insight is a gift.
Susan
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Groundhog Day, William Donnelly, Day 1.
What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
ANSWER:
Slow, gradual but distinct transformation in a character is engaging and allows for buy in along the way. Phil was irritating to watch at first, but by the end, the character was charming/likable/engaging. I enjoyed how, after so much struggle being a jerk, he finally realized the power of being fully, richly himself. Learned the piano, sculpting, cared for and helped others out. What a world this would be if we all did the same thing.
———————QUESTIONS FOR THE MOVIE——————-
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 a selfish, obnoxious person to….an exasperated person/suicidal to a thoughtful person, to fully himself with his talents and capabilities fully manifested.
Lead characters:
Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
?Andie MacDowell/Rita? The Daily Repetition?
Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
Bill Murray/Phil – he’s a jerk. But then he breaks out of his mold and starts getting more interested in life. But he is still manipulative….then bitter from realizing he can’t get what he wants by manipulating things. Then he surrenders to his “reincarnation experience” and starts to care about who he is and how he can help others. This allows him to find love and to be love as well.
What is the Oppression?
The monotony of daily living…being trapped in repetition and being bitter for it. Or better, the bitterness of not being fully who you really are.
How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
We live his frustrations – he can’t get what he wants through manipulation – but once he taps into his true character, the world opens up for him (and he helps the world.)
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 is the most transformed, and taps into strengths he most likely never would have if he had not faced the challenges he faced.
Rita is transformed – as she gets to see a guy who has depth and kindness and serves those around him.
The community is transformed through his acts of kindness. Many lives are changed – even saved – because of his kindness and attention.
What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
Phil faced frustrations each new monotonous day. Out of sheer frustration, he began to break from his ordinary perspective – he took the car on a runaway chase, he works to remember Nancy’s name so he can pick her up, then he really gets into memorizing all the specifics of each day – at first just as a lark. But with the monotony, he sort of “breaks” – and even tried to commit suicide several times…but as he realizes there is no end to all of this nor easy escape, he begins to long for/starts looking for something meaningful. Then he begins to develop his true talents and he becomes a likable guy after all.
How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
He always ended up empty handed with his manipulative shenanigans. He grew tired of it so he needed to change. He couldn’t live like that anymore. His core belief in the lack of value of human life was changed – he finally began to see the value in others.
What are the most profound moments of the movie?
Mouth to mouth with a homeless guy. When he wakes up with Rita at the end. When he sculpted her face in the ice.
What are the most profound lines of the movie?
I got you, babe? Lol – missed grabbing these…
How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
Phil looks different. Bill Murray played such an unlikeable guy at first, and I didn’t enjoy looking at him. At first, I thought the movie was just “dated”, but by the end, I realized it was Murray’s character portrayal that worked – and it was great seeing the character’s whole demeanor change – he looked physically different/more likable by the end of the film.
What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
Live fully and be who you really are – great things will happen.
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Hey Will,
I like your conclusions.
The way you described the Characters the most is great.
I didn’t think about adding the community, but it surely changed and is better for it.
I see that community now as being brought more together, and will stay that way because of Rita and Phil living there.
Thanks for the descriptions here.
Susan
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Hi Susan,
Thanks so much for you comments! Much appreciated. I feel a bit like a fish out of water as i haven’t yet delved into writing an actual screenplay, however, this class actually feels like a really good pre-course do doing just that. I guess one step at a time. 🙂
Will
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Bob Rowen’s Analysis of Groundhog Day.
What I learned doing this assignment is a new and beneficial way of approaching and identifying the profound elements of a screenplay.
What is the CHANGE? Going from being a
narcissistic person to a magnanimous one.What is the Transformational Journey? The forced “lessons” during the day the transformable character keeps repeating over and over again.
Who is the Change Agent and what makes her the
right character? RITA because she doesn’t initially relate to Phil.Who is the Transformable Character and what makes him the right character? PHIL because he is a jerk that needs to straighten up!
What is the Oppression? Phil is trapped in a time warp of having to repeat the same day over and over again.
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How are we lured into the profound journey? What
causes us to connect with this story? There is some confusion at first.
Where is this story going? Then some answers begin to emerge creating
intrigue. We want to see if he’s going to straighten out.
</div><div>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 is
self-absorbed and unhappy in the beginning. He develops an interest in
Rita and eventually realizes he must change in order to win her affection.</div><div>
What is the gradient the change? What steps did
the Transformational Character go through as they were changing? The
discovery of what Rita needs from Phil in order to win her over.How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are
challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make
the change? When Phil realizes his old ways aren’t working.What are the most profound moments of the movie?
When Phil catches the boy who falls out of the tree, finally gives the old
guy a wad of money after ignoring him many times, learns to play the piano
for Rita’s benefit, and recites poetry for Rita’s benefit.What are the most profound lines of the movie? The
comments Phil makes to those who those he initially ignored during his old
way of being.How does the ending payoff the setups of this
movie? When Phil finally connects with Rita, and the day after Groundhog
Day finally arrives.What is the Profound Truth of
this movie? Crappy personalities can change.</div>
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Hi Bob,
Thank you for you “to the point” summary.
I am never good at just getting to the meat of things.
You hit this one out of the park for me.
Thanks,
Susan
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What I learned doing the assignment: the importance of gradient change. Epiphany moments are “easy” but not very realistic. People’s lives normally don’t switch “on” from off and I notices how the focus on Phil’s gradient change made his character more relatable.
Groundhog Day Analysis
What is the Change this movie is about? Phil’s attitude toward life itself. The journey goes from Phil being self absorbed and isolated to someone who is giving of himself and surround by people who love him. He’s a man living on the surface of life as it starts and he ends at the core.
Who is the change agent? I see three. Rita – in that Phil becomes attracted to her and wants to be worthy of her. Himself – much of his change comes from within himself. I have a saying that only boring people are ever bored because if you only have you to entertain yourself and you can’t, you’re boring. Phil was boring himself and decides to do something about that. The town – by Phil’s interactions with the town/people, he sees the value of other people’s lives to be equal to his own.
Who is the transformable character? Phil. He is self absorbed and pompous. He’s a man living a very shallow life as a “celebrity”. When he says bigger networks are interested in him – it doesn’t quite ring true – as if he’s trying to lie to himself as much as everyone else.
What makes him right to deliver this journey? You can tell from the very beginning that he just doesn’t “get it” when it comes to the world and life. He’s an empty vessel to pour a story into.
<font face=”inherit”>What is the oppression? The daily repetition. He has to overcome the grinding </font>repetition to come out on the other side.
How are we lured in? Part of us wants to see such a pretentious dick get his comeuppance. Part of us, the honest part, identifies with and understands someone who inflates who and what they are in the hopes other will look up to them. Both make him relatable.
What causes us to connect with this story? Most people have felt they are living the same day over and over and over. Life is grinding us down.
Phil’s old way is childish, shallow, and self absorbed. Abusive even with delusions of importance. In the end he becomes a man who thinks and acts on a profound level. By putting others first he is ironically elevated to the level of importance he was proclaiming at the beginning.
