Download - Dead Poets Society Final Script

8/20/2019 Dead Poets Society Final Script

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Dead Poets Society: Final ScriptINT. WELTON ACADEMY HALLWAY - DAY

A young boy, dressed in a school uniform and cap, fidgets as his motheradjusts his tie.

MOTHERNow remember, keep your shoulders back.

A student opens up a case and removes a set of bagpipes. The youngboy and his brother line up for a photograph

PHOTOGRAPHEROkay, put your arm around your brother.That's it. And breathe in.

The young boy blinks as the flash goes off.

PHOTOGRAPHROkay, one more.

An old man lights a single candle. A teacher goes over the oldman's duties.

TEACHERNow just to review, you're going tofollow along the procession until youget to the headmaster. At that pointhe will indicate to you to light thecandles of the boys.

MANAll right boys, let's settle down.

The various boys, including NEIL, KNOX, and CAMERON, line up holdingbanners. Ahead of them is the old man, followed by the boy with thebagpipes with the two youngest boys at the front.

MANBanners up.

The boys hoist the banners and the bagpipes begin to play loudly. Thesmall group marches out of the room and down a set of stairs into achurch. The pews are filled with students and parents while theteachers, all dressed in robes, are seated at the front of the church

behind the headmaster.

The boys break off to either side at the front of the church. Thebagpipes cease and the headmaster, MR. NOLAN, walks over to the oldman carrying the candle.

MR NOLANLadies and gentlemen, boys, the lightof knowledge.

An organ begins to play as the old man goes forward with shaking handsto the young boys in the front pew. Each boy is holding a candle andhe bends over to light the first one. Each boy in turn lights the

candle of the boy next to him.

MR NOLAN


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One hundred years ago, in 1859, 41 boys sat in thisroom and were asked the same question that greetsyou at the start of each semester. Gentlemen, whatare the four pillars?

All throughout the pews, uniformed boys rise to their feet. TODD, whois not wearing a uniform, is urged by his father to stand with them.

BOYSTradition, honor, discipline, excellence.

The boys quickly return to their seats.

MR NOLANIn her first year, Welton Academy graduated fivestudents. Last year we graduated fifty-one. Andmore than seventy-five percent of those went on tothe Ivy League. This, this kind of accomplishment isthe result of fervent dedication to the principles taught

here. This is why you parents have been sending usyour sons. This is why we are the best preparatoryschool in the United States.

Mr. Nolan soaks up the applause from the audience.

MR NOLANAs you know, our beloved Mr. Portius of the Englishdepartment retired last term. You will have theopportunity later to meet his replacement, Mr. JohnKeating, himself a graduate of this school. And who,for the past several years, has been teaching at thehighly regarded Chester School in London.

The crowd applauds once again.

EXT. SCHOOL GROUNDS - DAY

The school lawn is a filled with luggage, students, and parents mullingabout in every direction.

INT CHURCH ENTRANCE - DAY

Mr Nolan stands by the entrance, speaking with each family as they leave.

MR NOLANGlad you could come by.

MR ANDERSONThrilling ceremony as usual Dr. Nolan.

MR NOLANYou've been away too long.

MRS ANDERSONHello Dr. Nolan.

MR NOLAN

Good to have you back.

MRS ANDERSON


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This is our youngest, Todd.

MR NOLANMr. Anderson.You have some big shoes to fill,young man. Your brother was one of our finest.

TODD

Thank you.

Todd and his parents leave while others file past Mr. Nolan.

WOMANLovely ceremony.

MR NOLANThank you. So glad you liked it.

MR PERRY approaches with his son Neil. He shakes Mr. Nolan's hand.

MR PERRYGale

MR NOLANTom

MR PERRYGood to see you again.

NEILHello Mr. Nolan.

MR NOLAN

Neil. We expect great things from you this year.

NEILThank you, sir.

MR PERRYWell he won't disappoint us. Right Neil?

NEILI'll do my best sir.

EXT SCHOOL GROUNDS - DAY

A bell tolls. Parents begin wishing their boys farewell.

FATHERHey, come on son.

MOTHERChin up.

FATHERNo tears now.

BOY

Okay.

MOTHER


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Chin up.

Another boy hugs his mother.

BOYI don't want to go here.

MOTHERYou be a good boy and do your lessons.

EXT SCHOOL GROUNDS - DAY

Neil emerges from a building and sees Todd.

NEILHey, I hear we're gonna be roommates.

He shakes Todd's hand.

NEILI'm Neil Perry.

TODDTodd Anderson.

NEILWhy'd you leave Balincrest?

