The wise head shaker theory

I have this theory. It’s called the “wise head shaker” theory. It says that in every movie there is a character that is there that really has no role in the film except a basic one, but if you dive deep enough into the film and that character, that character will prove to be an integral part to the plot. They are also wise and shake their head more than once in the film. I haven’t really tested this theory yet, but it applies to Groundhog Day, so therefore it’s a valid film theory. The character that birthed this theory while sitting in my film class was from the movie Groundhog Day. It’s the bartender who does so well in a green vest; really you do and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The role is portrayed artistically and beautifully by John Watson Sr. His little smirks at Bill Murray’s one-liners really add to the fabric of this film. Also, every time something occurs that would make a viewer shake his head, Watson shakes his head for them. For example, the dialogue between Larry (Chris Elliott) and Nancy Taylor (Marita Geraghty) is one of those moments. Larry is struggling so hard to impress Nancy and she’s giving him nothing. She obviously doesn’t want to be there. The scene is awkward and the audience can definitely feel it. So the director employs my theory with the presence of the wise, old bartender to roll his eyes and shake his head at the abysmal effort that Larry is giving. Thanks to the bartender, the audience is able to rest a little bit easier, knowing that someone in the film feels their pain. What about in other films, Max? Does the theory work anywhere else besides Groundhog Day? Well, you can apply any theory to any film and you’re bound to find some application of it, if you look hard enough. I would say that this theory rings truest in the film Happy Gilmore where Lee Trevino plays himself as the head shaking, silently wise golf pro who always lets Happy (Adam Sandler) and the audience know when something isn’t right. Thanks Lee.