Benim cici blogum...
Dead Poet's Society
Posted 09-02-2007 at 11:39 by kymophobia
Dead Poet's Society
1 INT WELTON ACADAMY DINING HALL - DAY - VARIOUS SHOTS 1
CREDITS ROLL
On the left is a life-sized mural depicting a group of young
school boys looking up adoringly at a woman who represents
liberty. On the right is a mural showing young men gathered
around an industrialist in a corporate boardroom. Between the
murals stands a boy.
An odd, blaring MUSICAL SOUND starts and stops, interrupted
by the noise of pumping. A teacher hurries to the boy,
adjusts his tie, and leads him off.
On another wall is a full-sized portrait of a 19th century
Scotsman in a kilt. In front at this, young boys carrying
banners, and several elderly men in old-fashioned costumes
assembling into a processional formation. Nervous younger
boys (7th graders) are shown their places in line and handed
candles. They light each others.' candles until all their
candles are lit.
Suddenly the MUSIC BLASTS FORTH in its full splendor. It is
a BAGPIPE. The bagpiper, in a kilt like the one in the
portrait, begins a processional march.
2 INT CORRIDOR ADJACENT THE DINING ROOM - SAME 2
The bagpiper enters a long slate and stone hallway. The
haunting timbre of his antiquated instrument reverberates
through the building. Momentarily, he is followed by the
other processional marchers. He leads them down the corridor
and down a threshold staircase into:
3 INT. WELTON'S OLD, STONE CHAPEL - CONTINUOUS 3
Where two hundred high school-aged boys--most of whom wear
black blazers--sit on either side of the central aisle
watching the procession move onto the dais in front. Beside
most of these boys are their parents.
VARIOUS ANGLES ON THE PROCESSION
FOUR 16-YEAR-OLD Boys CARRY BANNERS.
Each boy is dressed in an archaic, turn-of-the-century
outfit. On each banner is emblazoned a different word. One
reads "TRADITION," another reads "HONOR",' a third reads
DISCIPLINE, the last reads 'EXCELLENCE."
THE ELDERLY MEN
in their 70s and SOS, obviously the school's oldest alumni,
each wearing a name tag and the uniform of his day, make their
way toward the stage.
THE SEVENTH GRADERS
carrying candles are nervous and self-conscious. Most
concentrate intently on keeping their candles lit while they
march. One young boy's candle has gone cut and he can barely
keep from crying.
The bagpiper stands at the corner of the dais, marching in
place. Behind him, in black robes, sit the school's 30-odd
teachers. The processional's elderly alumni fill the chairs
of honor on the dais.
The four young BANNER CARRIERS peel off from the main aisle
and take seats beside their parents in the audience. The 7th
graders take seats with their parents too. A purple and black
robed man who brings up the rear of the procession walks up to
the podium. Me is HEADMASTER GALE NOLAN, a big man, in his
mid-60s. The music stops.
NOLAN
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished
alumni, and students: This year marks
the one hundredth year that Welton
Academy has been in existence.
Applause begins. Soon the whole room is standing in a
thunderous ovation. After an appropriate amount of time,
Nolan motions for everyone to be seated.
NOLAN (CONT'D)
One hundred years ago, in 1859, forty-one boys sat in this
room and were asked the same question that now greets you at
the start of each semester: Gentlemen, what are the four
pillars?
All of the students stand at attention. Find TODD ANDERSON
sitting between his parents. Todd is 16, good looking, but he
seems beaten down, lacking confidence, unhappy. He wears a
name tag and no Welton blazer. When the others stand, Todd's
mother nudges him. Todd stands. He watches as the other
students:
ALL THE BOYS IN UNISON
Tradition! Honor! Discipline!
Excellence!
All the boys sit. Todd sits too. All is silent again.
NOLAN
In her first year, Welton Academy
graduated five students. Last year we
graduated fifty-one and over seventy-five
percent of those went to the Ivy League!
Applause. During it we rind KNOX OVERSTREET and CHARLIE
DALTON, both 16, and both in Welton blazers. Knox (sitting
between his parents) carries a banner. He has curly hair,
looks outgoing, is short but well built. Charlie, also with
his parents, has a handsome yet friendly face. He carries no
banner but, when Nolan mentions Ivy League, both these boys
fit the bill.
NOLAN (CONT'D)
This kind of accomplishment is the
result of fervent dedication to the
principles taught here. This is why you
parents have been sending us your sons,
and this is why we are the best
preparatory school in the United States.
(more applause)
New students
All turn to look at the new students the 7th graders and
transfer students. Todd Anderson is among them and he looks
incredibly self-conscious.
NOLAN (CONT'D)
The key to your success rests on our
four pillars. These are the bywords of
this school and they will become the
cornerstones of your lives. Welton
Society candidate Richard Cameron...
In the audience, not far from Todd is Richard CAMERON, one of
the banner carriers, 16, his father's little clone. He stands
eagerly to attention. Too eagerly.
CAMERON
Yes sir!
NOLAN
What is Tradition?
CAMERON
Tradition, Mr. Nolan, is love of school,
country, and family. Our tradition at
Welton is to be the best!
NOLAN
Good, Mr. Cameron. Welton Society
Candidate George Hopkins. Honor.
Cameron sits. His father beams smugly.
HOPKINS (O.S.)
Honor is dignity and the fulfillment of
duty!
NOLAN
Good, Mr. Hopkins. Honor Society
Candidate, Knox Overstress
Knox, as mentioned, is a banner-holder. He stands.
KNOX
Yes sir.
NOLAN
What is discipline?
KNOX
Discipline is respect for parents,
teachers, headmaster. Discipline comes
from within.
NOLAN
Thank you, Mr. Overstress. Honor
Candidate Neil Perry.
Knox sits. Knox's proud father and mother give him pats of
encouragement. NEIL PERRY stands. Whereas some boys have two
or three achievement pins an the lapels of their coats, Neil
has a huge cluster of them on the pocket of his jacket. Neil
is 16, intense, a born leader. However, there is more than a
hint of anger and dissatisfaction in his eyes. Beside him
sits his unsmiling father, MR. PERRY.
NOLAN
Excellence, Mr. Perry.
NEIL (rote)
Excellence is the result of hard work.
Excellence is the key to all success, in
school and everywhere.
Neil sits. He doesn't look at his father nor does his father
look at him.
NOLAN
Gentlemen, at Welton you will work
harder than you have ever worked in your
lives, and your reward will be the
success that all of us expect of you. I
would now like to call to the podium
Welton's oldest living graduate- Mr.
Alexander Carmichael, Jr., Class of 1866.
An octogenarian on stage shuns help from those beside him and
makes his way slowly--excruciatingly slowly--to the podium As
the audience rises to another standing ovation
DISSOLVE TO:
4 EXT. THE WELTON ACADEMY - MAIN LAWN - DAY 4
Welton Academy is a cluster of traditional weathered stone
buildings. The time is 1959 but at Welton this is irrelevant.
This school with its traditions is completely isolated from
the politics or trends of the outside world.
The students stand with their parents under a giant tent.
Finger food, coffee, tea and punch are laid cut on white
clothed tables.
Charlie's mother stands dotingly fixing Charlie's hair. Then
she kisses him.
Knox's father has his hand affectionately around his son.
Mr. Perry stands adjusting the achievement pins on Neil's
jacket.
Todd Anderson's parents stand chatting with another couple,
paying no attention to Todd who looks very much alone.
Mr.Nolan walks by and looks at Todd's name tag.
NOLAN
Ah, Mr. Anderson. You have some big
shoes to fill, young man. Your brother
was one of our best.
TODD
(faint, almost inaudible)
Thank you.
Neil's father, Neil in tow, approaches Nolan and interrupts.
MR. PERRY
(somewhat disturbed)
Gale. what's this I hear about a new
junior English teacher?
NOLAN
Mr. Gladden took the Headmaster's post
at Malford, so we've hired John Keating.
MR. PERRY
(suspicious)
A former student, I hear?
NOLAN
A star student, Mr. Perry. And he's
spent the last ten years teaching at the
McMillan School in Edinburgh.
MR. PERRY
(acting impressed)
Oh. McMillan.
Nolan looks around. He finds, then indicates:
ACROSS THE LAWN a black-robed teacher stands with his back to
us, staring at the beautiful Welton LAKE. As if he sensed he
was being watched, he turns and faces us. This is JOHN
KEATING, late 30s, sparkling eyes.
Nolan puts his arm on Mr. Perry's shoulder and leads him off.
NOLAN
Come meet him. You'll like him.
We watch Nolan escort Mr. Perry across the lawn and introduce
him to Mr. Keating who walks up to greet them. Todd stands
alone, looking around. Neil Perry, now left alone, does the
same. Both watch the other students saying good-byes to their
parents.
5 EXT. THE WELTON ACADEMY PARKING LOT - DAY 5
The 7th graders are saying good-bye to their parents. Chins
quiver. Young eyes hold back tears. Some boys sob. For most
of these young boys this is the first time in their lives that
they will be away from their parents and their homes, and it
is a devastating experience.
LONG SHOT, WELTON ACADEMY - SAME
Welton Academy sits in a lonely and isolated valley in woods
of Vermont. Though the setting is beautiful, its isolation
only highlights the loneliness that most of the 7th graders
feel at this moment.
6 OMIT 6
7 INT. THE WELTON ACADEMY OAK PANELED HONOR ROOM - DAY 7
The 50 or so members of the junior class sit in chairs or
stand around the room. The students that were featured
earlier are here: Todd Anderson, Neil Perry, Knox Overstress,
Charlie Dalton, Richard Cameron. All except Todd wear Welton
blazers. Todd sticks out and he knows it.
A staircase against a wall leads to a 2nd-floor door. That
door opens and down the stairs file five boys. An old teacher
(DR. HAGER) comes to the door and calls out five names.
HAGER
Overstreet, Perry, Dalton, Anderson,
Cameron.
These boys file up the staircase. As they do, a seated boy
(PITTS) leans to the boy next to him (STEVEN MEEKS). Meeks
has sweet egghead looks and very short hair. He wears a
pocket watch and chain.
PITTS
Who's the new boy?
MEEKS
(shrugs)
Anderson.
Old Hager sees this conversation.
HAGER
Misters Pitts and Meeks. Demerits.