TODDMy brother went here.

NEIL

Oh, so you're that Anderson.

INT DORMATORY - DAY

DR. HAGER is standing in his room doorway while SPAZ and his father aregoing over some last minute precautions over the boy's allergies. Spaz'sfather hands Hager various bottles.

FATHERThis is for sinuses. Oh, and if he can't swallow yougive him one of these. And if he had trouble breathingyou can give him some of those.

HAGERAll right fine.

Dr. Hager takes the bottles and quickly backs into his room, shuttingthe door.

FATHER (to son)

Did you remember your vaporizer?

SPAZYes, I put it in my room.

Spaz's father tries to say something else to Dr. Hager but realizes hehas already gone.


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INT HALLWAY - DAY

Neil pushes his way through a crowd of boys, carrying two suitcases. Ashe enters his room, Knox quickly passes by.

KNOX

Hey, how's it going Neil?

NEILHey Knox.

Cameron comes by and leans against the doorway.

CAMERONNeil, study group tonight?

NEILYeah, sure.

CAMERONBusiness as usual, huh? Hey, I hear you got the newkid. Looks like a stiff!

He begins laughing when he notices Todd coming into the room.

CAMERONOops!

Cameron quickly leaves. Neil tries to keep from laughing as Todd entersthe room and sets his luggage down on his bed.

NEILListen, don't mind Cameron. He was born with hisfoot in his mouth. You know what I mean?

He pulls some papers from his blazer pocket and playfully whacks Toddacross the back with it.

CHARLIE comes to the door with a smug expression on his face. Knox andMEEKS are close behind him. He points at Neil

CHARLIERumor has it, you did summer school.

NEILYep. Chemistry. My father thought I should get ahead.How was your summer Slick?

CHARLIEKeen.

The boys enter the room. Charlie turns around and looks at Meeks who isjust entering.

CHARLIEMeeks. Door. Closed.

MEEKSYes sir.


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NEILGentlemen, what are the four pillars?

BOYSTravesty. Horror. Decadence. Excrement.

Charlie makes himself comfortable on Neil's bed and lights up a cigarette.Meanwhile, Todd is by his bed unpacking his luggage.

CHARLIEOkay, study group. Meeks aced Latin. I didn't quiteflunk English. So, if you want, we've got our studygroup.

NEILSure. Cameron asked me too. Anyone mindincluding him?

CHARLIEHmm, what's his specialty, boot-licking?

NEILCome on, he's your roommate.

CHARLIEThat's not my fault.

Meeks seems to notice Todd for the first time.

MEEKSOh, I'm sorry, my name is Steven Meeks.

Neil quickly gets up from his spot by the window.

NEILOh, this is Todd Anderson.

Todd turns around and shakes hands with Meeks.

MEEKSNice to meet you.

TODDNice to meet you.

CHARLIECharlie Dalton.

Charlie continues to lay on the bed, looking smug. Knox extends a hand.

KNOXKnox Overstreet.

NEILTodd's brother was Jeffrey Anderson.

CHARLIEOh yeah, sure. Valedictorian. National merit scholar.


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MEEKSOh well, welcome to Hell-ton.

CHARLIEIt's every bit as tough as they say, unless you're agenius like Meeks.

MEEKSHe flatters me. That's why I help him with Latin.

CHARLIEAnd English, and Trig.

Charlie begins coughing. There is a knock at the door. Charlie quicklystamps out his cigarette on the floor and Neil tries to wave the smokefrom the air.

NEILIt's open.

The door opens and Mr. Perry walks into the room. Neil quickly rises fromthe window.

NEILFather, I thought you'd gone.

The other boys stand up when he enters.

BOYSMr. Perry.

MR PERRY

Keep your seats fellows, keep your seats. Neil, I'vejust spoken to Mr. Nolan. I think that you're takingtoo many extra curricular activities this semester, andI've decided that you should drop the school annual.

NEILBut I'm the assistant editor this year.

MR PERRYWell I'm sorry Neil.

NEILBut Father, I can't. It wouldn't be fair.

MR PERRYFellas, would you excuse us for a moment?

Mr. Perry walks towards the door and Neil hesitantly follows. Mr. Perrypauses by the door and smiles to the other boys.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

The smile has gone from Mr. Perry's face. He grabs a hold of Neil's arm.

MR PERRY

Don't you ever dispute me in public. Do youunderstand?


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NEILFather, I wasn't disputing-

MR PERRYAfter you've finished medical school and you're on your own, then youcan do as you damn well please. But until then, you do as I tell you.Is that clear?