He starts the journey by simply getting through the grind of repeating the same day. He would entertain himself in silly superficial ways. Tricking women into sex, robbing the bank truck, etc. Then he shifted to despair which meant he was realizing what he was doing wasn’t working but he didn’t know what to do to make it better. Then he begins to shift outward in the diner telling Rita he’s a “god”. He’s spent a lot of time getting to know the people but it’s almost like he did it for lack of anything better to do. But when he described Rita to herself you can see something clicked and he proclaims to her his desire to be worth of her. Then you see him do all the things to accomplish that. His old ways of petty amusements give way to depth and he sets out to become a person of depth and worthy of Rita.
Rita challenges Phil’s shallow and self absorbed way of thinking. The monotony of living the same day over and over also challenges Phil’s way of thinking.
Most profound moments. When the old man dies anyway. You can see Phil’s understanding shift. When Phil describes Rita to herself and you can feel the ache in his heart for her – yet, to her, he was just some jerk she rode into town with yesterday – though his speech does soften her.
“It’s gonna be cold. It’s gonna be gray. And it’s gonna last you the rest of your life.”
“…regardless of what happens tomorrow, or for the rest of my life, I’m happy now …”
When Rita says “I think I’m happy too.” after Phil says “I’m happy now, because I love you.” Phil give a small nod as if accepting that that’s good enough to hear. The old Phil wouldn’t have accepted that.
The profound truth to the movie: Every day of your life is like every other day of your life unless you decide to (and then act upon) fill it with something that makes a difference in both today and your tomorrows.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by MARY Johnson.
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Hey Mary,
Your discussion of Ground Hog Day having three change agents is great. It fits.
I was focused on the fact that there were character agents and the way you described the community as a change agent was a good one. It made me rethink what are change agents.
Thanks,
Susan
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Thank you Susan.
I’m so glad to have found this class. I’ve been nervous about doing this and really appreciate the support.
Mary
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
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Andrea’s Analysis of Groundhog’s Day
What I learned from this assignment is…
I can relate to this movie in a profound way this time around because I too feel like I have been treading water in the same set of circumstances and location for the last 12 years. In spite of the seeming limitedness of this, I have chosen to grow from the inside out – and my actions have followed suite. As I change my perspective, my environment changes, and people’s attitudes around me change – because the world is a projection of the beliefs and perspectives that I hold in my vibrational field. This movie reminds me there is hope that as I surrender to what is – anything is possible – to include finally writing the profound movie that will open hearts and minds.
ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS:
1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
Moving from shallow, cynical and ego-centric to authentic and service to others oriented.
2. Lead characters: Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?<div>
Rita – She’s ‘the divine mother’ of inspiration to Phil – he admires her.
Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
Phil – who seems impossible – so stuck, so rigid in his core belief that he’s entitled something for nothing, and yet so desperate to break out.What is the Oppression? The frozen time factor is keeping Phil in a state of limbo – or so he believes. The ego.
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3. How are we lured into the profound journey?
The intrigue of the stopping of time and watching Phil react to it.
What causes us to connect with this story?
Phil’s changes he makes as he fails repeated attempts to manipulate the circumstances to his will. Humorous effects and reactions.
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4. Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey?
Phil tries everything an average person might think to try once he realizes it doesn’t matter. He lacks responsibility for himself or others. A real lack of care. Then he decides to acquire the one thing he thinks he wants (Rita)– but it comes from a shallow place and so he uses shallow methods – manipulation, to get it. From “old ways” – using external manipulation and cleverness. to “new way of being.” – authenticity and tapping into what is true for yourself – it’s self-awareness, centeredness and surrender to what is. An inside out approach.
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5. What is the gradient of change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
* Superficial niceness – feigned politeness out of gate. Mostly arrogant, cynical, and condescending.
* 3<sup>rd</sup> time he hits GHD he becomes scared and runs to Rita and refuses to do broadcast -> realizes it doesn’t matter what he does. Becomes destructive and reckless.
* 4<sup>th</sup> time -> he’s elated he gets away with his bad behavior and sets off to explore what else he can do with this magical time capsule in terms of manipulating people and things to get what he desires – greed, lust, and false power-over tactics.
* Goes after Rita with same egoic tactic of making observations and using the intel to manipulate her into liking him. She catches him every time. He plays off her preferences and interest because he has none of his own. He is emotionally bankrupt. **Leads to unhappiness and powerlessness.
* Hits a wall – spirals down. Crashes and goes crazy – steals the groundhog and tries to kill himself multiple times.
* Convinced he is a god – not the God, but immortal. Doesn’t feel like he exists. He knows everyone and everything about this town – and almost convinces Rita. He is having an existential crisis and is very, very close to acceptance and surrender…he’s about ready…
* When Rita agrees to stay over, it inspires his last phase of becoming a better man – helping others, devoting his time to improving himself, serving others, and exploring interests in earnest – even prioritizing this over Rita.
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</div>6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
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Phil originally looked down upon everyone in this small town with his very small mindset – like “I’m better than this.” “I deserve better – so I’ll just take it.” He takes instead of giving.
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7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?
When Phil gets up and immediately sets out to improve his behavior by helping other and learning new things. When Phil tries to save the old man. When Phil asked Rita if there was anything he could do for her today.
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8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?
“What if there was no tomorrow? We could do whatever we want.” “I’m not going to live by their rules anymore. You make choices and you live with them.” To Rita, “What would you do if you only had one day?” “What do you want?” “I’m a god, not the God.” “I don’t even exist anymore.” “No matter what happens tomorrow, I’m happy now, because I love you.”
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9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
Setups include the people and details of the town that he collected along the way to end up helping in various ways, how hard it was to get Rita to notice him, want him and stay overnight,
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10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
· Grow where you’re planted – idiom
· It’s not about you – Stoicism
· There’s no out there ‘out there’. – Quantum physics
· Surrender the ego to become who you were meant to be
· Happiness is not found in things (outside world) but in virtue alone – Stoicism
· We don’t control external events – only our thoughts, opinions, decisions, and duties. – Stoicism
· Our personal development is interconnected in cooperation with others – stoicism
· The challenges we face in life is the path (spiritual path)
· Anyone can change for the better and find happiness if they accept who and where they are in their life and learn to be grateful for what they have.
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Hey Andrea,
Your lists of Profound Truths for this movie is great.
Each one has its own relatable quality for the movie.
I loved them all.
Thank you for sharing these.
Susan
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What I learned doing this assignment is that Phil is forced through merciless repetition to repeatedly learn from his mistakes and thus achieve true self-fulfillment and a sense of immortality.1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
The change is all Phil’s – he must change before his nightmare can end. This is the classic Beauty and the Beast story: Phil must figure out that the only way to break the spell is to learn to love and, even more challenging, have Rita love him back. Along the way, Phil learns how to appreciate life and see value in others.
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 comes into Phil’s life with honesty, beauty and a positive outlook, the opposite of Phil’s view of the world. Rita becomes the magnet.
– 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 conceited, cynical, and he hates people. He is the perfect character to transform because he is so unlikable and negative. Nowhere to go but up.