Pitts and Meeks look down. Pitts glances at Necks and rolls
his eyes.
HAGER (CONT'D)
That's another demerit, Mr. Pitts.
Pitts' smile vanishes. Hager closes the door.
8 INT THE HEADMASTER'S OFFICE - SAME 8
The five boys take seats in a row of chairs facing Mr. Nolan.
Nolan sits behind his desk, a HUNTING DOG on the floor beside
him.
NOLAN
Welcome. back, Mr. Dalton. How's your
father?
CHARLIE
Doing fine, sir.
NOLAN
Your family move into that new house,
Mr. Overstreet?
KNOX
Yes sir, about a month ago.
NOLAN
Wonderful. I hear It's beautiful. (he
gives the dog a snack)
Mr. Anderson, since. you're new here,
let me explain that at Welton, I assign
extracurricular activities on the basis
of merit and desire. These activities
are taken every bit as seriously as your
class work... right, boys?
CHARLIE, CAMERON, KNOX
Yes sir!
NOLAN
Failure to attend required meetings will
result in demerits. Mr. Dalton the
school paper, the Service Club, soccer,
rowing. Mr. Overstress Welton Society
Candidates, the school paper, soccer,
Sons of Alumni Club. Mr. Perry Welton
Society Candidates, Chemistry Club,
Mathematics Club, school annual, soccer.
Mr. Cameron Welton Society Candidates,
Debate Club, rowing, Service Club,
forensics, Honor Council. Mr. Anderson
based on your record at Balincrest,
soccer, Service Club, school annual.
Anything else I don't know about?
Todd struggles. He looks like he is trying to speak but
nothing is coming out of his mouth.
NOLAN (CONT'D)
Speak up, Mr. Anderson.
TODD
(barely audible)
I would prefer rowing sir.
It is apparent that Todd's fear of speaking is overwhelming.
Nolan looks at him.
NOLAN
Rowing? Did he say rowing? It says here
you played soccer at Balincrest.
TODD
(again barely audible)
I...did...but...
Sweat breaks out on Todd's brow. He clinches his hands,
turning his knuckles white. He looks like he is going to
burst into tears. The other boys look at him.
NOLAN
You'll like soccer here, Anderson.
Dismissed.
The boys stand and exit. Todd looks absolutely miserable.
The teacher at the door calls out more names.
9 EXT. WELTON CAMPUS - DAY 9
The Welton students walk toward their dorms. Neil Perry
approaches Todd Anderson who walks alone. Neil offers his
handshake.
NEIL
I hear we're going to be roommates.
Neil Perry.
TODD
(softly)
Todd Anderson.
Todd keeps walking. There is an awkward silence.
NEIL
Why'd you leave Balincrest?
TODD
(overlap)
My brother went here.
NEIL
Oh, so you're that Anderson.
10 INT. THE JUNIOR DORM LOBBY - CONTINUOUS 10
Neil and Todd have walked into the dorm lobby.
TODD
My parents wanted me here all along but
my grades weren't good enough. I had to
go to Balincrest to pull them up.
NEIL
Well, you've won the booby prize. Don't
expect to like it here.
TODD
I don't.
11 INT. THE WELTON JUNIOR CLASS DORMITORY ROOM - DAY 11
Each small room contains two single beds, two closets, and
two desks. Suitcases sit on the floor. Neil enters. Richard
Cameron sticks in his head.
CAMERON
Heard you got the new boy. He's a hell
of a speaker, huh? Oops.
Todd Anderson walks in. Cameron ducks out. Todd has heard
Cameron s comment, but he ignores it. He puts his suitcase on
his bed and begins unpacking.
NEIL
Don't mind Cameron. He's an asshole.
There is a knock on the door. Knox Overstress, Charlie
Dalton, and Steven Meeks enter. Charlie speaks to Neil.
CHARLIE
Hey, I heard you went to summer school?
NEIL
Yeah, chemistry. My father thought I
should get ahead.
CHARLIE
Well, Meeks aced Latin and I didn't
quite flunk English so if you want, we've
got our study group.
NEIL
Sure, but Cameron asked me too. Anybody
mind including him?
CHARLIE
What's his specialty, brown-nosing?
Some chuckles.
NEIL
Hey, he's your roommate.
CHARLIE
That's not my fault.
Nobody is excited about Cameron but no one objects.
MEEKS
(to Todd)
I don't think we've met. I'm Steven
Meeks.
TODD
(shyly extending his hand)
Todd. Anderson.
Knox and Charlie offer Todd handshakes.
CHARLIE
Charlie Dalton.
KNOX
Knox Overstreet.
Todd shakes their hands.
NEIL
Todd's brother is Jeffrey Anderson.
CHARLIE
Oh yeah. Sure. Valedictorian, National
Merit Scholar
Todd nods affirmative.
MEEKS
Well, welcome to "Hell"ton.
CHARLIE
It's every bit as hard as they say.
Unless you're a genius like Meeks.
MEEKS
He flatters me so I'll help him with
Latin.
CHARLIE
And English, and trig
Meeks smiles. There is a knock on the door.
NEIL
It's open.
Neil's father enters. Neil is surprised.
NEIL (CONT'D)
Father. I thought you'd... gone.
All the boys stand.
MEEKS, CHARLIE, KNOX
Mr. Perry.
MR. PERRY
Keep your seats, boys. How's it going?
THE BOYS
Fine, sir. Thank you.
MR. PERRY
Neil, I've decided that you're taking
too many extracurricular activities.
I've spoken to Mr. Nolan about it and you
can work on the school annual next year.
NEIL
But father, I'm assistant editor.
MR. PERRY
I'm sorry, Neil.
NEIL
But father, it's not fair.
MR. PERRY
Fellows, would you excuse us a minute?
Mr. Perry walks into the hall, Neil follows.
12 INT. THE JUNIOR DORMITORY HALLWAY - SAME 12
MR. PERRY
I will not be disputed in public, do you
understand me?
NEIL
Father, I wasn't disputing you.
MR. PERRY
When you've finished medical school and
you're on your own, you can do as you
please. Until then, you will listen to
me.
NEIL
Yes sir. I'm sorry.
MR. PERRY
You know what this means to your mother,
don't you?
NEIL
Yes sir.
Using the pressures of guilt and punishment, Mr. Perry is the
most subtle of bullies. Neil's resolve crumbles in front of
his authoritarian father. Neil fills the pause.
NEIL (CONT'D)
You know me, always taking on too much.
MR. PERRY
Good boy. Call us if you need anything.
He turns and walks off.
13 INT. NEIL'S ROOM 13
The others wait in silence. A chastened Neil enters.
CHARLIE
Why doesn't he let you do what you want?
KNOX
Yeah! Tell him off! It couldn't get
any worse.
NEIL
Oh that's rich. Like you tell your
parents off, Mr. Future Lawyer and Mr.
Future Banker!
Neil takes the school annual achievement pin off his shirt
and hurls it at his desk.
KNOX
Wait a minute. I don't let my parents
walk on me.
NEIL
Yeah, you just do everything they say!
You'll be in daddy's law firm as sure as
I'm standing here.
(to Charlie)
And you'll be approving loans till you
croak.
CHARLIE
Okay, so I don't like it any more than
you do. I'm just saying
NEIL
Then don't tell me how to talk to my
father when you're the same way. All
right?!
KNOX
All right. Jesus, what are you gonna
do?
NEIL
What I have to do. Screw the annual.
MEEKS
I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over
it. It's just a bunch of people trying
to impress Nolan.
NEIL
(bitterly)
Screw it all. I don't give a damn about
any of it.
He slams his hand into his pillow and lies back silently.
Everyone is quiet, sensing Neil's disappointment. Finally,
Charlie breaks the silence.
CHARLIE
I don't know about anyone else, but I
could use a refresher in Latin. Eight
o'clock in my room?
NEIL
Sure.
CHARLIE
You're welcome to join us, Todd.
KNOX
Yeah, come along.
TODD
Thank you.
The boys leave. Neil lies in silence. He sees the
achievement pin that he threw and picks it up. Todd continues
to unpack. He unpacks a photo of his mother and father with
their arms around an older boy who is obviously Todd's brother
Jeffrey. Todd stands to one side, slightly apart from the
family group. Todd unpacks an engraved leather desk set
(pens, blotter, etc.) and puts it on his desk.
NEIL
So what do you think of my father?
TODD
(softly, to himself)
I'll take him over mine.
NEIL
What?
TODD
Nothing.
NEIL
Todd, if you're gonna make it around
here, you've gotta speak up. The meek
might inherit the earth but they don't
get into Harvard. know what I mean?
Todd nods.
NEIL (CONT'D)
The goddamn bastard!
He presses the metal point of the pin into his thumb, drawing
blood. Todd winces. Neil doesn't. Neil hurls the pin again.
14 INT. A CHEMISTRY CLASSROOM - DAY 14
The classroom is a laboratory: filled with flasks, etc.
Neil, Todd, Knox, Charlie, Cameron, Meeks and other members of
the junior class sit around the room. A bespectacled teacher
stands in front, passing out thick textbooks.
CHEMISTRY TEACHER
In addition to the assignments in the
text, you will each pick three lab
experiments from the project list and
report on one every five weeks. The
first twenty problems at the end of
chapter one are due: tomorrow.
ANGLE ON CHARLIE DALTON as the thick textbooks arrive at his
desk. He shoots a disbelieving glance at Knox Overstreet who
can only acknowledge with a shake of his head. Todd takes his
books without reacting.
15 INT. LATIN CLASS - DAY 15
The same students sit before a Latin teacher in his early
60's He declines a Latin noun with a thick Scottish brogue.
LATIN TEACHER (McALLISTER)
Agricola, agricolae, agricolas,
Agricolas, agricolatis, agricolatus
ANGLE FAVORING TODD, NEIL, KNOX AND THE OTHERS as they
struggle to follow along with McAllister's lesson.
16 INT. A MATHEMATICS CLASS - DAY 16
Mathematical charts hang on the walls. The elderly bald
teacher (the one from Nolan's doorway), Dr. Hager, passes out
books. The students' work load is huge.
HAGER
Your study of trigonometry requires
absolute precision. Anyone failing to
turn in any homework assignment will be
penalized one point off his final grade.
Let me urge you now not to test me on
this point. Who would like to begin by
defining a cosine?