NEILYes sir. I'm sorry.

MR PERRYYou know how much this means to your mother,don't you?

NEILYes sir. You know me, always taking on too much.

MR PERRY

Well, that's my boy. Now listen, you need anything,you let us know, huh?

NEILYes sir.

Mr. Perry slaps his son on the shoulder and leaves. Neil leans his headback against the wall as the other boys emerge from the room.

CHARLIEWhy doesn't he let you do what you want?

KNOX

Yeah Neil, tell him off. It couldn't get any worse.

NEILOh, that's rich. Like you guys tell your parents off, Mr.Future Lawyer and Mr. Future Banker.

CHARLIEOkay, so I don't like it any more than you do.

NEILWell just don't tell me how to talk to my father. Youguys are the same way.

KNOXAll right, all right, Jesus. So what are you going to do?

NEILWhat I have to do. Drop the annual.

CHARLIEWell I wouldn't lose much sleep over it. It's just abunch of jerks trying to impress Nolan.

NEILI don't care. I don't give a damn about any of it.

MEEKSWell, uh, Latin, eight o' clock in my room?


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NEILYes.

MEEKSTodd, you're welcome to join us.

KNOXYeah, come along pal.

Todd looks up from his desk where he is setting his alarm clock.

TODDThanks.

EXT. FIELDS - DAY

A clock bell chimes five o'clock. Enormous flocks of birds, apparentlydisturbed by the noise, take to the sky.

INT. STAIRCASE - DAY

The sound of squawking birds merges into the sound of noisy boys as theydescend the stairs in a long spiralling line.

MR. MCALLISTER tries to make it upstairs against the steady stream.

MCALLISTERSlow down boys, slow down you horriblephalanx of pubescense.

INT CHEMISTRY LAB - DAY

A teacher walks up and down the aisles, handing out books.

TEACHERPick three laboratory experiments fromthe project list and report on them everyfive weeks. The first twenty questions atthe end of chapter one are due tomorrow.

The students let out a collective groan.

INT. LATIN CLASSROOM - DAY

Mr. McAllister paces back and forth in front of the blackboard and getsthe students to repeat everything he says.

MCALLISTER (students repeat after each word.)

Agricolam. Agricola. Agricolae.Agricolarum. Agricolis. Agricolas.Agrilcolis.

Again, please.Agricola.

INT. MATH CLASSROOM - DAY

Dr. Hager walks up the classroom aisles with his arms behind his back.


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HAGERYour study of trigonometry requires absolute precision.Anyone failing to turn in any homework assignment willbe penalized one point off their final grade. Let me urgeyou now not to test me on this point.

INT. KEATING'S CLASSROOM - DAY

Students enter Keating's classroom, talking and acting up. Keatingglances out from his room off to one side.

KNOXHey Spaz, Spaz.

Spaz turns around in time to be hit by a ball of crumpled up paperwhile Cameron smacks him on the shoulder.

CAMERON

Brain damage.

The students quickly quiet down as Keating emerges from the other room,whistling the 1812 Overture. He walks up the length of the classroom andout the door without a word. The students look around at one another,uncertain of what to do. Keating pokes his head back in the doorway.

KEATINGWell come on.

He gestures them to follow and the students, after some hesitation, grabtheir books and follow Keating out into the main entranceway.

INT. ENTRANCEWAY - DAY

Keating stands before the school's trophy cabinets and waits until allthe boys arrive.

KEATING"Oh Captain, My Captain" who knows wherethat comes from?

Todd looks up as if he knows the answer, but says nothing. Spaz blows hisnose a little too close to Meeks for his liking.

KEATINGNot a clue? It's from a poem by WaltWhitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Now inthis class you can call me Mr. Keating. Or,if you're slightly more daring, Oh Captain,My Captain.

The students laugh slightly.

KEATINGNow let me dispel a few rumors so theydon't fester into facts. Yes, I tooattended Hell-ton and survived. And no,

at that time I was not the mental giantyou see before you. I was the intellectualequivalent of a ninety-eight pound


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weakling. I would go to the beach andpeople would kick copies of Byron in myface.

The boys laugh once again, while Cameron, obviously trying to write allthis down, looks around confusedly. Keating looks down at papers in hishand.

KEATINGNow, Mr Pitts. That's a ratherunfortunate name. Mr. Pitts, where areyou?

Pitts raises his hand while everyone around him snickers.

KEATINGMr. Pitts, would you open your hymnal to page 542 and read the firststanza of the poem you find there?

PITTS"To the virgins, to make much of time"?