– What is the Oppression?
Phil is oppressed by himself. He sees bleakness and mundanity everywhere he looks. He views everyone in the small town as boring, ordinary and undeserving.
3. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
Through dark humor and Murray’s shtick, we see Phil as the perfect vehicle to begin a journey out of his self-centered doldrums of seeing everyone as a mere placeholder to seeing everyone as unique, with individual qualities and talents and appeal that were always there if only he looked. Rita is the jewel that attracts us just as Phil is eventually attracted to Rita through her charm and beauty and honesty.
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 bleak outlook on the world. Rita thinks Phil is an self-centered oddball.
Identify their new way at the conclusion:
Phil embraces Rita’s qualities and falls in love with her. Rita sees the new Phil (without seeing the old) and loves him back.
5. What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
Phil is doomed to relive Ground Hog Day until he realizes he must change in order for the day to change. Phil embarks on a massive self-improvement plan.
6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
By reliving the same set of circumstances endlessly, Phil figures out that he must change and embrace the change he can create in others. In so doing, Phil sees the good in others and thus sees the good in himself.
7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?
When Phil realizes he is reliving the same day, he freaks out and rebels. Later, he tries to kill himself but even that does not free him from his nightmare. Only when he falls in love with Rita does he see the light. Then, he must figure out a way to have her love him back. At first, Rita rejects Phil’s overtures as selfish and manipulative. Phil has to learn how to appreciate others and become involved in their lives and help them. These are the key turning points.
8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?
Rita: People like Ground Hog Day.
Phil: People like blood sausage. People are idiots.
Phil: What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn’t one today.
In response to Rita:
Phil: My years are not advancing as fast as you might think.
Rita: How do you know so much about Punxsutawney?
Phil: I spend a lot of time here.
Rita: You just can’t plan a day like this.
Phil: Well, you can. It just takes a lot of work.
Phil: There is no way this nightmare is going to end as long as the groundhog keeps seeing his shadow.
Nurse: Sometimes people just die.
Phil: Not today.
Phil: Something is different.
Rita: Good or bad?
Phil: Anything different is good.
Phil: You know what today is?
Rita: No, what?
Phil: Today is tomorrow.
9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
Phil gets everything he wants: Rita, happiness and a new perspective on life.
10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
We create our own hell and therefore we can create our own heaven.
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Hi John,
The comment you made about Phil being his own oppression was a learning point for me.
You are right and I believe that Phil’s oppression to himself was more oppressive than repeating one specific day that you hate over and over. you have changed my mind.
The Profound Quotes you stated were fantastic. They all can stand by themselves.
I need to be more observant in the moment for dialogue. Thank you for showing me this fine way to look at dialogue.
Susan
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Gordon Roback Assignment Day 1
The
change we witness in Groundhog Day is of Phil going from a self absorbed,
selfish egomaniac to a man who cares about the people in his community and
makes an effort to help how and where he can. The transformational journal is from
jerk to mensch.
Rita is
the change agent. In order to win
her love Phil must become a better man.Phil is the transformable character. As mentioned above he goes from jerk to mensch.
The oppression is the old ways which permits Phil to act and prosper as a jerk.
In the screenplay Phil dumped girlfriend puts a curse on him. This twist is not in the film.
Phil is
somewhat charming and amusing in his insufferable arrogance. We all know people who act like Phil,
even if we don’t approve of them.
What I had not picked up until I watched the film yesterday was how
vulnerable Phil is when he is initially stuck in repeating Groundhog
day. To my surprise, he reached out
to Rita for aid and comfort, but she is so turned off by Phil and his
games that she is completely unsympathetic to his plight. What is not explained is that she and
Larry are also caught in the same time warp but are oblivious to it.
Phil goes
from jerk to mensch as stated above, but it is Rita who is also changed
since she picks up on Phil’s new sense of community responsibility and
responds to it by falling in love with him. What is not explained is why Phil sees
her in such a positive light. She
is cute but not beautiful and is actually kind of boring as a person. Phil sees her as being sweet and loving
but she is ambitious, guarded and we do not see her acts of kindness to
others. In a world of existential
angst, Phil chooses to “believe” in Rita as someone to worship. I thought Nancy was far more
interesting.
Once
trapped in a time warp, Phil sinks into existential despair. If there is
no G-d,or if G-d is bored with mankind because he has seen it all and thus becomes indifferent to man’s plight, and thus there are no rules and we are just going through the motions, than what is the point of it all. Phil’s love for Rita gives him meaning.
The
change for Phil is that he develops an awareness and responsibility for
the people around him, from catching a kid who falls out of a tree to
saving a choking man’s life to trying to save an old man’s life to giving
people joy by making music. In a
way he has evolved from the Roman Catholic emphasis on faith alone to the
Protestant duty of good works and faith in a cold and hostile environment.
For me
the most profound moment of the film was Phil giving the old man mouth to mouth
resuscitation. You really have to
give a damn to blow air into a dying man’s lungs.
The most
profound line of the film was when the nurse tells Phil it was time for
the old man to die. It was his
time. We are all stuck in time
heading in a one way direction that ends with our death. As the Roman’s said, “While we are
living, let us live.”
In true
Christian fashion, Phil is redeemed by love and it is his love for Rita
and her love for him (because of his growth from jerk to mensch) that
enables him to escape the time warp.
Now the new and improved Phil can get on with his life, a life that
includes Rita as his mate.
The
profound truth of the movie is that no man is an island and his success or
failure, his happiness or unhappiness depends on his positive relationship
with others.-
Hey Gordon,
The way you have stated the profound truth really is a good way to put the ending of the Ground Hog Day movie.
I was mostly focused on Phil and his change, but the relationship journey give a new perspective on the entire Gradient of Change. I will have to go back and review the movie again from this perspective. I appreciate your insight here.
Thank you.
Susan
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Trish’s Analysis of Groundhog Day
What I learned doing this assignment is that paying attention to the profound structure made a big difference in understanding the movie. It enhanced my appreciation of it beyond the comedic value.
1. a) The change in this movie is about a self-centered, egotistical, unaware man who by reliving the same day over and over comes to see and understand himself and others better.
b) The transformational journey the character goes through advances beyond manipulating others for his own gains to treating them like the valuable humans they are, with respect and care.
2. a) The change agent is Ground Hog day, having to relive himself, and Rita the eventual love interest because her personality is opposite his and he eventually sees the difference.
b) Phil Conner is the Transformable character and he is perfect for the journey because he is so obnoxious and completely unaware of anyone outside of himself, whom he is also completely unaware of.
c) The oppression is the constant repetition of being in a day that keeps repeating itself and gives him the opportunity to see himself more clearly and others too, to either accept the journey and learn from it or refuse it and be stuck in his present life until his real death.
3. We are lured into the profound journey by the intrigue of seeing Phil do his life and wondering if he will change, and do it differently. He seems to be fine with his life until he discovers that every day is really just the same old same old.