Richard Cameron stands.
CAMERON
A cosine is the sin of the compliment of
an angle or arc. If we define an angle
A, then...
17 INT. ENGLISH CLASSROOM - DAY 17
The junior students--Todd, Neil, Knox, Charlie, Cameron,
Meeks and some of the others we've seen--enter. They are
loaded down with books and look weary. Sitting in the front
of the room, staring out the window is JOHN KEATING, the
teacher we glimpsed earlier. He wears a collared shirt, tie,
no jacket.
The boys take seats and settle in. Keating stares out the
window a long time. The students start to shuffle
uncomfortably. Finally Keating stands, picks up a yardstick,
and begins slowly strolling the aisles. He stops and stares
into the face of one of the boys.
KEATING
(to the blushing boy)
Don't be embarrassed.
He moves off, then stops in front of Charlie Dalton.
KEATING (CONT'D)
(as if discovering
something known only to
himself)
Uh-huh
(he moves to Todd Anderson)
Uh-huh
(he moves to Neil Perry)
Ha!
Keating slaps his free hand with the yardstick, then strides
to the front of the room.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Nimble young minds!
He steps up onto the desk, turns and faces the class.
KEATING (CONT'D)
(energetically)
Oh Captain, My Captain. Who knows where
that's from?
No one raises a hand.
KEATING (CONT'D)
It was written by a poet named Walt
Whitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. In
this class you may refer to me as either
Mr. Keating, or Oh Captain, My Captain.
Keating steps down and starts. strolling the aisles.
KEATING (CONT'D)
So that I become the source of as few
rumors as possible, let me tell you that
yes, I was a student at this institution
many moons ago, and no, at that time I
did not possess this charismatic
personality. However, should you choose
to emulate my manner, it can only help
your grade. Pick up a textbook from the
back, gentlemen, and let's retire to the
honor room.
He steps off the desk and walks out. The students sit, not
sure what to do, then realize they are to follow him. They
quickly gather their books, pick up texts, and follow.
18 INT. THE WELTON OAK PANELED HONOR ROOM - DAY 18
This is the room where the boys waited earlier. The walls
are lined with class pictures: dating back into the 1800s.
School trophies of every description fill trophy cases and
shelves. Keating leads the students in, then faces the class.
KEATING
Mister...
(Keating looks at his roll)
Pitts. An unfortunate name. Stand up,
Mister Pitts.
Pitts stands.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Open your text, Pitts, to page forty and read for us the
first stanza of the poem.
Pitts looks through his book. He finds the poem.
PITTS
To The Virgins to Make Much Of Time?
KEATING
That's the one.
Giggles in the class. Pitts reads.
PITTS
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Old time is still a flying
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
KEATING
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. The
Latin term for that sentiment is "Carpe
Diem." Anyone know what that means?
MEEKS
Carpe Diem... seize the day.
KEATING
Very good, Mr._?
MEEKS
Meeks.
KEATING
Seize the day while you're young, see
that you make use of your time. Why does
the poet write these lines?
A STUDENT
Because he's in a hurry?
KEATING
Because we're food for worms, lads!
Because we're only going to experience a
limited number of springs, summers, and
falls. One day, hard as it is to
believe, each and every one of us is
going to stop breathing, turn cold, and
die! Stand up and peruse the faces of
the boys who attended this school sixty
or seventy years ago. Don't be timid, go
look at them.
The boys get up. Todd, Neil, Knox, Meeks, etc. go over to
the class pictures that line the honor room walls.
ANGLES ON VARIOUS PICTURES ON THE WALLS. Faces of young men
stare at us from out of the past.
KEATING
They're not that different than any of
you, are they? There's hope in their
eyes, just like in yours. They believe
themselves destined for wonderful things,
just like many of you. Well, where are
those smiles now, boys? What of that
hope?
THE BOYS are staring at the pictures, sobered by what Keating
is saying.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Did most of them not wait until it was
too late before making their lives into
even one iota of what they were capable?
In chasing the almighty deity of success
did they not squander their boyhood
dreams? Most of those gentlemen are
fertilizing daffodils! However, if you
get very close, boys, you can hear them
whisper. Go ahead, lean in. near it?
(loud whisper)
'Carpe Diem, lads. Seize the day. Make
your lives extraordinary. -
Todd, Neil, Knox, Charlie, Cameron,
Meeks, Pitts all stare into the pictures
on the wall. All are lost in thought.
19 EXT. THE WELTON CAMPUS - DAY 19
The class files out of the honor room. Todd, Neil, Knox,
Charlie, Cameron, Necks, and Pitts walk together, books in
hand. All thinking about what just happened in class.
PITTS
Weird.
NEIL
But different.
KNOX
Spooky if you ask me.
CAMERON
You think he'll test us on that stuff?
CHARLIE
Oh come on, Cameron, don't you get
anything?
EXT. THE WELTON CAMPUS - CONTINUOUS
MEEKS
How about a trig study group? Right
after dinner.
VARIOUS BOYS
Good by me. Sure. Great.
KNOX
I can't make it. I got a sign-out to
have dinner at the Danburrys' house.
PITTS
Who are the Danburrys?
CAMERON
Big alum,. How'd you pull that?
KNOX
They're friends of my dad. Probably in
their nineties or something.
NEIL
Listen, anything's, better than mystery
meat.
CHARLIE
I'll second that.
The group disperses. Neil finds himself walking near Todd
who has been silent through this whole discussion.
NEIL
Want to come to the study group?
TODD
Thanks but I'd better do history.
20 INT. TODD AND NEIL'S DORM ROOM - LATE AFTERNOON 20
Todd enters alone. He puts down his books and sits at his
desk. Flipping through the stack of books in front of him, he
sighs at the work load that is piling up.
Todd takes out his notebook and opens his history book. He
stares at his notebook for a moment, then writes "SEIZE THE
DAY" in big letters. He looks at the words that he's written,
sighs, tears the page off, then plunges into his homework.
A21 EXT. THE WELTON CAMPUS - DUSK - WIDE SHOT A21
The autumnal colors are muted by the onset of nightfall. Old
Dr. Hager drives the school "woody" station wagon out of the
campus.
B21 EXT. WALTON VILLAGE (NEW CASTLE) - DUSK - WOODY DRIVE-BY B21
21 EXT./INT. A LARGE MANSION - DUSK 21
Knox Overstreet gets out of the woody. Dr. Hager pulls away.
Knox walks to the door of the home and is admitted by a maid.
Knox is amazed by this palatial home.
22 INT. THE DANBURRY MANSION LIBRARY - DUSK 22
JOE DANBURRY is a sharp looking man of about 40, well
dressed, friendly. His wife, an attractive blonde about the
same age, sits beside him.
JOE DANBURRY
Knox, come in. Joe Danburry. This is
my wife, Janette.
KNOX
(surprised)
Nice to meet you.
MRS. DANBURRY
You're the spitting image of your
father. How is he?
KNOX
Great. Just did a big case for GM.
JOE DANBURRY
Ah. I know where you're headed. Like
father like son, eh?
(looking off screen)
Ginny. Come meet Knox.
GINNY DANBURRY--15, cute, shy, a shock of misplaced hair--
enters.
MRS. DANBURRY
Knox, this is our daughter, Virginia.
GINNY
Ginny, mom.
Knox shakes her hand. His "hello" is polite. Her "hi" is
shy.
CHET DANBURRY--a tall jock of a guy a couple of years older
than Knox--enters. With him is a lovely teenage brunette,
CHRIS NOEL, in a short tennis dress. Soft glowing eyes,
athletic figure, this girl is stunning.
CHET
Dad, can I take the Buick?
JOE DANBURRY
What's wrong with your car?
MRS. DANBURRY
Chet, where are your manners? Knox,
this is my son Chet and his girlfriend
Chris Noel. This is Knox Overstreet.
Excuse me while I check on dinner.
CHET
(perfunctorily)
Hi.
Knox shakes Chet's hand. Knox is THUNDERSTRUCK by Chris.
Chris offers Knox her hand and a smile. Knox shakes her hand1
his mouth practically hanging open.
CHRIS
Pleased to meet you.
KNOX
The pleasure is mine.
CHET
Come on, Dad, why is this always a big
deal?
JOE DANBURRY
Because I bought you a sports car and
suddenly you want my car all the time.
CHET
Chris' mom feels safer when we're in a
bigger car. Right, Chris?
Chet shoots her a wicked smile. Chris blushes.
CHRIS
It's all right, Chet.
CHET
It's not all right. Come on, Dad
Joe Danburry walks out of the room. Chet follows him.
CHET (CONT'D)
Come on, Dad.
Knox, Ginny, and Chris remain in the room. Knox smiles at
Chris.
KNOX
So, uh, where are you in school?
CHRIS
Ridgeway High. How's Henley Hall, Gin?
Ginny
(flat)
Okay.
CHRIS
(to Knox)
That's your sister school, right?
KNOX
Sort of.
CHRIS
(to Ginny)
You going out for the Henley Hall play?
(to Knox)
They're doing "A Midsummer Night's
Dream."
GINNY
Maybe.
KNOX
How did you meet Chet?
(both girls look at him)
I mean... Er...
CHRIS
He plays on the Ridgeway football team
and I'm a cheerleader. He used to go to
Welton but he flunked out.
(to Ginny)
You should do it, Gin. You'd be great.
Ginny looks down, shyly. Chet comes to the door.
CHET
Chris. We got it. Let's go.
CHRIS
Nice meeting you, Knox. Bye, Gin.
KNOX
(dying inside)
Nice meeting you. Chris.
Chris and Chet exit. Through the window, we see Chet and
Chris walk out and put their arms around each other.
GINNY
(confiding to Knox)
Chet just wants the Buick so they can go parking.
KNOX
Oh.
Outside, Chris and Chet get in the Buick and kiss. Knox
stares with envy.
GINNY
something wrong?
KNOX
Nah.
23 EXT. DANBURRY HOUSE - DUSK 23
Chet and Chris drive off.
24 INT. THS JUNIOR CLASS LOUNGE - NIGHT 24
The dorm is quiet. Neil, Cameron, Weeks, Charlie and Pitts
are gathered studying math. As they do, Pitts works to
assemble a small crystal radio. Todd is in his room, studying
alone. Knox, looking shell-shocked, shuffles into the lobby.