KEATINGYes, that's the one. Somewhat appropriate,isn't it.

PITTS"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, oldtime is still a flying, and this sameflower that smiles today, tomorrow willbe dying."

KEATINGThank you Mr. Pitts. "Gather ye rosebudswhile ye may." The Latin term for thatsentiment is Carpe Diem. Now who knowswhat that means?

Meeks immediately puts his hand up.

MEEKSCarpe Diem. That's "seize the day."

KEATINGVery good, Mr.-

MEEKSMeeks.

KEATINGMeeks. Another unusual name. Seize theday. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.Why does the writer use these lines?

CHARLIEBecause he's in a hurry.

KEATINGNo, ding!


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Keating slams his hand down on an imaginary buzzer.

KEATINGThank you for playing anyway. Because weare food for worms lads. Because, believeit or not, each and every one of us inthis room is one day going to stop

breathing, turn cold, and die.

Keating turns towards the trophy cases, filled with trophies, footballs,and team pictures.

KEATINGNow I would like you to step forward overhere and peruse some of the faces fromthe past. You've walked past them manytimes. I don't think you've really lookedat them.

The students slowly gather round the cases and Keating moves behind them.

KEATINGThey're not that different from you, arethey? Same haircuts. Full of hormones,just like you. Invincible, just like youfeel. The world is their oyster. Theybelieve they're destined for great things,just like many of you. Their eyes are fullof hope, just like you. Did they wait untilit was too late to make from their liveseven one iota of what they were capable?Because you see gentlmen, these boys are

now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listenreal close, you can hear them whisper theirlegacy to you. Go on, lean in.

The boys lean in and Keating hovers over Cameron's shoulder.

KEATING (whispering in a gruff voice)

Carpe.

Cameron looks over his shoulder with an aggravated expression on his face.

KEATINGHear it?

(whispering again)Carpe. Carpe Diem. Seize the day boys,make your lives extraordinary.

The boys stare at the faces in the cabinet in silence.

EXT. SCHOOL STEPS - DAY

The boys emerge from the school, loaded down with numerous books.

PITTS

That was weird.

NEIL


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But different.

KNOXSpooky if you ask me.

CAMERONThink he'll test us on that stuff?

CHARLIECome on Cameron, don't you get anything?

CAMERONWhat? What?

INT. LOCKER ROOM - EVENING

A coach sticks his head around the corner into the room.

COACH

Let's go boys, hustle up in here. Thatmeans you Dalton.

Meeks emerges from the showers, drying himself off.

MEEKSOkay, who's up for a trig study grouptonight guys?

PITTSMe.

NEIL

Me.

CHARLIE(still annoyed by what the coach said)

What?

KNOXI can't make it guys. I have to havedinner at the Danburry's house.

PITTSThe Danburry's? Who are the Danburry's?

CAMERONBig alumns. How'd you swing that?

KNOXFriends of my Dad's. They're probably intheir nineties or something.

CHARLIEOoh!

NEILAnything's better than Hell-ton hash.

CHARLIEI'll second that.


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KNOXYeah we'll see.

Neil approaches Todd, who's been sitting by the window staring down at thefloor. Neil snaps his fingers to get Todd's attention.

NEILHey, you coming to the study group tonight?

TODDUh, no, no I, uh, I've got some history Iwanna do.

NEILSuit yourself.

INT. TODD'S ROOM - EVENING

Todd is seated at his desk. He scrawls "CARPE DIEM" across a blank pageof his notebook. He looks at it for a few moments before crumpling it upand opening up his Chemistry book.

INT. ENTRANCEWAY - NIGHT

Hager comes down the stairs. Knox is looking at one of the old class photoson the walls.

HAGERReady Overstreet?

Knox reluctantly follows after Dr. Hager.

KNOXReady to go sir.

EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

The car leaves Welton and drives towards the Danburry's house.

INT / EXT DANBURRY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

The doorbell rings.

MRS DANBURRY (O.S.)Chet, can you get that?

CHET (O.S.)I can't, Mom.

CHRIS (O.S.)I'll get it.

The door opens and Knox is awe-struck by the beautiful girl (CHRIS) whohas answered the door.

CHRIS

Can I help you?

Knox manages to break out of his daze.


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KNOXHi. Knox Overstreet. Uh, Dr. Hager.

CHRISHi.

KNOXThis is the Danburry's, right?

CHRISAre you here to see Chet?

KNOXMrs. Danburry?

Chris begins to laugh as Mrs. Danburry arrives behind her.

CHRIS

No.