4. a) Phil and Rita are changed the most, although by the end of the movie we see how one person changing can cause changes in everyone that person meets. Phil is the major change agent. His egotistical, self-centered “old way” colors everyone and everything in a “frozen” world and he cannot connect with anyone else except in superficial ways. By the end of the movie, we see him become a vibrant, loving, kind person whose new personality lets other become more real, multi-faceted and whom he helps become colorful and vibrant in their own lives.
Rita’s personality doesn’t change to extend of Phil’s, but she does change, especially in her judgment of Phil, and in her realization as he helps her explore what she truly wants from life, her personality enlarges to accept love within her standards. She demands the best from Phil, as she opens up and explores her own life goals. In the end she becomes more loving, demanding that her relationships are authentic and that her life can include what she really desires. As Phil changes, she changes too.
5. a) The gradient of change begins with two people (and therefore the people they interact with) who start off primarily concerned with themselves in their individual, dysfunctional lives who through a series of actions and reactions, re-evaluations and events learn and by the end become the people
b) The steps of the Transformational Character go through are: i) completely obtuse and self-centered, to realizing he is stuck in his life, he begins to treat others, not with the prior indifference, but with meanness, then he starts behaving in self-destructive ways and discovers each time that he’s still alive, starts using information he gathers against others, especially Rita. His reliving of Rita slapping his face off, seems to begin making his see differently, to what he really wants. On that journey, his changes begin to affect others in a positive way. They sleep together in a loving, platonic way, and Phil realizes he loves her and wants her in his life just being together. When he “wakes up” again, it’s a brand new sparkling day, and he’s no longer stuck reliving Ground Hog Day. He’s free at last, and so is Rita. They face a new world together.
6. a) The “old way” is challenged by Phil by seeing his real self and not liking himself at all. Becoming conscious of how he is in the world and seeing/living it over and over causes him to realize that he can choose differently. A hard lesson to learn to become “unstuck” in his normal everyday “stuff.” He finds out that he isn’t the center of the universe = he is not a god = without changing he can do and be nothing. He discovers that other people are as plastic as he is until he chooses to get to know them. Then they become real, more interesting too, and more worthy of his care and attention, just like he is starting to see himself. Beliefs challenged: he does make a difference in the world; he can get what he really wants by changing how he sees the world and others in it that he meets; he doesn’t have to be a jerk, he can be kind, involved, and giving, and change other’s worlds even as he changes his own.
7. The most profound moments in the movie are: a) Phil wakes up the next day and everything is the same except his awareness that something is different. b) He begins to drag others into this strange and changeable experience of deja vue. c) He discovers that other people are real. d) his choice of dying change nothing. e) Even a belief that he is god changes nothing in his life. f) He starts to pursue Rita because he sees her life approach in her kindness to him and others, her positive outlook, and her ability to forgive him. g) In the ice sculpture scene he begins to explore himself in a new way which leads to other personal discoveries of self and others. Takes care of an old street person man who dies and shakes up his world view. h) Asks Rita to stay with him. She does. He believes he loves her. i) Wakes up with Rita realizing it’s a brand new day that is different. Lesson learned.
8. Most profound lines of the movie: a) What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same and nothing ever mattered. b) Sometimes I think you have to take the big chances. c) I’m not going to live by their rules anymore. d) If you only had one day to live, what would you do? e) It’s a perfect day, a perfect end to a perfect day. f) I would never love someone like you Phil, cause you can never love anyone else except yourself. g) It’s cold out there every day. h) It’s going to be cold and gray and it’s going to last you the rest of your life. i) Is this what you do with eternity? j) I’ve killed myself so many times, I don’t even exist anymore. k) It was just his time. l) Is there anything I can do for you today?
9. The ending pays off the setups in this movie by resolving Phil’s existential quandary, by the changes Phil, Rita, and others make, by Phil waking up to a different song and realizing that “Today is Tomorrow” which he says to Rita. The both go out together holding hands to a bright, beautiful, glistening snowy day. Phil says to Rita, “Let’s live here.”
10. Profound Truth of this movie is that we make each day lovely ourselves by the way we live it, and who we live it with, the choices we make each day.
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1-Change is envitable and nothing will change until Phil is ready (sick and tired of repetition, bored) He has to be willing to change and get Rita, the girl he has always been attracted to.
2-Phil and Rita are the lead characters, Rita is the one causing the change and Phil is the Transformable character.
3-Phil’s boredom and negative attitude about everyone and everything is the Oppression. Loser is oppression if one believes he’s a loser, then he’s lost.
4-I think Phil changed the most from a negative person to a happy positive person and outlook on life. He changed from being a negative mean person towards others (narcissistict) I believe…the world owes me everything. He became a nice, thoughtful caring person towards his fellow man dare I say, even helpful without being asked. 🙂
5. Each morning, he had to wake up and change something in his life from negative to positive. I think the broken pencil was a strong scene for me and a hint of change.
6. Phil finally got to the point where he literally was forced to by staring at that broken pencil and Rita was vocal about his nasty attitudes as well. That shook him up when he realized he had to “listen” to what she liked. Not only that but he realized the importance of really getting to know her likes and dislikes, he surprised himself as he applied what he was learning about her likes/dislikes and her positive attitudes were rubbing off on him as well.
7. Although I was listening, I didn’t catch some of the profound dialogue. But, the scenes and her positive life were great. I liked the pencil, the bar scene where he finally got to the point of buying Rita a drink and finding out what she liked, then ordered the same for himself as he ordered a couple days later, it seemed like he had a break through with her. Also, the kids snowball scene and the day he hugged the old friend, insurance salesman and it was over the top, chased the guy away. To me these were all breakthroughs.
Another funny thing to me was the awful efforts to committ sucide and poor guy…nothing worked! No matter how hard he tried, it just wasn’t his time!.
8. I didn’t get the profound lines too well here, I was laughing too hard I think. 🙂
9. The payoff was Phil became positive, Rita’s personality rubbed off on him and they got each other and fell in love. Phil’s greatest wish, probably Rita’s too. There were a couple of hints on her part that she liked him at first, then didn’t and called him on his behavior, then he changed.
10. The profound truth of this movie is that we all have to make choices to change and be more positive at negative circumstances. Treat each other well and you will for the most part be treated nicely back. You reap what you sow, although trite, seems to be the truth for me.
No one likes to be around a negative selfish person all the time.
Love this movie. Paulette L. Harris
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My learning from The Groundhog Day
-ZhiMin Hu
1. THE TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY:
An unhappy narcissistic weather reporter, who has an empty and unhappy life, transformed into a man who knows how to love and lives a fulfilling life.
For the audience:
Choice leads to consequence. You can alternate your fate by changing your perspectives and improving yourself.
2. LEAD CHARACTERS
Change Agent: Rita
Transformational Character: Phil Connors
Oppression: The re-occurring Groundhog Day
3. CONNECTION WITH AUDIENCE
RELATABILITY
1. Phil lives a boring life, working on a job that doesn’t excite him. We feel his pain.
2. Phil takes crazy actions without suffers from the consequence. It’s an electrifying fantasy for us.
3. Phil takes the advantages to learn about Rita. We wish he fails because he is not genuine.
4. Phil is angry because he feels stuck. We understand the frustration. Sometimes, we feel hopeless for our circumstance too.