CHARLIE
How was dinner?
KNOX
Terrible. Awful! I met the most
beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life!
NEIL
Are you crazy? What's wrong with that?
KNOX
She's practically engaged to Chet
Danburry. Mr. Mondo Jocko himself.
PITTS
Too bad.
KNOX
It's not too bad. It's a tragedy! Why
does she have to be in love with a jerk?!
PITTS
All the good ones go for jerks, you know
that. Forget her. Take out your trig
book and figure out problem twelve.
KNOX
I can't just forget her, Pitts. And I
certainly can't think about math!
MEEKS
Sure you can. You're off on a tangent--
so you're halfway into trig already
CAMERON
Duh, Meeks!
MEEKS
(sheepishly)
I thought it was clever.
KNOX
(sitting down)
You really think I should forget her?
PITTS
You have another choice.
Knox drops to his knee like he is proposing.
KNOX
Only you, Pittsie.
Pitts pushes Knox away. Knox sits back down but despair is
beginning to wash over him.
25/26 OMIT 25/26
26A EXT: WELTON CAMPUS - MORNING 26A
The Welton bagpiper marches on the lawn, practicing. Students
emerge from their dorms and head to breakfast.
27 INT. KEATING'S ENGLISH CLASS - DAY 27
The lights are out and shades are drawn. Keating sits in a
chair beside the teacher's desk. He looks solemn. All is
still.
KEATING
(soft and soothing voice)
Boys, quietly open your texts to page
54
The boys follow instructions. Keating reads the following in
a tone of quiet reverence.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Little Boy Blue, by Eugene Field:
The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and staunch he stands.
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands;
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue,
Kissed them and put them there.
'Now don't you go till I come,' he said,
'And don't you make any noise!'
So toddling off to his trundle bed
He dreampt of pretty toys;
And as he was dreaming, an angel song,
Awakened our Little Boy Blue--
Oh the years are many, the years are
long,
But the little toy friends are true.
Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place--
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face.
And they wonder, as waiting the long years thru,
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.
Keating is a masterful reader. With his marvelous voice, he
has milked this sentimental poem for everything it is worth.
Many of the boys are on the verge of tears. Suddenly Keating
shouts
KEATING (CONT'D)
AHHGGGG!!
The students jump halfway out of their seats.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Treacle! Mawkish treacle! Rip it out
of your books. Rip out the entire page!
I want this sentimental rubbish in the
trash where it belongs!
He marches down the aisles with the trash can and waits for
each boy to deposit the page from his textbook. The boys,
having been led down the sentimental path, cannot help but
laugh at this sudden change of mood.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Make a clean tear. I want nothing left
of it! Eugene Field! Disgraceful.
27A INT.MCALLISTER'S CLAS5RDOM - DAY 27A
Mr. McAllister, the Scottish Latin teacher, exits his room
and walks across the hall to Keating's classroom. He peeks in
the door window and sees boys ripping pages out of their
books. Alarmed, McAllister opens the door and enters
Keating's room.
27B INT. KEATING'S CLASSROOM - SAME 27B
McAllister is about to reprimand the boys when suddenly he
sees Keating.
McALLISTER
What the... Sorry, I didn't think you
were in here, Mr. Keating.
Baffled and embarrassed, McAllister exits. Keating strides
back to the front of the room, Flits the trash can on the
floor, and jumps into it. He stomps the trash a few times,
then kicks the can away.
KEATING
This is battle, boys. War! You are
souls at a critical juncture. Either you
will succumb to the will of hoi polloi
and the fruit will die on the vine--or
you will triumph as individuals. It may
be a coincidence that part of my duties
are to teach you about Romanticism, but
let me assure you that I take the task
quite seriously. You will learn what
this school wants you to learn in my
class, but if I do my job properly, you
will also learn a great deal more. You
will learn to savor language and words
because they are the stepping stones to
everything you might endeavor to do in
life and do well. A moment ago I used
the term 'hoi polloi.' Who knows what it
means? Come on, Overstreet, you twirp.
(laughter)
Anderson, are you a man or a boil?
More laughter. All eyes are on Todd. He visibly tenses all
over. He cannot bring himself to speak. He shakes his head
jerkily "no.'. Meeks raises his hands and speaks:
MEEKS
The hoi polloi. Doesn't it mean the
herd?
KEATING
Precisely, Meeks. Greek for the herd.
However, be warned that, when you say
"the hoi polloi" you are actually saying
the the herd. Indicating that you too
are "hoi polloi."
Keating grins wryly. Meeks smiles. More chuckles. Keating
paces to the back of the room.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Now, many will argue that nineteenth--
century literature has nothing to do with
business school or medical school. They
think we should I read our Field and
Pipple, learn our rhyme and meter, and
quietly go about it our business of
achieving other ambitions.
He slams his hand on the wall behind him. The wall booms
like a drum. The boys jump and turn around.
KEATING (CONT'D)
(defiant whisper)
Well, I say drivel! One reads poetry
because he is a member of the human race
and the human race is filled with
passion! Medicine, Law, Banking-these
are necessary to sustain life-but poetry,
romance, love, beauty! These are what we
stay alive for. I read from Whitman.
Oh me, Oh life of the questions of these
recurring. OF the endless trains of the
faithless of cities filled with the
foolish... skipping... What good amid these O
me, O life? Answer: That you are here-
That life exists and identity That the
powerful play goes on, and you may
contribute a verse."
Keating pauses. The class sits, taking this in.
KEATING (CONT'D)
(awestruck tone)
"That the powerful play goes on, and you
may contribute a verse." Incredible.
(pause)
Poetry is rapture, lads. Without it we are doomed.
Keating waits a long moment.
KEATING (CONT'D)
What will your verse be?
CLOSE ON the faces of NEIL, KNOX, CHARLIE, MEEKS, CHAMERON,
PITTS, and TODD as they contemplate this question. Softly,
Keating breaks the mood:
KEATING (CONT'D)
Let's open our textbooks to page sixty
and learn about Wordsworth notion of
romanticism...
25 INT. THE WELTON DINING ROOM - DAY 25
On the dais in the front of the room is the teacher's dining
table. Below them are the students' tables. Mr. McAllister
sits to Keating's right.
McALLISTER
Quite an interesting class you had
today, Mr. Keating.
KEATING
Sorry if I shocked you.
McALLISTER
No need to apologize. It was quite
fascinating, misguided though it was.
KEATING
You heard it all?
McALLISTER
You're hardly a Trappist monk.
McAllister smiles. So does Keating.
McALLISTER (CONT'D)
You take a big risk encouraging them to
be artists, John. When they realize
they're not Rembrants or Shakespeares or
Picassos, they'll hate you for it.
KEATING
Not artists, George, free thinkers. And
I hardly pegged you as a cynic.
McALLISTER
A cynic? A realist! Show me the heart
unfettered by foolish dreams and I'll
show you a happy man.
He chews a bite.
McALLISTER (CONT'D)
But I will enjoy listening to your
lectures
Keating grins with amusement
ANOTHER ANGLE - THE DINNING ROOM - SAME
Todd, Knox, Charlie, Cameron, Pitts, and Meeks sit at a table
eating. Neil enters and joins them.
NEIL
I found his senior annual in the
library.
Neil opens the annual and reads.
NEIL (CONT'D)
Captain of the soccer team, editor of
the annual, Cambridge bound, Man most
likely to do anything, Thigh man, Dead
Poets Society.
Hands grab the old annual away from Neil.
CHARLIE
Thigh man? Mr. "K" was a hell raiser.
KNOX
What is the Dead Poets Society?
MEEKS
Any group pictures in the annual?
NEIL
Nothing. No mention of it.
CHARLIE
Nolan.
Mr. Nolan approaches the boys' table. Under the table,
Cameron insistently hands the annual to Todd. Todd looks at
Cameron, then takes it.
NOLAN
Enjoying your classes, Mr. Perry?
NEIL
Yes sir. Very much.
NOLAN
And our Mr. Keating. Finding him
interesting, boys?
CHARLIE
Yes sir. We were just talking about
that.
NOLAN
Good. We're very excited about him. He
was a Rhodes Scholar, you know.
Nolan exits. Todd looks at the annual that he hides in his
lap under the table, then continues eating.
29 EXT. THE CAMPUS - LATER 29
Keating walks across the school lawn wearing his sport coat
and a scarf, carrying his books. Pitts, Neil, Cameron, Knox,
Charlie, Meeks and Todd approach him.
NEIL
Mr. Keating? Sir? Oh Captain My Captain.
(Keating stops)
What was the Dead Poets Society?
KEATING
Ah, so you boy's have been snooping.
NEIL
I was just looking in an old annual and...
KEATING
Nothing wrong with research.
The boys wait for more.
NEIL
But what was it?
Keating checks around to be sure they are unwatched.
KEATING
The Dead Poets was a secret
organization. I don't know how the
present administration would look upon it
but I doubt the reaction would be
favorable. Can you keep a secret?
An instant sea of nods.
KEATING
The Dead Poets Society was dedicating to
sucking the marrow out of life. That
phrase is by Thoreau and was invoked at
every meeting. A small group of us would
meet at a cave and there we would take
turns reading Shelley, Thoreau, Whitman,
our own verse-any number of poets-and, in
the enchantment of the moment, let them
work their magic on us.
KNOX
You mean it was a bunch of guys sitting
around reading poetry?
KEATING
(amused)
Both sexes participated, Mr. Overstreet.
And, believe me, we did not simply read,
we let it drip from our tongues like
honey. Women swooned, spirits soared...
Gods were created, gentlemen.
The boys think a minute.
NEIL
What did the name mean. Did you only
read dead poets.
KEATING
All poetry was acceptable. The name
simply referred to the fact, that to join
the organization, you had to be dead.
SEVERAL
What?
KEATING
Full membership required a lifetime of
apprenticeship. The living were simply
pledges. Alas, even I am still a lowly
initiate.
The boys don't quite know what to say.
KEATING (CONT'D)
The last meeting must have been 25 years
ago. Hasn't been another since.
Keating exits. The boys stand watching. Neil turns to them.
NEIL
I say we go tonight. Everybody in?
PITTS
Where is this cave he's talking about?
NEIL
Beyond the stream. I think I know.
PITTS
That's miles.