MRS DANBURRYSorry. Thank you Chris. I'm Mrs. Danburry.You must be Knox.

KNOXYes.

MRS DANBURRY (to Dr. Hager)

Back by nine. (to Knox)

Please come in.

CHET (O.S.)Chris, come on, what are you doing?

CHRISChet, I'm coming.

Knox enters the house, his mind still hung up on Chris as MR DANBURRYcomes out of the living room to meet him.

MR DANBURRYKnox. How are you? Joe Danburry.

KNOXNice to meet you sir.

MR DANBURRYWell he's the spitting image of his father,isn't he. How is he? Come on in.

CHET (O.S.)Chris!

KNOX

He's great. He just did a big case for GM.

CHRIS (O.S.)


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I'm coming.

MR DANBURRYI know where you're headed, like fatherlike son, huh?

INT. STUDENT LOUNGE - NIGHT

Several students are throwing darts at a small rubber skeleton hangingfrom the bulletin board. Various students are studying and playing games.Meeks and Pitts are sitting at one table working on their "hi-fi system".Meeks is waving an antenna around with no luck. Pitts points out to himthat he forgot to plug it in. Neil, Cameron, and Charlie are working ontheir trig homework.

CAMERONJust replace these numbers here with "x",for "x" and "y".

NEILOf course.

CAMERONOf course, so what's the problem?

Charlie enters the room and closes the door behind him, leaning upagainst it heavily.

CHARLIEHow was dinner?

KNOX

Huh?

CHARLIEHow was dinner?

KNOXTerrible. Awful.

He leaves the door and sits down with the other boys.

CHARLIEWhy? What happened?

KNOXTonight, I met the most beautiful girlin my entire life.

NEILAre you crazy? What's wrong with that?

KNOXShe's practically engaged. To Chet Danburry.

CHARLIEThat guy could eat a football.

PITTSThat's too bad.


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KNOXToo bad? It's worse than too bad Pitsie,it's a tragedy. A girl this beautiful inlove with such a jerk.

PITTS

All the good ones go for jerks, youknow that.

CAMERONAhh, forget her. Open your trig book andtry and figure out problem five.

KNOXI can't just forget her Cameron. And Ican't think about trig.

The radio Meeks and Pitts were working on begins letting out a high

pitched hum.

PITTSWe got it.

MEEKSHoly cow.

Mr. Hager walks into the room.

HAGERAll right gentlemen, five minutes. Let'sgo.

The students quickly pack up their gear and prepare to leave. Pitts triesto hide the radio in his lap. Charlie leans in close to Knox.

CHARLIEDid you see her naked?

KNOXVery funny Dalton.

HAGERThat wouldn't be a radio in your lap,would it Mr. Pitts?

PITTSNo sir. Science experiment, radar.

Meeks holds up the antenna as if demonstrating it.


Keating sits at his desk at the front of the classroom and opens up oneof his books.

KEATING

Gentlemen, open your text to pagetwenty-one of the introduction. Mr.Perry, will you read the opening


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paragraph of the preface, entitled"Understanding Poetry"?

NEILUnderstanding Poetry, by Dr. J. EvansPritchard, Ph.D. To fully understandpoetry, we must first be fluent with

its meter, rhyme, and figures of speech.Then ask two questions: One, how artfullyhas the objective of the poem beenrendered, and two, how important is thatobjective. Question one rates the poem'sperfection, question two rates itsimportance. And once these questions havebeen answered, determining a poem'sgreatest becomes a relatively simplematter.

Keating gets up from his desk and prepares to draw on the chalk board.

NEILIf the poem's score for perfection isplotted along the horizontal of a graph,and its importance is plotted on thevertical, then calculating the totalarea of the poem yields the measure ofits greatness.

Keating draws a corresponding graph on the board and the studentsdutifully copy it down.

NEIL

A sonnet by Byron may score high on thevertical, but only average on thehorizontal. A Shakespearean sonnet, onthe other hand, would score high bothhorizontally and vertically, yielding amassive total area, thereby revealing thepoem to be truly great. As you proceedthrough the poetry in this book, practicethis rating method. As your ability toevaluate poems in this matter grows, sowill - so will your enjoyment andunderstanding of poetry.

Neil sets the book down and takes off his glasses. The student sittingacross from him is discretely trying to eat. Keating turns away fromthe chalkboard with a smile.

KEATINGExcrement. That's what I think of Mr. J.Evans Pritchard. We're not laying pipe,we're talking about poetry.

Cameron looks down at the graph he copied into his notes and quicklyscribbles it out.