5. Phil cares for the others, understand humanity. We start to love him.
6. Phil won the respect and the love from Rita. We love him and wish him to be with Rita.
INTRIGUE
1. Taking bold action without suffering the consequence.
2. How to make a difference every day in a totally predictable and same old environment.
4. OLD WAYS VERSUS NEW WAY
Old Ways: Phil cares for himself and having an empty life, he doesn’t care for the others and nobody cares for him.
New Way at end: Phil cares for the others and everyone loves him.
5. GRADIENT OF CHANGE
1. confused
2. scared
3. excited
4. thrilled
5. bold
6. taking advantage
7. failed
8. miserable
9. angry
10. devastated
11. enlightened
12 accepted
13. enjoy the life to the maximum
14 be a better person, improve himself.
15. grow humanity
16. find the true happiness through care, love, and empathy.
6. BELIEFS CHALLENGED
1. Phil loves no one and no one cares for him.
2. Since, there is no consequence for his action, he takes advantage of the re-occurring Groundhog Day to benefit his short-term desire, but still feeling empty.
3. Phil could not obtain what he really wants by taking the advantage of the new system.
5. When Phil could not change his circumstance, he changed himself.
6. As he learns so much about the town and the people, he starts to care for them.
7. Phil wants to be useful. He found the meaning of his life.
8. The only way to break away from a stagnant life is to grow and improve yourself.
7. PROFOUND MOMENTS
1. Phil wakes up the second day and realizes that nothing has changed in his life.
2. Phil meet the two men in bowling alley. The conversation inspires and excites him to take advantage of the new system.
3. Phil drives the car on railway and chased by police car.
4. Phil got slapped by Rita.
5. Phil tries to kill himself in different ways.
6. Phil ask the piano teacher to teach him piano.
7. Phil gives a lot of money to the homeless man.
8. Phil send the homeless man to hospital and the man dies.
9. Rita spent all her money to get Phil.
10. Phil wakes up next to Rita on a new day.
8. PROFOUND DIALOGUE
In bowling alley,
Man 1 – That guy said, “That glass is half empty.” Other guys would say, “That glass is half full.” I peg you as a “glass is half empty” kind of guy, am I right?
Phil – What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing you did mattered?
Man 2 – That about sums it up for me.
In the car,
Phil – What if there were no tomorrow?
Man 1 – No tomorrow? That means there’d be no consequences, no hangover, we could do whatever we wanted!
Phil- I’m not gonna live by their rules anymore. You make choices and you live with them.
Phil driving on the rail road,
Phil – Sometimes I think you just have to take the big chances.
In the café
Phil – So what do you want out of life?
Rita – I guess I want what everybody wants, career, love, marriage, children.
Bedroom
Rita- Maybe it’s not a curse, it just depends on how you look at it.
Bedroom
Phil – Today is tomorrow.
9. PROFOUND ENDING
As Phil transformed from someone who is narcissistic and selfish to a person who is humble and caring, his life is changed from empty and stagnant to fulfilling and satisfying.
10. PROFOUND TRUTH
If you want to make a change for your circumstance, you must start the change from within.
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GROUNDHOG DAY, written by
DANNY RUBIN AND HAROLD RAMIS.
1. TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY:
It is up to us to be the best we can be. To analyze our behavior and the way we look at life. It’s living life over and over again, making mistakes and learning until we finally get it right. Phil goes from being an egocentric misogynistic narcissist who objectifies women and views anybody and anything that doesn’t serve his path to greatness as beneath him. He goes on a journey of living the same day over and over again until he finds who he is, sees what he’s capable of, sees the beauty in life, and realizes that to love is to be loved.
For the audience: It doesn’t matter how attractive the personal package appears, an honest, true, honest heart that gives love and kindness is the true path to true happiness and contentment.
2. LEAD CHARACTERS:
Change Agent: PHIL CONNORS
Transformational Character: RITA
Oppression: The universal spell Phil is under that wakes him to the same day every day, February 2nd – the official Groundhog Day. Phil unknowingly holds the key to unlocking this spell.
3. CONNECTION WITH AUDIENCE:
A love story where two opposites come together. Can Rita’s innocence and vulnerability change the narcissistic, misogynistic Phil?
RELATABILITY:
a. We open with the weatherman. People trust what the weatherman says, and Phil lays it on thick.
b. Fascination with celebrities and the entertainment industry. Seeing it through ‘talent’s’ eyes.
c. They want Rita to get her way because she’s a good girl, but how is she going to make Phil stop his narcissistic ways and appreciate life?
d. Can the Groundhog predict the weather?
INTRIGUE:
a. How is Rita going to be able to control Phil?
b. How is Phil going to stop this repetitive existence?
c. How will Phil survive in this very pure town?
d. The groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil. Another Phil! Punxsutawney is the “Original Weather Capital of the World”. Phil, the most sarcastic and clearly inaccurate weatherman, is bad at predicting the weather.
e. What’s going to happen when Phil’s stuck in a town he can’t relate to?
f. Will he want to stay or leave when he starts to enjoy his life there?
g. Will he ever be able to woo Rita?
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:
OLD WAYS VERSUS NEW WAY:
Old ways: Phil is disrespectful to everyone at the news and in the town. He puts himself first, and disregards anything that stands in his path or does not serve his ego. He hides his insecurities by acting over-confident. He likes Rita, but doesn’t feel confident enough to tell her. He has big aspirations to be a celebrity and tries to convince all that he’s being scouted by major networks. Once in Punxsutawney, he is a manipulator who tries to make the repetitive days serve himself.
Rita thinks Phil is obnoxious and egotistical, but because of her sweet nature, she feels she has to help him.
Larry points out Phil’s bad character traits as often as he can.
NEW WAY AT END:
Phil realizes that he had trapped himself in a toxic existence being so egotistical and unkind, even before the Groundhog Day experience. He was his own worst enemy. Life is what you make it. Through the angelic Rita’s inspiration, Phil becomes the best person he could be and the spell is broken. In giving absolute respect and love, Phil receives absolute respect and love, even for himself.
GRADIENT OF CHANGE:
1. Narcissistic, egotistical, rude (from hiding insecurities).
2. Desire to be recognized as a celebrity. Wants to work at a place greater than PBS.
3. Voices himself as being better than others, refusing to embrace Punxsutawney.
4. Underestimates Rita’s good producer skills. She’s not putting up with his crap. She’s caring and there to do her job… ‘keeping the talent happy’.
5. The dilemma: Phil is stuck in a time warp, waking to the same day every day – Groundhog Day – February 2nd.
a. Day 1. He’s obnoxious and sarcastic to everyone he meets. Doesn’t realize he is going to wake up to the same day. He wants to get it over and done with and get back for the 5.00pm weather report. Calls the townspeople hicks. Refers to Punxsutawney Phil as a ‘rat’. Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter. Phil thinks it’s all crap and can’t wait to get out of there. He makes a comment to Rita about her wanting him. She smiles it off.
b. Day 2 – Same day. It’s not only the day that’s the same, he gets out of bed the same. Washes his face immediately, etc. He’s abusive, then confused. He struggles to grasp the reality. Thinks he’s having a mental problem. He knows Ned Ryerson’s name, and he didn’t know it the day before, so it must be happening, but why?