CAMERON
Sounds boring to me.
CHARLIE
1 INT WELTON ACADAMY DINING HALL - DAY - VARIOUS SHOTS 1
CREDITS ROLL
On the left is a life-sized mural depicting a group of young
school boys looking up adoringly at a woman who represents
liberty. On the right is a mural showing young men gathered
around an industrialist in a corporate boardroom. Between the
murals stands a boy.
An odd, blaring MUSICAL SOUND starts and stops, interrupted
by the noise of pumping. A teacher hurries to the boy,
adjusts his tie, and leads him off.
On another wall is a full-sized portrait of a 19th century
Scotsman in a kilt. In front at this, young boys carrying
banners, and several elderly men in old-fashioned costumes
assembling into a processional formation. Nervous younger
boys (7th graders) are shown their places in line and handed
candles. They light each others.' candles until all their
candles are lit.
Suddenly the MUSIC BLASTS FORTH in its full splendor. It is
a BAGPIPE. The bagpiper, in a kilt like the one in the
portrait, begins a processional march.
2 INT CORRIDOR ADJACENT THE DINING ROOM - SAME 2
The bagpiper enters a long slate and stone hallway. The
haunting timbre of his antiquated instrument reverberates
through the building. Momentarily, he is followed by the
other processional marchers. He leads them down the corridor
and down a threshold staircase into:
3 INT. WELTON'S OLD, STONE CHAPEL - CONTINUOUS 3
Where two hundred high school-aged boys--most of whom wear
black blazers--sit on either side of the central aisle
watching the procession move onto the dais in front. Beside
most of these boys are their parents.
VARIOUS ANGLES ON THE PROCESSION
FOUR 16-YEAR-OLD Boys CARRY BANNERS.
Each boy is dressed in an archaic, turn-of-the-century
outfit. On each banner is emblazoned a different word. One
reads "TRADITION," another reads "HONOR",' a third reads
DISCIPLINE, the last reads 'EXCELLENCE."
THE ELDERLY MEN
in their 70s and SOS, obviously the school's oldest alumni,
each wearing a name tag and the uniform of his day, make their
way toward the stage.
THE SEVENTH GRADERS
carrying candles are nervous and self-conscious. Most
concentrate intently on keeping their candles lit while they
march. One young boy's candle has gone cut and he can barely
keep from crying.
The bagpiper stands at the corner of the dais, marching in
place. Behind him, in black robes, sit the school's 30-odd
teachers. The processional's elderly alumni fill the chairs
of honor on the dais.
The four young BANNER CARRIERS peel off from the main aisle
and take seats beside their parents in the audience. The 7th
graders take seats with their parents too. A purple and black
robed man who brings up the rear of the procession walks up to
the podium. Me is HEADMASTER GALE NOLAN, a big man, in his
mid-60s. The music stops.
NOLAN
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished
alumni, and students: This year marks
the one hundredth year that Welton
Academy has been in existence.
Applause begins. Soon the whole room is standing in a
thunderous ovation. After an appropriate amount of time,
Nolan motions for everyone to be seated.
NOLAN (CONT'D)
One hundred years ago, in 1859, forty-one boys sat in this
room and were asked the same question that now greets you at
the start of each semester: Gentlemen, what are the four
pillars?
All of the students stand at attention. Find TODD ANDERSON
sitting between his parents. Todd is 16, good looking, but he
seems beaten down, lacking confidence, unhappy. He wears a
name tag and no Welton blazer. When the others stand, Todd's
mother nudges him. Todd stands. He watches as the other
students:
ALL THE BOYS IN UNISON
Tradition! Honor! Discipline!
Excellence!
All the boys sit. Todd sits too. All is silent again.
NOLAN
In her first year, Welton Academy
graduated five students. Last year we
graduated fifty-one and over seventy-five
percent of those went to the Ivy League!
Applause. During it we rind KNOX OVERSTREET and CHARLIE
DALTON, both 16, and both in Welton blazers. Knox (sitting
between his parents) carries a banner. He has curly hair,
looks outgoing, is short but well built. Charlie, also with
his parents, has a handsome yet friendly face. He carries no
banner but, when Nolan mentions Ivy League, both these boys
fit the bill.
NOLAN (CONT'D)
This kind of accomplishment is the
result of fervent dedication to the
principles taught here. This is why you
parents have been sending us your sons,
and this is why we are the best
preparatory school in the United States.
(more applause)
New students
All turn to look at the new students the 7th graders and
transfer students. Todd Anderson is among them and he looks
incredibly self-conscious.
NOLAN (CONT'D)
The key to your success rests on our
four pillars. These are the bywords of
this school and they will become the
cornerstones of your lives. Welton
Society candidate Richard Cameron...
In the audience, not far from Todd is Richard CAMERON, one of
the banner carriers, 16, his father's little clone. He stands
eagerly to attention. Too eagerly.
CAMERON
Yes sir!
NOLAN
What is Tradition?
CAMERON
Tradition, Mr. Nolan, is love of school,
country, and family. Our tradition at
Welton is to be the best!
NOLAN
Good, Mr. Cameron. Welton Society
Candidate George Hopkins. Honor.
Cameron sits. His father beams smugly.
HOPKINS (O.S.)
Honor is dignity and the fulfillment of
duty!
NOLAN
Good, Mr. Hopkins. Honor Society
Candidate, Knox Overstress
Knox, as mentioned, is a banner-holder. He stands.
KNOX
Yes sir.
NOLAN
What is discipline?
KNOX
Discipline is respect for parents,
teachers, headmaster. Discipline comes
from within.
NOLAN
Thank you, Mr. Overstress. Honor
Candidate Neil Perry.
Knox sits. Knox's proud father and mother give him pats of
encouragement. NEIL PERRY stands. Whereas some boys have two
or three achievement pins an the lapels of their coats, Neil
has a huge cluster of them on the pocket of his jacket. Neil
is 16, intense, a born leader. However, there is more than a
hint of anger and dissatisfaction in his eyes. Beside him
sits his unsmiling father, MR. PERRY.
NOLAN
Excellence, Mr. Perry.
NEIL (rote)
Excellence is the result of hard work.
Excellence is the key to all success, in
school and everywhere.
Neil sits. He doesn't look at his father nor does his father
look at him.
NOLAN
Gentlemen, at Welton you will work
harder than you have ever worked in your
lives, and your reward will be the
success that all of us expect of you. I
would now like to call to the podium
Welton's oldest living graduate- Mr.
Alexander Carmichael, Jr., Class of 1866.
An octogenarian on stage shuns help from those beside him and
makes his way slowly--excruciatingly slowly--to the podium As
the audience rises to another standing ovation
DISSOLVE TO:
4 EXT. THE WELTON ACADEMY - MAIN LAWN - DAY 4
Welton Academy is a cluster of traditional weathered stone
buildings. The time is 1959 but at Welton this is irrelevant.
This school with its traditions is completely isolated from
the politics or trends of the outside world.
The students stand with their parents under a giant tent.
Finger food, coffee, tea and punch are laid cut on white
clothed tables.
Charlie's mother stands dotingly fixing Charlie's hair. Then
she kisses him.
Knox's father has his hand affectionately around his son.
Mr. Perry stands adjusting the achievement pins on Neil's
jacket.
Todd Anderson's parents stand chatting with another couple,
paying no attention to Todd who looks very much alone.
Mr.Nolan walks by and looks at Todd's name tag.
NOLAN
Ah, Mr. Anderson. You have some big
shoes to fill, young man. Your brother
was one of our best.
TODD
(faint, almost inaudible)
Thank you.
Neil's father, Neil in tow, approaches Nolan and interrupts.
MR. PERRY
(somewhat disturbed)
Gale. what's this I hear about a new
junior English teacher?
NOLAN
Mr. Gladden took the Headmaster's post
at Malford, so we've hired John Keating.
MR. PERRY
(suspicious)
A former student, I hear?
NOLAN
A star student, Mr. Perry. And he's
spent the last ten years teaching at the
McMillan School in Edinburgh.
MR. PERRY
(acting impressed)
Oh. McMillan.
Nolan looks around. He finds, then indicates:
ACROSS THE LAWN a black-robed teacher stands with his back to
us, staring at the beautiful Welton LAKE. As if he sensed he
was being watched, he turns and faces us. This is JOHN
KEATING, late 30s, sparkling eyes.
Nolan puts his arm on Mr. Perry's shoulder and leads him off.
NOLAN
Come meet him. You'll like him.
We watch Nolan escort Mr. Perry across the lawn and introduce
him to Mr. Keating who walks up to greet them. Todd stands
alone, looking around. Neil Perry, now left alone, does the
same. Both watch the other students saying good-byes to their
parents.
5 EXT. THE WELTON ACADEMY PARKING LOT - DAY 5
The 7th graders are saying good-bye to their parents. Chins
quiver. Young eyes hold back tears. Some boys sob. For most
of these young boys this is the first time in their lives that
they will be away from their parents and their homes, and it
is a devastating experience.
LONG SHOT, WELTON ACADEMY - SAME
Welton Academy sits in a lonely and isolated valley in woods
of Vermont. Though the setting is beautiful, its isolation
only highlights the loneliness that most of the 7th graders
feel at this moment.
6 OMIT 6
7 INT. THE WELTON ACADEMY OAK PANELED HONOR ROOM - DAY 7
The 50 or so members of the junior class sit in chairs or
stand around the room. The students that were featured
earlier are here: Todd Anderson, Neil Perry, Knox Overstress,
Charlie Dalton, Richard Cameron. All except Todd wear Welton
blazers. Todd sticks out and he knows it.
A staircase against a wall leads to a 2nd-floor door. That
door opens and down the stairs file five boys. An old teacher
(DR. HAGER) comes to the door and calls out five names.
HAGER
Overstreet, Perry, Dalton, Anderson,
Cameron.
These boys file up the staircase. As they do, a seated boy
(PITTS) leans to the boy next to him (STEVEN MEEKS). Meeks
has sweet egghead looks and very short hair. He wears a
pocket watch and chain.
PITTS
Who's the new boy?
MEEKS
(shrugs)
Anderson.
Old Hager sees this conversation.
HAGER
Misters Pitts and Meeks. Demerits.
Pitts and Meeks look down. Pitts glances at Necks and rolls
his eyes.