KEATINGI mean, how can you describe poetry likeAmerican Bandstand? I like Byron, I give


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him a 42, but I can't dance to it.

Charlie suddenly appear to become interested in the class.

KEATINGNow I want you to rip out that page.

The students look at Keating as if he has just gone mad.

KEATINGGo on, rip out the entire page. You heardme, rip it out. Rip it out!

Charlie looks around at the others. He then looks down at his own notes,which consists of drawing breasts.

KEATINGGo on, rip it out.

Charlie rips the page out and holds it up.

KEATINGThank you Mr. Dalton. Gentlemen, tell youwhat, don't just tear out that page, tearout the entire introduction. I want itgone, history. Leave nothing of it. Ripit out. Rip! Begone J. Evans Pritchard,Ph.D. Rip, shred, tear. Rip it out. Iwant to hear nothing but ripping of Mr.Pritchard.

Meeks looks around reluctantly and then finally begins tearing out pages.

KEATINGWe'll perforate it, put it on a roll.

Keating sees Cameron still hesitating.

KEATINGIt's not the bible, you're not going togo to hell for this. Go on, make a cleantear, I want nothing left of it.

Keating goes over to his room. Cameron turns around to Neil.

CAMERONWe shouldn't be doing this.

NEILRip, rip, rip!

Neil makes Cameron turn back around.

KEATING (O.S.)Rip it out, rip!

From outside the classroom, Mr. McAllister hears all the noise and sees

all the students ripping out the pages. He bursts into the room.

MCALLISTER


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What the hell is going on here?

The boys all turn around in shock. Charlie stuffs a crumpled page into hismouth. Keating emerges from his room with a waste paper basket.

KEATINGI don't hear enough rips.

MCALLISTERMr. Keating.

KEATINGMr. McAllister.

MCALLISTERI'm sorry, I- I didn't know you werehere.

KEATING

I am.

MCALLISTERAhh, so you are. Excuse me.

Mr. McAllister slowly backs out of the classroom.

KEATINGKeep ripping gentlemen. This is a battle,a war. And the casualties could be yourhearts and souls.

Keating holds out the basket to Charlie who spits out a wad of paper.

KEATINGThank you Mr. Dalton. Armies of academicsgoing forward, measuring poetry. No, wewill not have that here. No more of Mr.J. Evans Pritchard. Now in my class youwill learn to think for yourselves again.You will learn to savor words and language.No matter what anybody tells you, words andideas can change the world. I see that lookin Mr. Pitt's eye, like nineteenth centuryliterature has nothing to do with going tobusiness school or medical school. Right?Maybe. Mr. Hopkins, you may agree with him,thinking "Yes, we should simply study ourMr. Pritchard and learn our rhyme and meterand go quietly about the business ofachieving other ambitions." I have a littlesecret for ya. Huddle up. Huddle up!

The boys get up from their seats and gather around Keating in the centerof the class.

KEATINGWe don't read and write poetry because

it's cute. We read and write poetrybecause we are members of the human race.And the human race is filled with passion.


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Medicine, law, business, engineering,these are all noble pursuits, and necessaryto sustain life. But poetry, beauty,romance, love, these are what we stay alivefor. To quote from Whitman: "O me, o lifeof the questions of these recurring, of theendless trains of the faithless, of cities

filled with the foolish. What good amidthese, o me, o life? Answer: that you arehere. That life exists, and identity.That the powerful play goes on, and youmay contribute a verse. That the powerfulplay goes on and you may contribute a verse.

Keating looks up at Todd.

KeatingWhat will your verse be?

INT. HEAD OF CAFETERIA - DAY

The cafeteria is filled with students and teachers standing before the tables saying grace.

ALLFor what we are about to receive, may theLord make us truly grateful. Amen.

Mr. Keating and Mr. McAllister are seated next to one another at the table.

MCALLISTERQuite an interesting class you gave today,

Mr. Keating.

KEATINGI'm sorry if I shocked you, Mr. McAllister.

MCALLISTEROh, there's no need to apologize. It wasvery fascinating, misguided though it was.

KEATINGYou think so?

MCALLISTERYou take a big risk by encouraging them tobe artists John. When they realize they'renot Rembrandts, Shakespeares or Mozarts,they'll hate you for it.

KEATINGWe're not talking artists George, we'retalking free thinkers.

MCALLISTERFree thinkers at seventeen?

KEATINGFunny, I never pegged you as a cynic.


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MCALLISTER (taken aback by the comment)

Not a cynic, a realist. Show me the heartunfettered by foolish dreams, and I'llshow you a happy man.