Rita wonders if he’s drunk, but she directs him to work. Shows she’s not so ditzy.
To prove he’s not going insane, Phil snaps his pencil and leaves it by the bed.
c. Day 3 – Same day. Phil checks the pencil. It’s normal. Not snapped. Panicked, Phil tries to avoid contact with everyone but Rita, who he thinks is the only sane person there. He ditches the report and meets Rita in the diner instead. He goes to the psychologist who tries to make an appointment for a day that will never come ‘tomorrow’.
After the bowling alley, Gus points out that if there is no tomorrow, there’s no consequences. Phil throws caution to the wind and goes wild, expecting no consequences, putting Gus and his friend in danger. Phil’s thrown in prison.
d. Day 4 –Same day. Phil’s pumped! It’s a life of no circumstances. Elated, he jumps out of bed. He races excitedly to the window. Breezes through the day answering questions before they’re asked. Starts to manipulate and set things up for the next day. The only person he can’t manipulate is Rita. He’s no longer complaining about the town. He sets Nancy up for the following day to take advantage of her.
e. Day 5 – Phil lies to Nancy to get her into bed… but keeps saying Rita’s name. Phil’s trying to create his perfect day.
f. Next Day – Phil steals money and buys a Mercedes. He takes a different woman to the movies. Says he’s seen the movie over 100 times. He’s working his way through the town’s women.
g. New Day – Phil’s happy. He acts professionally in the report. He sets his sights on Rita. Asks her about what she likes so he can woo her the next day. She wants to get out of the city, out of PBS. She wants a man who’s intelligent, supportive, funny and humble. Kind, sensitive, gentle. Great body. Not afraid to cry in front of her.
h. New Day – Phil’s everything Rita wants. He pulls something from the truck engine so Rita and Larry can’t leave. People compliment the upbeat Phil (Rita’s perfect man). Rita says that she always toasts to world peace.
i. Days Ahead –Phil manufactures the perfect date with Rita. He tries to rush her into bed. Makes the mistake of telling her he loves her. Rita freaks… he doesn’t even know her. She practically accuses him of being a stalker.
j. Days Ahead – Phil’s date plans with Rita aren’t having the same effect. She’s the one changing, less tolerant of Phil’s eagerness to woo her and get into bed. She slaps him at every date, in different places. Things are hard to predict for Phil now. Anyone not in love would give up at this point. Phil lives days of Rita slapping him over and over. His mind shifts to the negative of no hope. He’s depressed. He stops making the effort. He starts to spend his days and nights inside the hotel.
k. Days Ahead – Phil’s lost the excitement for waking. Does horrible reports. Tells only the truth (which makes him look crazy and angry). Rita’s concerned. Rita and Larry think he’s snapped. He tries to stop the repetitive day by killing himself and Punxsutawney Phil.
l. Days Ahead – Phil makes no effort with life at all. He walks around in his PJs, continuously trying to kill himself. He can’t.
m. Days Ahead – Phil tries to convince Rita that he’s a God, an immortal. She thinks he’s bonkers. Phil proves he knows more about the town than he should. When he’s telling Rita about herself, he offers up everything beautiful about her, without any attempt to manipulate her. She believes him. Rita decides to spend the day with him as an observer. It’s a perfect night. Very honest. Phil shows his vulnerability. Doesn’t try to take advantage of her. Tells her he would love her for the rest of his life if he could (as she sleeps). He confesses that he never felt secure enough to ask Rita out. Rita doesn’t hear any of it. He falls asleep beside her. Phil is in love.
n. Next Day – Phil wakes by himself, but this time, he is acting like Rita would. Seeing the world through her eyes. He wants that time with Rita over again. His perfect Groundhog Day. So… he reads French poetry, learns the simple and finer things in life. He takes piano lessons. Learns that life’s joys are created by oneself. Phil has learned not to waste life. He feels happy — alive. He gives to the poor, hugs Ned Ryerson, which he discovers is the antidote to having insurance seller, Ned, chase him. When a homeless man that he has been giving money to dies, Phil tries to redo the day to save him and demands to see his chart at the hospital.
o. Next Days – Phil feeds the old man. Tries to get him healthy. The man seems in good health, but dies anyway. Phil realizes that he can’t manipulate life and death, and the things that really matter. He has to accept that. He also has to accept that he’s not a god. He’s a human trying to do good, and he won’t always get his way.
p. Next Day – Phil finds peace in being a good person. He’s honest. Respectful. He makes a heartfelt peaceful speech about the wonderful people in Punxsutawney. Rita’s mesmerized. Feels she’s misjudged Phil. She’s falling for him, intrigued, and wants to have coffee, but Phil rainchecks. He has errands to run. Phil has decided to use his gift of knowing what happens every day to save the townsfolk from harm; rescuing kids, fixing flat tires, exhausting himself to help people. Now he really IS a celebrity, a respected celebrity.
At the Bachelor auction, Rita bids for Phil with everything in her purse. He takes her to the park. She’s cold and wants to go inside. He encourages her to wait as he carves her face in the snow. He tells Rita he loves her, and this time Rita doesn’t balk. Phil’s had the perfect day.
q. Next Day – Phil wakes. Rita is beside him, happy and in love. Through the angelic Rita’s inspiration, Phil has become the best person he could be… and the Groundhog Day spell is broken. In giving absolute love, Phil now is receiving absolute love. He proposes that he and Rita move to Punxsutawney to live life together. She accepts.
BELIEFS CHALLENGED:
a. Phil believes that celebrity is everything. Having celebrity over people will mask his insecurities and his unworthiness of being loved.
b. There’s no downside to treating people poorly. People don’t matter. They’re morons.
c. He initially sees Rita as a timid people pleaser, below him, on his beck and call. But when he demands attention from Rita, she won’t give it. He needs to manipulate her.
5. What are the most profound moments of the movie?
a. Phil mocks Rita in the opening scene. He used the greenscreen weather map to show off his ‘talent’, whilst at the same time mocking towns in the US.
b. Rita familiarises herself with the greenscreen weather map by waving her arms about and laughing at her face and hands in the middle of the map. She sees the fun in it.
c. Phil realizes he’s not a celebrity when nobody cares about him when he’s trying to get out of Punxsutawney.
d. The diner moments when Rita is just putting up with Phil.
e. Phil and Rita’s dates the night they dance in the park. Phil and Rita are both happy and falling in love.
f. Phil telling Rita how much he knows about her, clearly in love, in the diner.
g. Phil reading Rita French poetry to Rita in the B&B after she’s willing to stay all night. Knowing he might not get the day and night again, he still spends the night doing everything she loves. He doesn’t make a move on her. He makes the night what she wants, because that’s what makes him happy.
h. Bed and Breakfast: Phil has the most honest, unselfish night he’s ever had and is happier than he’s ever been. He makes no attempt to take advantage of Rita.
i. When Phil takes on Rita’s characteristics after the night he confesses his love and sees the world change.
j. Hospital: The old man dies. Phil tries to save him by redoing the day, but he dies anyway.
k. Gobbler’s Nook: Phil says he could not imagine a better place to spend a long winter than in beautiful Punxsutawney. Everybody is listening. Everybody applauds. Phil spends his days doing whatever he can to help, whatever he can learn to help himself and those in distress. He’s found a way to love life.
l. When Phil carves Rita’s face in the ice/snow. He realises that the most important time is ‘now’ not in the future. It’s all about the now.
m. When Phil wakes to Rita beside him and the spell is broken. Then, his proposal to move their lives to Punxsutawney.