HAGER (CONT'D)
That's another demerit, Mr. Pitts.
Pitts' smile vanishes. Hager closes the door.
8 INT THE HEADMASTER'S OFFICE - SAME 8
The five boys take seats in a row of chairs facing Mr. Nolan.
Nolan sits behind his desk, a HUNTING DOG on the floor beside
him.
NOLAN
Welcome. back, Mr. Dalton. How's your
father?
CHARLIE
Doing fine, sir.
NOLAN
Your family move into that new house,
Mr. Overstreet?
KNOX
Yes sir, about a month ago.
NOLAN
Wonderful. I hear It's beautiful. (he
gives the dog a snack)
Mr. Anderson, since. you're new here,
let me explain that at Welton, I assign
extracurricular activities on the basis
of merit and desire. These activities
are taken every bit as seriously as your
class work... right, boys?
CHARLIE, CAMERON, KNOX
Yes sir!
NOLAN
Failure to attend required meetings will
result in demerits. Mr. Dalton the
school paper, the Service Club, soccer,
rowing. Mr. Overstress Welton Society
Candidates, the school paper, soccer,
Sons of Alumni Club. Mr. Perry Welton
Society Candidates, Chemistry Club,
Mathematics Club, school annual, soccer.
Mr. Cameron Welton Society Candidates,
Debate Club, rowing, Service Club,
forensics, Honor Council. Mr. Anderson
based on your record at Balincrest,
soccer, Service Club, school annual.
Anything else I don't know about?
Todd struggles. He looks like he is trying to speak but
nothing is coming out of his mouth.
NOLAN (CONT'D)
Speak up, Mr. Anderson.
TODD
(barely audible)
I would prefer rowing sir.
It is apparent that Todd's fear of speaking is overwhelming.
Nolan looks at him.
NOLAN
Rowing? Did he say rowing? It says here
you played soccer at Balincrest.
TODD
(again barely audible)
I...did...but...
Sweat breaks out on Todd's brow. He clinches his hands,
turning his knuckles white. He looks like he is going to
burst into tears. The other boys look at him.
NOLAN
You'll like soccer here, Anderson.
Dismissed.
The boys stand and exit. Todd looks absolutely miserable.
The teacher at the door calls out more names.
9 EXT. WELTON CAMPUS - DAY 9
The Welton students walk toward their dorms. Neil Perry
approaches Todd Anderson who walks alone. Neil offers his
handshake.
NEIL
I hear we're going to be roommates.
Neil Perry.
TODD
(softly)
Todd Anderson.
Todd keeps walking. There is an awkward silence.
NEIL
Why'd you leave Balincrest?
TODD
(overlap)
My brother went here.
NEIL
Oh, so you're that Anderson.
10 INT. THE JUNIOR DORM LOBBY - CONTINUOUS 10
Neil and Todd have walked into the dorm lobby.
TODD
My parents wanted me here all along but
my grades weren't good enough. I had to
go to Balincrest to pull them up.
NEIL
Well, you've won the booby prize. Don't
expect to like it here.
TODD
I don't.
11 INT. THE WELTON JUNIOR CLASS DORMITORY ROOM - DAY 11
Each small room contains two single beds, two closets, and
two desks. Suitcases sit on the floor. Neil enters. Richard
Cameron sticks in his head.
CAMERON
Heard you got the new boy. He's a hell
of a speaker, huh? Oops.
Todd Anderson walks in. Cameron ducks out. Todd has heard
Cameron s comment, but he ignores it. He puts his suitcase on
his bed and begins unpacking.
NEIL
Don't mind Cameron. He's an asshole.
There is a knock on the door. Knox Overstress, Charlie
Dalton, and Steven Meeks enter. Charlie speaks to Neil.
CHARLIE
Hey, I heard you went to summer school?
NEIL
Yeah, chemistry. My father thought I
should get ahead.
CHARLIE
Well, Meeks aced Latin and I didn't
quite flunk English so if you want, we've
got our study group.
NEIL
Sure, but Cameron asked me too. Anybody
mind including him?
CHARLIE
What's his specialty, brown-nosing?
Some chuckles.
NEIL
Hey, he's your roommate.
CHARLIE
That's not my fault.
Nobody is excited about Cameron but no one objects.
MEEKS
(to Todd)
I don't think we've met. I'm Steven
Meeks.
TODD
(shyly extending his hand)
Todd. Anderson.
Knox and Charlie offer Todd handshakes.
CHARLIE
Charlie Dalton.
KNOX
Knox Overstreet.
Todd shakes their hands.
NEIL
Todd's brother is Jeffrey Anderson.
CHARLIE
Oh yeah. Sure. Valedictorian, National
Merit Scholar
Todd nods affirmative.
MEEKS
Well, welcome to "Hell"ton.
CHARLIE
It's every bit as hard as they say.
Unless you're a genius like Meeks.
MEEKS
He flatters me so I'll help him with
Latin.
CHARLIE
And English, and trig
Meeks smiles. There is a knock on the door.
NEIL
It's open.
Neil's father enters. Neil is surprised.
NEIL (CONT'D)
Father. I thought you'd... gone.
All the boys stand.
MEEKS, CHARLIE, KNOX
Mr. Perry.
MR. PERRY
Keep your seats, boys. How's it going?
THE BOYS
Fine, sir. Thank you.
MR. PERRY
Neil, I've decided that you're taking
too many extracurricular activities.
I've spoken to Mr. Nolan about it and you
can work on the school annual next year.
NEIL
But father, I'm assistant editor.
MR. PERRY
I'm sorry, Neil.
NEIL
But father, it's not fair.
MR. PERRY
Fellows, would you excuse us a minute?
Mr. Perry walks into the hall, Neil follows.
12 INT. THE JUNIOR DORMITORY HALLWAY - SAME 12
MR. PERRY
I will not be disputed in public, do you
understand me?
NEIL
Father, I wasn't disputing you.
MR. PERRY
When you've finished medical school and
you're on your own, you can do as you
please. Until then, you will listen to
me.
NEIL
Yes sir. I'm sorry.
MR. PERRY
You know what this means to your mother,
don't you?
NEIL
Yes sir.
Using the pressures of guilt and punishment, Mr. Perry is the
most subtle of bullies. Neil's resolve crumbles in front of
his authoritarian father. Neil fills the pause.
NEIL (CONT'D)
You know me, always taking on too much.
MR. PERRY
Good boy. Call us if you need anything.
He turns and walks off.
13 INT. NEIL'S ROOM 13
The others wait in silence. A chastened Neil enters.
CHARLIE
Why doesn't he let you do what you want?
KNOX
Yeah! Tell him off! It couldn't get
any worse.
NEIL
Oh that's rich. Like you tell your
parents off, Mr. Future Lawyer and Mr.
Future Banker!
Neil takes the school annual achievement pin off his shirt
and hurls it at his desk.
KNOX
Wait a minute. I don't let my parents
walk on me.
NEIL
Yeah, you just do everything they say!
You'll be in daddy's law firm as sure as
I'm standing here.
(to Charlie)
And you'll be approving loans till you
croak.
CHARLIE
Okay, so I don't like it any more than
you do. I'm just saying
NEIL
Then don't tell me how to talk to my
father when you're the same way. All
right?!
KNOX
All right. Jesus, what are you gonna
do?
NEIL
What I have to do. Screw the annual.
MEEKS
I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over
it. It's just a bunch of people trying
to impress Nolan.
NEIL
(bitterly)
Screw it all. I don't give a damn about
any of it.
He slams his hand into his pillow and lies back silently.
Everyone is quiet, sensing Neil's disappointment. Finally,
Charlie breaks the silence.
CHARLIE
I don't know about anyone else, but I
could use a refresher in Latin. Eight
o'clock in my room?
NEIL
Sure.
CHARLIE
You're welcome to join us, Todd.
KNOX
Yeah, come along.
TODD
Thank you.
The boys leave. Neil lies in silence. He sees the
achievement pin that he threw and picks it up. Todd continues
to unpack. He unpacks a photo of his mother and father with
their arms around an older boy who is obviously Todd's brother
Jeffrey. Todd stands to one side, slightly apart from the
family group. Todd unpacks an engraved leather desk set
(pens, blotter, etc.) and puts it on his desk.
NEIL
So what do you think of my father?
TODD
(softly, to himself)
I'll take him over mine.
NEIL
What?
TODD
Nothing.
NEIL
Todd, if you're gonna make it around
here, you've gotta speak up. The meek
might inherit the earth but they don't
get into Harvard. know what I mean?
Todd nods.
NEIL (CONT'D)
The goddamn bastard!
He presses the metal point of the pin into his thumb, drawing
blood. Todd winces. Neil doesn't. Neil hurls the pin again.
14 INT. A CHEMISTRY CLASSROOM - DAY 14
The classroom is a laboratory: filled with flasks, etc.
Neil, Todd, Knox, Charlie, Cameron, Meeks and other members of
the junior class sit around the room. A bespectacled teacher
stands in front, passing out thick textbooks.
CHEMISTRY TEACHER
In addition to the assignments in the
text, you will each pick three lab
experiments from the project list and
report on one every five weeks. The
first twenty problems at the end of
chapter one are due: tomorrow.
ANGLE ON CHARLIE DALTON as the thick textbooks arrive at his
desk. He shoots a disbelieving glance at Knox Overstreet who
can only acknowledge with a shake of his head. Todd takes his
books without reacting.
15 INT. LATIN CLASS - DAY 15
The same students sit before a Latin teacher in his early
60's He declines a Latin noun with a thick Scottish brogue.
LATIN TEACHER (McALLISTER)
Agricola, agricolae, agricolas,
Agricolas, agricolatis, agricolatus
ANGLE FAVORING TODD, NEIL, KNOX AND THE OTHERS as they
struggle to follow along with McAllister's lesson.
16 INT. A MATHEMATICS CLASS - DAY 16
Mathematical charts hang on the walls. The elderly bald
teacher (the one from Nolan's doorway), Dr. Hager, passes out
books. The students' work load is huge.
HAGER
Your study of trigonometry requires
absolute precision. Anyone failing to
turn in any homework assignment will be
penalized one point off his final grade.
Let me urge you now not to test me on
this point. Who would like to begin by
defining a cosine?
Richard Cameron stands.