KEATING

But only in their dreams can man be trulyfree. 'Twas always thus, and always thuswill be.

MCALLISTERTennyson?

KEATINGNo, Keating.

Keating winks and Mr. McAllister can't help but laugh.

INT. CAFETERIA TABLE - DAY

Neil joins the others at the table. He pulls out a yearbook.

NEILHey, I found his senior annual in thelibrary.

He hands the annual over to Cameron who laughs at the younger picture of Keating.

NEILListen to this, captain of the soccer team,

editor of the school annual, Cambridgebound, Thigh man, and the Dead Poets Society.

CAMERON (reading from the annual)

Man most likely to do anything.

CHARLIEThigh man. Mr. K was a hell-raiser.

KNOXWhat's the Dead Poets Society?

NEILI don't know.

MEEKSIs there a picture in the annual?

NEILNothing. No other mention of it.

MR. NOLAN (O.S.)That boy there, see me after lunch.

Cameron quickly puts the annual away and the others all return to their meal.

EXT. WELTON GROUNDS - DAY


23/95

Keating is walking down towards the lake, whistling the same tune as before.The boys emerge from the building and chase after him.

NEILMr. Keating? Mr. Keating? Sir? Oh Captain,My Captain?

Keating immediately turns around.

KEATINGGentlemen.

NEILWe were just looking in your old annual.

He hands Keating the annual and Keating looks at his old photograph.

KEATING

Oh my God. No, that's not me. Stanley"The Tool" Wilson-

Keating crouches down and continues looking through the book.

KEATINGGod.

Neil crouches down next to Keating.

NEILWhat was the Dead Poets Society?

KEATINGI doubt the present administration wouldlook too favorably upon that.

NEILWhy? What was it?

KEATINGGentlemen, can you keep a secret?

NEILSure.

The other boys crouch down around Keating.

KEATINGThe Dead Poets were dedicated to suckingthe marrow out of life. That's a phrasefrom Thoreau that we'd invoke at thebeginning of each meeting. You see we'dgather at the old Indian cave and taketurns reading from Thoreau, Whitman,Shelley; the biggies. Even some of ourown verse. And in the enchantment of themoment we'd let poetry work its magic.

KNOXYou mean it was a bunch of guys sitting


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around reading poetry?

KEATINGNo Mr. Overstreet, it wasn't just "guys",we weren't a Greek organization, we wereromantics. We didn't just read poetry,we let it drip from our tongues like honey.

Spirits soared, women swooned, and godswere created, gentlemen, not a bad way tospend an evening eh? Thank you Mr. Perryfor this trip down amnesia lane. Burn that,especially my picture.

Keating hands the annual back and walks away, whistling once again. Neilremains crouched.

NEILDead Poets Society.

CAMERONWhat?

The school bells begin ringing and everyone heads back towards the school.Neil stands up.

NEILI say we go tonight.

CHARLIETonight?

CAMERON

Wait a minute.

PITTSWhere's this cave he's talking about?

NEILIt's beyond the stream. I know where itis.

PITTSThat's miles.

CAMERONSounds boring to me.

CHARLIEDon't go.

CAMERONYou know how many de-merits we're talkingDalton

CHARLIESo don't come, please.

CAMERONLook, all I'm saying is that we have tobe careful, we can't get caught.


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CHARLIENo shit, Sherlock.

HAGER(yelling)

You boys there, hurry up.

Neil turns around and faces the other boys.

NEILAll right, who's in?

CAMERONCome on Neil, Hager's right-

NEILForget Hager, no. Who's in?

CHARLIEI'm in.

HAGER (O.S.)I'm warning you, move.

CAMERONMe too.

PITTSI don't know Neil

NEIL

What? Pitts-

CHARLIEPitsie, come on.

MEEKSHis grades are hurting Charlie.

NEILYou can help him Meeks.

PITTSWhat is this, a midnight study group?

NEILForget it Pitts, you're coming. Meeks,are your grades hurting too?

MEEKSI'll try anything once.

CHARLIEExcept sex.

MEEKS

Ha ha ha.

CAMERON


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I mean as long as we're careful.

The boys run into the building.

CHARLIEWhat about you Knox?

KNOXI don't know Charlie.

CHARLIECome on Knox, it'll help you get Chris.

KNOXYeah? How?

CHARLIEWomen swoon.

Charlie laughs and runs inside. Knox chases after him.

KNOXBut why do they swoon? Charlie, tell mewhy they swoon. Charlie!

INT LIBRARY - DAY

The boys are all gathered around one of the tables with a map laid outon it.