PROFOUND DIALOGUE:
TV Station:
PHIL (Off Kenny, re: Rita): “She’s fun, but not my kind of fun. I will be here for the five.”
Van:
PHIL: (To Larry) “…I’m probably leaving PBS. This will be the last time we do the groundhog together.”
RITA: “I think it’s nice. People like it.”
PHIL: “You are new aren’t you? People like blood sausage, too. People are morons.”
Day 1 – Bed and Breakfast:
MRS LANGCASTER: “Did you sleep well, Mr Connors?”
PHIL: “I slept alone, Mrs Lancaster.”
MRS LANCASTER: “Will you be checking out today, Mr Connors?”
PHIL: “Chance of departure today, a hundred percent.”
Day 2 – Bed and Breakfast.
MRS LANCASTER: “Will you be checking out today, Mr Connors?”
PHIL: “I’d say the chance of departure today is (beat) eighty percent (beat) seventy-five to eighty.”
PHIL (on phone): “Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn’t one today.”
Groundhog Celebration:
PHIL: “Sleep okay without me? Tossed and turned didn’t you?”
RITA: “You’re incredible.”
PHIL: “Who told you?”
Highway:
OFFICER: “Now, you can go back to Punxsutawney, or you can go ahead and freeze to death. It’s your choice. So, what’s it gonna be?”
PHIL: “I’m thinking.”
GAS STATION:
PHIL (on phone): “Don’t you have some kind of line you keep open for celebrities”… “I’m both, a celebrity in an emergency.” The celebrity’s immediately knocked out of him by a customer who hits him unknowingly with a snow shovel”.
DINER:
PHIL: “Rita, I’m living the same day over and over again… Groundhog day.”
GUS: “Phil, like the groundhog, Phil?
PHIL: “Yeah, like the groundhog, Phil.
Psychologist’s Office:
PSYCHOLOGIST: “I think we should meet again. (off Phil’s nod) How’s tomorrow for you? (off Phil thumping the pillow) “Is that not good?”
Bowling Alley:
PHIL: “I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl, we ate lobster, drank Pina Coladas. At sunset we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why can’t I get that day over and over? Phil tries to create that day with the women in the town.
Car:
GUS: “That would mean there were no consequences and no hangovers. We could do whatever we wanted.”
PHIL: “What if there were no tomorrow? That’s true. We could do whatever we want.”
PHIL: “Sometimes I think you have to take the big chances.” “I’m not gonna live by their rules anymore. You make choices, and you live with them.”
Diner:
RITA: “The wretch, concentred all in self, living, shall forfeit fair renown, and doubly dying, shall go down, to the vile dust from whence he sprung – unwept, unhonored, and unsung. Sir Walter Scott.”
Gobbler’s Nob:
PHIL: “Isn’t this how everybody talks?”
RITA: “Kind of.”
Diner:
PHIL: (off Rita saying the qualities she needs in a man – opposite to Phil’s old ways) “And this is a man we’re talking about right?”
Park:
RITA: “I’m just amazed, and I’m not easily amazed.”
PHIL: “About what?”
RITA: “How you can start a day with one kind of expectation and end up so completely different.”
RITA: “It’s the perfect day. You couldn’t plan a day like this.”
PHIL: “Well, you can, it just takes an awful lot of work.”
Bed and Breakfast:
RITA: “I could never love anyone like you, Phil, because you’ll never love anyone but yourself.”
PHIL: “That’s not true. I don’t even like myself.”
Bed and Breakfast:
RITA: “Well, I don’t know Phil. Maybe it’s not a curse. It depends on how you look at it.”
Bed and Breakfast:
RITA: “What were you saying?”
PHIL: “I think the last thing that you heard is only God can make a tree.”
RITA: “Really?”
PHIL: (off Rita sleeping) “I think you’re the kindest prettiest person I’ve ever met in my entire life. I’ve never seen anyone that’s nicer to people than you are. From the first time I saw you something happened to me and I never told you that. I knew that I wanted to hold you as hard as I could. I don’t deserve someone like you, but if I ever could, I swear I would love you for the rest of my life.”
Hospital:
NURSE: “Sometimes people just die.”
PHIL: “Not today.”
Park:
RITA: “It’s amazing, how did you do that?”
PHIL: “ I know your face so well, I could have done it with my eyes closed.”
RITA: “It’s lovely. I don’t know what to say.”
PHIL: “I do. No matter what happens tomorrow, or for the rest of my life, I’m happy now… because I love you.”
RITA: “I think I’m happy too.”
PROFOUND ENDING:
Phil becomes Rita’s hero, the town’s hero, and humbly his own hero through making the most of every day, learning who he is, giving love and respect, and putting his energy into positive things instead of wasting life on being a narcissist.
He realizes that what he has always wanted was there all along, the moment Rita walked in.
PROFOUND TRUTH:
Life is what you make it. If you are toxic, you will see toxic. To have a beautiful life and receive love, you need to show love and be love. Everybody has the opportunity to change, even in the worst cases like Phil. It’s just a mind shift, but an honest one… not one that is manipulated. The way into anybody’s heart is through being kind to yourself, loving and respecting yourself, and then extending that to others.
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LESSON 2
Profound Movie
Trish’s First Three Decisions
What I learned from doing this assignment is that I had no idea what the Profound Truth would be or what the Audience Change would be. Still may not know.
1. Profound Truth: Face obstacles and overcome them
2. Audience Change: Be courageous and take action as they face an unknown future
3. Entertainment Vehicle: Embellished True Story
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Jeanne Sanner – Groundhog Day Analysis
What I learned from the analysis is that enjoyed the movie more than I have before because I was looking for specific answers to specific questions. I also came to realize that the death of “Pop” was a profound moment in the story.
1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about?
o Learning to care about others.
2. What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
o The transformation is from self-centeredness to other-centeredness.
o From fear to love, from shallowness to depth.
3. Lead characters:
o Who is the Change Agent – Rita and the old man
o What makes this the right character to cause the change?
She is someone the main character is attracted to and that he wants to change for
o Who is the Transformable Character – Phil Conners
o What makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
He is the epitome of a self-centered, unhappy person who subconsciously wants love in his life.
o What is the Oppression? – Fear of change, love, joy
4. How are we lured into the profound journey? Mystery
o What causes us to connect with this story? Often times we find ourselves feeling like Phil and we want to be different.
5. Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most,
o Phil and Rita
o What is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.”
1. Identify their old way: grumpy, arrogant, self- centered
2. Identify new way: caring, giving, loving
6. What is the gradient of change?
Slow, in the beginning, he’s still tries to get what he wants, then he learns what love is. Giving is the key to happiness.
7. What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
o Selfish, testing his limits, acceptance, change
8. How is the “old way” challenged?
What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
That people are morons; that life is boring and ridiculous, to seeing beauty, joy, love.
9. What are the most profound moments of the movie?
o When the old man dies
o When he wakes up and she is bed with him
10. What are the most profound lines of the movie?
o The ones Phil says to Rita in bed.
11. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
o He is rewarded for his change.
12. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
o Giving/thinking of others is the key to happiness.
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James E. Clark (Jim)
What I learned from this assignment: Creating a change arc develops a stronger character(s) resulting in a better story.
What is the change this movie is about: Phil sees himself as more important than he truly is, resulting in his narcissitic actions which are part of his wall of emotional protection. Therefore, no friends.
Lead Characters
Who is the change agent: Rita. She’s the constant character constantly urging Phil to be better.
Who is the transformable character: Phil. His character gives lots of room for major transformation. Nothis is subtle about Phil.
What’s the Oppression: Time standing still, reliving Groundhog Day for Phil for a very long time.
How are we(audience) lured into the profound journey: We have a chracter in Phil who has big dreams and a firm grip on fantasy. He thinks of himslef as better than everyone around him. But his actions in how he treats them say otherwise.
Looking at the characters, who changed the most: Phil going from rude anger to learning to like himself by caring for others.
Identify the Old Way vs the New Way: Phil is a mean rude SOB who thinks he’s funny but isn’t. He learns incrementally how to appreciate life, who he is and people around him that are kind hearted.
What is the gradiant change: Phil starts out treating everyone else as dirt. Once he starts to relive Groundhog Day, he gets an inkling as to how he operates, but shakes it off. He begins to see how nice people are even if he insults them. He does various tests to learn about people and then works on the relationships one groundhog day at a time. H eventually sees how he can be a benefit to others resulting in him buying lots of insurance from Ned and having Rita fall in love with him, but not taking advantage of her. The final visual hit is when he doesn’t step inot the icy deep puddle.
What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their
perspective…and make the change: Phil believes everyone but him is stupid, lazy, unprofessional and useless.What are the most profound moments
of the movie: Scenes with his crew, the people at the B&B, meeting Ned, stepping in the puddle, Suicide scenes, when he realizes he loves RitaWhat are the most profound lines of
the movie: about brekfast at the B&B, How he treats Rita and his crew, how he treats Ned.How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie? Living the same day over again can get boring. Phil tries to take his life, then he takes on multiple hobbies to freshen his days. He eventually begins to see the value in others. The payoff is that the eternal groundhop day is ended and he can live a normal life know that life is valuable and the people around him are wonderful.
What is the Profound Truth of this movie:Incremental change is more powerful than an overnight change. It affects the heart and mind instead of paper thin actions that are false.
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Jenifer Stockdale – Groundhog Day Analysis
What I learned doing this assignment: I had an ahha moment about character levels – I think this is a huge component of profound movies, and I’m sticking to it.
What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie? The change is about how Phil views the world and his role in it. In some other screenwriting class I took they talked about character levels – a level 1 character only cares for themselves (or “has” only themselves), level 2 cares for one other person, level 3 cares for a family/group (literal family, gangster family, sports team) level 4 cares for a community and level 5 cares for the world. Whatever this book/class was said that every character goes from one level to the other and that is the change in every (good) story. Their biggest example was Scrooge – he went from a level 1 to a level 5. Phil goes from a level 1 to a level 2 (actually he is trying to go to a level 2 – get with Rita and ends up being a level 4). I actually had an ah ha moment after typing this and then listening to The Breakfast Club Analysis (who all moved from level 3 to level 4) and realizing that Neo changes levels, as does Sara Connor – that this is a hugely important process for a character in a profound movie. I also just had another thought – is the gradient of change moving up the levels? I also realized that my own best screenplays have level shifts. The screenplay I am running through this class has a woman who moves down levels, because her caring for her family is to her detriment – she does not take care of herself, etc. because she is always taking care of them. Lead characters: Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change? Rita is the change agent. She makes Phil not be the self-centered man he thinks he should be and makes him allow her to be in his circle of “caring” 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 – he is a level 1 character who needs to move to a different level (and actually now that I think about it, he actually goes to a level 4 when he uses his “superpower” (knowing what is going to happen) to help other people (save the old man, catch the boy, buy the insurance) What is the Oppression? Society’s place/expectation for men. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story? I think that when we see Rita playing with the greenscreen we want to know her. We know this person is going to be good for Phil who we already see is a jerk. 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 goes through a more profound change than most character have time to do within a movie. Since it’s what, 10,000 years he has to change? LOL. With my new ah ha moment, I am going to say Phil goes from a level 1 to a level 4 (which is evident by his line that he wants to stay in the town) What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing? At first he tries to use his superpower to sleep with women. He meets a woman at the event and pretends to know her from school and takes her to bed. He tries to woo Rita – and honestly he gets close – he impresses her by knowing things, by surprising her with his skills (playing piano, ice sculpting, etc.) eventually he starts taking it too far (shouting to the kids during the snowball fight for example) and ends up getting smacked by Rita over and over. I stopped here previously, and now I am thinking that the gradient of change is moving through the levels. I think Phil moves to a level 2 when he really starts to care for Rita and to a level 3 when he is caring toward the people immediately around him Crew, woman at the B&B, Ned and then when he starts helping people in the town – the boy who falls from the tree, the homeless man – he has officially become a level 4. It is not until he is doing it to do, because he really cares, because he truly is a level 4 and not just trying to get with Rita that he escapes from being stuck in the same day. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change? Phil only cares about himself. When he “cares” for Rita at first, it’s just to get her in bed – when he gets to know her (as he has enough to do that and get out of his caring only for himself mode) and starts to really care for her, his beliefs that he is the only one worthy of his attention is challenged. Now of course without backstory (that we don’t need) we don’t know why Phil is like this, but we can deduce that because he is older and doesn’t have a wife/children/a serious girlfriend that maybe he recently had something go wrong with a relationship, or maybe he has issues with abandonment from his childhood – who knows – all we need to know is that he doesn’t connect with others for some reason. What are the most profound moments of the movie? I have recently realized that the profound moments are when he changes levels (i.e. when he saves the boy, when he tries to save the homeless man – and really cares about doing so) What are the most profound lines of the movie? I think when Phil says he wants to move to the town – we know he is a level 4 character How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie? Level 1 – to level 4 What is the Profound Truth of this movie? Everyone can change – no matter how much of a jerk they are (which I think is the same as Scrooge and Nichols Cage’s movie Family Man)
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