CAMERON
A cosine is the sin of the compliment of
an angle or arc. If we define an angle
A, then...
17 INT. ENGLISH CLASSROOM - DAY 17
The junior students--Todd, Neil, Knox, Charlie, Cameron,
Meeks and some of the others we've seen--enter. They are
loaded down with books and look weary. Sitting in the front
of the room, staring out the window is JOHN KEATING, the
teacher we glimpsed earlier. He wears a collared shirt, tie,
no jacket.
The boys take seats and settle in. Keating stares out the
window a long time. The students start to shuffle
uncomfortably. Finally Keating stands, picks up a yardstick,
and begins slowly strolling the aisles. He stops and stares
into the face of one of the boys.
KEATING
(to the blushing boy)
Don't be embarrassed.
He moves off, then stops in front of Charlie Dalton.
KEATING (CONT'D)
(as if discovering
something known only to
himself)
Uh-huh
(he moves to Todd Anderson)
Uh-huh
(he moves to Neil Perry)
Ha!
Keating slaps his free hand with the yardstick, then strides
to the front of the room.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Nimble young minds!
He steps up onto the desk, turns and faces the class.
KEATING (CONT'D)
(energetically)
Oh Captain, My Captain. Who knows where
that's from?
No one raises a hand.
KEATING (CONT'D)
It was written by a poet named Walt
Whitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. In
this class you may refer to me as either
Mr. Keating, or Oh Captain, My Captain.
Keating steps down and starts. strolling the aisles.
KEATING (CONT'D)
So that I become the source of as few
rumors as possible, let me tell you that
yes, I was a student at this institution
many moons ago, and no, at that time I
did not possess this charismatic
personality. However, should you choose
to emulate my manner, it can only help
your grade. Pick up a textbook from the
back, gentlemen, and let's retire to the
honor room.
He steps off the desk and walks out. The students sit, not
sure what to do, then realize they are to follow him. They
quickly gather their books, pick up texts, and follow.
18 INT. THE WELTON OAK PANELED HONOR ROOM - DAY 18
This is the room where the boys waited earlier. The walls
are lined with class pictures: dating back into the 1800s.
School trophies of every description fill trophy cases and
shelves. Keating leads the students in, then faces the class.
KEATING
Mister...
(Keating looks at his roll)
Pitts. An unfortunate name. Stand up,
Mister Pitts.
Pitts stands.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Open your text, Pitts, to page forty and read for us the
first stanza of the poem.
Pitts looks through his book. He finds the poem.
PITTS
To The Virgins to Make Much Of Time?
KEATING
That's the one.
Giggles in the class. Pitts reads.
PITTS
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Old time is still a flying
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
KEATING
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. The
Latin term for that sentiment is "Carpe
Diem." Anyone know what that means?
MEEKS
Carpe Diem... seize the day.
KEATING
Very good, Mr._?
MEEKS
Meeks.
KEATING
Seize the day while you're young, see
that you make use of your time. Why does
the poet write these lines?
A STUDENT
Because he's in a hurry?
KEATING
Because we're food for worms, lads!
Because we're only going to experience a
limited number of springs, summers, and
falls. One day, hard as it is to
believe, each and every one of us is
going to stop breathing, turn cold, and
die! Stand up and peruse the faces of
the boys who attended this school sixty
or seventy years ago. Don't be timid, go
look at them.
The boys get up. Todd, Neil, Knox, Meeks, etc. go over to
the class pictures that line the honor room walls.
ANGLES ON VARIOUS PICTURES ON THE WALLS. Faces of young men
stare at us from out of the past.
KEATING
They're not that different than any of
you, are they? There's hope in their
eyes, just like in yours. They believe
themselves destined for wonderful things,
just like many of you. Well, where are
those smiles now, boys? What of that
hope?
THE BOYS are staring at the pictures, sobered by what Keating
is saying.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Did most of them not wait until it was
too late before making their lives into
even one iota of what they were capable?
In chasing the almighty deity of success
did they not squander their boyhood
dreams? Most of those gentlemen are
fertilizing daffodils! However, if you
get very close, boys, you can hear them
whisper. Go ahead, lean in. near it?
(loud whisper)
'Carpe Diem, lads. Seize the day. Make
your lives extraordinary. -
Todd, Neil, Knox, Charlie, Cameron,
Meeks, Pitts all stare into the pictures
on the wall. All are lost in thought.
19 EXT. THE WELTON CAMPUS - DAY 19
The class files out of the honor room. Todd, Neil, Knox,
Charlie, Cameron, Necks, and Pitts walk together, books in
hand. All thinking about what just happened in class.
PITTS
Weird.
NEIL
But different.
KNOX
Spooky if you ask me.
CAMERON
You think he'll test us on that stuff?
CHARLIE
Oh come on, Cameron, don't you get
anything?
EXT. THE WELTON CAMPUS - CONTINUOUS
MEEKS
How about a trig study group? Right
after dinner.
VARIOUS BOYS
Good by me. Sure. Great.
KNOX
I can't make it. I got a sign-out to
have dinner at the Danburrys' house.
PITTS
Who are the Danburrys?
CAMERON
Big alum,. How'd you pull that?
KNOX
They're friends of my dad. Probably in
their nineties or something.
NEIL
Listen, anything's, better than mystery
meat.
CHARLIE
I'll second that.
The group disperses. Neil finds himself walking near Todd
who has been silent through this whole discussion.
NEIL
Want to come to the study group?
TODD
Thanks but I'd better do history.
20 INT. TODD AND NEIL'S DORM ROOM - LATE AFTERNOON 20
Todd enters alone. He puts down his books and sits at his
desk. Flipping through the stack of books in front of him, he
sighs at the work load that is piling up.
Todd takes out his notebook and opens his history book. He
stares at his notebook for a moment, then writes "SEIZE THE
DAY" in big letters. He looks at the words that he's written,
sighs, tears the page off, then plunges into his homework.
A21 EXT. THE WELTON CAMPUS - DUSK - WIDE SHOT A21
The autumnal colors are muted by the onset of nightfall. Old
Dr. Hager drives the school "woody" station wagon out of the
campus.
B21 EXT. WALTON VILLAGE (NEW CASTLE) - DUSK - WOODY DRIVE-BY B21
21 EXT./INT. A LARGE MANSION - DUSK 21
Knox Overstreet gets out of the woody. Dr. Hager pulls away.
Knox walks to the door of the home and is admitted by a maid.
Knox is amazed by this palatial home.
22 INT. THE DANBURRY MANSION LIBRARY - DUSK 22
JOE DANBURRY is a sharp looking man of about 40, well
dressed, friendly. His wife, an attractive blonde about the
same age, sits beside him.
JOE DANBURRY
Knox, come in. Joe Danburry. This is
my wife, Janette.
KNOX
(surprised)
Nice to meet you.
MRS. DANBURRY
You're the spitting image of your
father. How is he?
KNOX
Great. Just did a big case for GM.
JOE DANBURRY
Ah. I know where you're headed. Like
father like son, eh?
(looking off screen)
Ginny. Come meet Knox.
GINNY DANBURRY--15, cute, shy, a shock of misplaced hair--
enters.
MRS. DANBURRY
Knox, this is our daughter, Virginia.
GINNY
Ginny, mom.
Knox shakes her hand. His "hello" is polite. Her "hi" is
shy.
CHET DANBURRY--a tall jock of a guy a couple of years older
than Knox--enters. With him is a lovely teenage brunette,
CHRIS NOEL, in a short tennis dress. Soft glowing eyes,
athletic figure, this girl is stunning.
CHET
Dad, can I take the Buick?
JOE DANBURRY
What's wrong with your car?
MRS. DANBURRY
Chet, where are your manners? Knox,
this is my son Chet and his girlfriend
Chris Noel. This is Knox Overstreet.
Excuse me while I check on dinner.
CHET
(perfunctorily)
Hi.
Knox shakes Chet's hand. Knox is THUNDERSTRUCK by Chris.
Chris offers Knox her hand and a smile. Knox shakes her hand1
his mouth practically hanging open.
CHRIS
Pleased to meet you.
KNOX
The pleasure is mine.
CHET
Come on, Dad, why is this always a big
deal?
JOE DANBURRY
Because I bought you a sports car and
suddenly you want my car all the time.
CHET
Chris' mom feels safer when we're in a
bigger car. Right, Chris?
Chet shoots her a wicked smile. Chris blushes.
CHRIS
It's all right, Chet.
CHET
It's not all right. Come on, Dad
Joe Danburry walks out of the room. Chet follows him.
CHET (CONT'D)
Come on, Dad.
Knox, Ginny, and Chris remain in the room. Knox smiles at
Chris.
KNOX
So, uh, where are you in school?
CHRIS
Ridgeway High. How's Henley Hall, Gin?
Ginny
(flat)
Okay.
CHRIS
(to Knox)
That's your sister school, right?
KNOX
Sort of.
CHRIS
(to Ginny)
You going out for the Henley Hall play?
(to Knox)
They're doing "A Midsummer Night's
Dream."
GINNY
Maybe.
KNOX
How did you meet Chet?
(both girls look at him)
I mean... Er...
CHRIS
He plays on the Ridgeway football team
and I'm a cheerleader. He used to go to
Welton but he flunked out.
(to Ginny)
You should do it, Gin. You'd be great.
Ginny looks down, shyly. Chet comes to the door.
CHET
Chris. We got it. Let's go.
CHRIS
Nice meeting you, Knox. Bye, Gin.
KNOX
(dying inside)
Nice meeting you. Chris.
Chris and Chet exit. Through the window, we see Chet and
Chris walk out and put their arms around each other.
GINNY
(confiding to Knox)
Chet just wants the Buick so they can go parking.
KNOX
Oh.
Outside, Chris and Chet get in the Buick and kiss. Knox
stares with envy.
GINNY
something wrong?
KNOX
Nah.
23 EXT. DANBURRY HOUSE - DUSK 23
Chet and Chris drive off.
24 INT. THS JUNIOR CLASS LOUNGE - NIGHT 24
The dorm is quiet. Neil, Cameron, Weeks, Charlie and Pitts
are gathered studying math. As they do, Pitts works to
assemble a small crystal radio. Todd is in his room, studying
alone. Knox, looking shell-shocked, shuffles into the lobby.
CHARLIE
How was dinner?
KNOX
Terrible. Awful! I met the most
beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life!
NEIL
Are you crazy? What's wrong with that?
KNOX
She's practically engaged to Chet
Danburry. Mr. Mondo Jocko himself.
PITTS
Too bad.
KNOX
It's not too bad. It's a tragedy! Why
does she have to be in love with a jerk?!
PITTS
All the good ones go for jerks, you know
that. Forget her. Take out your trig
book and figure out problem twelve.
KNOX
I can't just forget her, Pitts. And I
certainly can't think about math!
MEEKS
Sure you can. You're off on a tangent--
so you're halfway into trig already
CAMERON
Duh, Meeks!
MEEKS
(sheepishly)
I thought it was clever.
KNOX
(sitting down)
You really think I should forget her?
PITTS
You have another choice.
Knox drops to his knee like he is proposing.
KNOX
Only you, Pittsie.
Pitts pushes Knox away. Knox sits back down but despair is
beginning to wash over him.
25/26 OMIT 25/26
26A EXT: WELTON CAMPUS - MORNING 26A
The Welton bagpiper marches on the lawn, practicing. Students
emerge from their dorms and head to breakfast.
27 INT. KEATING'S ENGLISH CLASS - DAY 27
The lights are out and shades are drawn. Keating sits in a
chair beside the teacher's desk. He looks solemn. All is
still.
KEATING
(soft and soothing voice)
Boys, quietly open your texts to page
54
The boys follow instructions. Keating reads the following in
a tone of quiet reverence.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Little Boy Blue, by Eugene Field:
The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and staunch he stands.
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands;
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue,
Kissed them and put them there.
'Now don't you go till I come,' he said,
'And don't you make any noise!'
So toddling off to his trundle bed
He dreampt of pretty toys;
And as he was dreaming, an angel song,
Awakened our Little Boy Blue--
Oh the years are many, the years are
long,
But the little toy friends are true.
Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place--
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face.
And they wonder, as waiting the long years thru,
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.
Keating is a masterful reader. With his marvelous voice, he
has milked this sentimental poem for everything it is worth.
Many of the boys are on the verge of tears. Suddenly Keating
shouts
KEATING (CONT'D)
AHHGGGG!!
The students jump halfway out of their seats.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Treacle! Mawkish treacle! Rip it out
of your books. Rip out the entire page!
I want this sentimental rubbish in the
trash where it belongs!
He marches down the aisles with the trash can and waits for
each boy to deposit the page from his textbook. The boys,
having been led down the sentimental path, cannot help but
laugh at this sudden change of mood.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Make a clean tear. I want nothing left
of it! Eugene Field! Disgraceful.
27A INT.MCALLISTER'S CLAS5RDOM - DAY 27A
Mr. McAllister, the Scottish Latin teacher, exits his room
and walks across the hall to Keating's classroom. He peeks in
the door window and sees boys ripping pages out of their
books. Alarmed, McAllister opens the door and enters
Keating's room.
27B INT. KEATING'S CLASSROOM - SAME 27B
McAllister is about to reprimand the boys when suddenly he
sees Keating.
McALLISTER
What the... Sorry, I didn't think you
were in here, Mr. Keating.
Baffled and embarrassed, McAllister exits. Keating strides
back to the front of the room, Flits the trash can on the
floor, and jumps into it. He stomps the trash a few times,
then kicks the can away.
KEATING
This is battle, boys. War! You are
souls at a critical juncture. Either you
will succumb to the will of hoi polloi
and the fruit will die on the vine--or
you will triumph as individuals. It may
be a coincidence that part of my duties
are to teach you about Romanticism, but
let me assure you that I take the task
quite seriously. You will learn what
this school wants you to learn in my
class, but if I do my job properly, you
will also learn a great deal more. You
will learn to savor language and words
because they are the stepping stones to
everything you might endeavor to do in
life and do well. A moment ago I used
the term 'hoi polloi.' Who knows what it
means? Come on, Overstreet, you twirp.
(laughter)
Anderson, are you a man or a boil?
More laughter. All eyes are on Todd. He visibly tenses all
over. He cannot bring himself to speak. He shakes his head
jerkily "no.'. Meeks raises his hands and speaks:
MEEKS
The hoi polloi. Doesn't it mean the
herd?
KEATING
Precisely, Meeks. Greek for the herd.
However, be warned that, when you say
"the hoi polloi" you are actually saying
the the herd. Indicating that you too
are "hoi polloi."
Keating grins wryly. Meeks smiles. More chuckles. Keating
paces to the back of the room.
KEATING (CONT'D)
Now, many will argue that nineteenth--
century literature has nothing to do with
business school or medical school. They
think we should I read our Field and
Pipple, learn our rhyme and meter, and
quietly go about it our business of
achieving other ambitions.
He slams his hand on the wall behind him. The wall booms
like a drum. The boys jump and turn around.
KEATING (CONT'D)
(defiant whisper)
Well, I say drivel! One reads poetry
because he is a member of the human race
and the human race is filled with
passion! Medicine, Law, Banking-these
are necessary to sustain life-but poetry,
romance, love, beauty! These are what we
stay alive for. I read from Whitman.
Oh me, Oh life of the questions of these
recurring. OF the endless trains of the
faithless of cities filled with the
foolish... skipping... What good amid these O
me, O life? Answer: That you are here-
That life exists and identity That the
powerful play goes on, and you may
contribute a verse."
Keating pauses. The class sits, taking this in.
KEATING (CONT'D)
(awestruck tone)
"That the powerful play goes on, and you
may contribute a verse." Incredible.
(pause)
Poetry is rapture, lads. Without it we are doomed.
Keating waits a long moment.
KEATING (CONT'D)
What will your verse be?
CLOSE ON the faces of NEIL, KNOX, CHARLIE, MEEKS, CHAMERON,
PITTS, and TODD as they contemplate this question. Softly,
Keating breaks the mood:
KEATING (CONT'D)
Let's open our textbooks to page sixty
and learn about Wordsworth notion of
romanticism...
25 INT. THE WELTON DINING ROOM - DAY 25
On the dais in the front of the room is the teacher's dining
table. Below them are the students' tables. Mr. McAllister
sits to Keating's right.
McALLISTER
Quite an interesting class you had
today, Mr. Keating.
KEATING
Sorry if I shocked you.
McALLISTER
No need to apologize. It was quite
fascinating, misguided though it was.
KEATING
You heard it all?
McALLISTER
You're hardly a Trappist monk.
McAllister smiles. So does Keating.
McALLISTER (CONT'D)
You take a big risk encouraging them to
be artists, John. When they realize
they're not Rembrants or Shakespeares or
Picassos, they'll hate you for it.
KEATING
Not artists, George, free thinkers. And
I hardly pegged you as a cynic.
McALLISTER
A cynic? A realist! Show me the heart
unfettered by foolish dreams and I'll
show you a happy man.
He chews a bite.
McALLISTER (CONT'D)
But I will enjoy listening to your
lectures
Keating grins with amusement
ANOTHER ANGLE - THE DINNING ROOM - SAME
Todd, Knox, Charlie, Cameron, Pitts, and Meeks sit at a table
eating. Neil enters and joins them.
NEIL
I found his senior annual in the
library.
Neil opens the annual and reads.
NEIL (CONT'D)
Captain of the soccer team, editor of
the annual, Cambridge bound, Man most
likely to do anything, Thigh man, Dead
Poets Society.
Hands grab the old annual away from Neil.
CHARLIE
Thigh man? Mr. "K" was a hell raiser.
KNOX
What is the Dead Poets Society?
MEEKS
Any group pictures in the annual?
NEIL
Nothing. No mention of it.
CHARLIE
Nolan.
Mr. Nolan approaches the boys' table. Under the table,
Cameron insistently hands the annual to Todd. Todd looks at
Cameron, then takes it.
NOLAN
Enjoying your classes, Mr. Perry?
NEIL
Yes sir. Very much.
NOLAN
And our Mr. Keating. Finding him
interesting, boys?
CHARLIE
Yes sir. We were just talking about
that.
NOLAN
Good. We're very excited about him. He
was a Rhodes Scholar, you know.
Nolan exits. Todd looks at the annual that he hides in his
lap under the table, then continues eating.
29 EXT. THE CAMPUS - LATER 29
Keating walks across the school lawn wearing his sport coat
and a scarf, carrying his books. Pitts, Neil, Cameron, Knox,
Charlie, Meeks and Todd approach him.
NEIL
Mr. Keating? Sir? Oh Captain My Captain.
(Keating stops)
What was the Dead Poets Society?
KEATING
Ah, so you boy's have been snooping.
NEIL
I was just looking in an old annual and...
KEATING
Nothing wrong with research.
The boys wait for more.
NEIL
But what was it?
Keating checks around to be sure they are unwatched.
KEATING
The Dead Poets was a secret
organization. I don't know how the
present administration would look upon it
but I doubt the reaction would be
favorable. Can you keep a secret?
An instant sea of nods.
KEATING
The Dead Poets Society was dedicating to
sucking the marrow out of life. That
phrase is by Thoreau and was invoked at
every meeting. A small group of us would
meet at a cave and there we would take
turns reading Shelley, Thoreau, Whitman,
our own verse-any number of poets-and, in
the enchantment of the moment, let them
work their magic on us.
KNOX
You mean it was a bunch of guys sitting
around reading poetry?
KEATING
(amused)
Both sexes participated, Mr. Overstreet.
And, believe me, we did not simply read,
we let it drip from our tongues like
honey. Women swooned, spirits soared...
Gods were created, gentlemen.
The boys think a minute.
NEIL
What did the name mean. Did you only
read dead poets.
KEATING
All poetry was acceptable. The name
simply referred to the fact, that to join
the organization, you had to be dead.
SEVERAL
What?
KEATING
Full membership required a lifetime of
apprenticeship. The living were simply
pledges. Alas, even I am still a lowly
initiate.
The boys don't quite know what to say.
KEATING (CONT'D)
The last meeting must have been 25 years
ago. Hasn't been another since.
Keating exits. The boys stand watching. Neil turns to them.
NEIL
I say we go tonight. Everybody in?
PITTS
Where is this cave he's talking about?
NEIL
Beyond the stream. I think I know.
PITTS
That's miles.
CAMERON
Sounds boring to me.
CHARLIE
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