NEIL (whispering)

Okay, follow the stream to the waterfall.It's right there. It's got to be on thebanks.

CAMERONI don't know, it's starting to sounddangerous.

CHARLIEWell, why don't you stay home?

MCALLISTERFor God's sake stop chattering andsit down.

The boys take their seats once again and Neil goes over and sits next toTodd, who is sitting by himself.

NEILTodd, are you coming tonight?

TODDNo.

NEIL

Why not? God, you were there. You heardKeating. Don't you want to do somethingabout it?


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TODDYes, but-

NEILBut? But what?

TODDKeating said that everybody took turnsreading and I don't want to do that.

NEILGosh, you really have a problem withthat, don't you?

TODDN- no, I don't have a problem. Neil,I just- I just don't want to do it,okay?

NEILAll right. What if you didn't have toread? What if you just came andlistened?

TODDThat's not how it works.

NEILForget how it works. What if - what ifthey said it was okay?

TODDWhat? What are you gonna do, go up andask them?

Neil shrugs.

TODDNo. No, Neil.

NEILI'll be right back.

TODDNeil, Neil!

Neil gets up and rejoins the others. McAllister hears the boys whisperingagain.

MCALLISTEROh shut up, will you.

INT BATHROOM - NIGHT

Various boys are crowded around the sinks getting ready for bed. Someoneis playing snake charmer music on a kazoo while someone else is bothering

Spaz with a red sock puppet acting like a snake.

SPAZ


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That's my- that's for my asthma, okay.Could you give that back please? Couldyou give that back?

BOYWhat's the matter? Don't you like snakes?

Neil enters and taps Todd on the shoulder.

NEILYou're in.

SPAZGet away from me, okay?

BOYSpaz, why don't you check your pocket,huh? Come on Spaz I have to brush myteeth

SPAZGet a- get off,

Hager walks past the bathroom and into his room.

HAGERCut out that racket in there.

The kazoo player lets out a rude squeek before finally stopping. Hagerglares at them for a moment.

INT NEIL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Neil stands in his doorway. He looks across the hall to the other roomwhere Cameron and Charlie are standing. Cameron gives a thumbs up. Neilcloses his room door and takes out his cloak and a flashlight. Settingthe flashlight down on the desk, he notices a worn book, "FiveCenturies of Verse", sitting there. Opening it up, he sees John Keating'sname at the top followed by "Dead Poets". Below the title of the book,is written: "To Be Read At The Opening of D.P.S. Meetings." Along withseveral lines from Thoreau, beginning with "I went to the woods becauseI wanted to live deliberately"

INT STAIRWAY - NIGHT

The shadows of hooded figures can be seen moving throughout the darkenedhalls.

INT HAGER'S ROOM - NIGHT

Hager hears a dog barking.

INT HALLWAY - NIGHT

Someone drops a number of dog biscuits by the dog's feet. He stopsbarking and immediately begins gobbling them down. Hager looks outinto the hallway with his flashlight but sees nothing.

EXT SCHOOL GROUNDS - NIGHT


29/95

The boys quietly leave the building and set off running across thefields towards the woods.

EXT WOODS - NIGHT

The boys search about the trees trying to find the cave. Meeks issearching around when Charlie leaps up behind Meeks in the dark

shining the flashlight up at his own face and grabs Meeks by theshoulder.

CHARLIEArrr, I'm a dead poet.

MEEKSAww, Charlie.

CHARLIE (laughing)

Guys, over here.

MEEKSYou're funny. You're real funny.

INT CAVE - NIGHT

The boys are trying to start a fire. The cave is quickly filling up withsmoke.

MEEKSIt's too wet.

CHARLIE

God, are you trying to smoke us out ofhere?

MEEKSNo, no, the smoke's going right up thisopening.

Pitts tries to stand up and slams his head into the low rock ceiling. Helets out a yell while the others laugh.

NEILYou okay?

PITTSOh God. Clowns.

NEILAll right, all right, forget the fire.Let's go gentlemen.

Neil stands before the others with the book in hand, and takes a dragon a cigarette.

NEILI hereby reconvene the Dead Poets

Society.

The boys cheer.


30/95

NEILWelton chapter. The meetings will beconducted by myself and the other newinitiates now present. Todd Anderson,because he prefers not to read, willkeep minutes of the meetings. I'll now

read the traditional opening message bysociety member Henry David Thoreau. "Iwent to the woods because I wanted tolive deliberately. I wanted to live deepand suck out all the marrow of life."

CHARLIEI'll second that.

NEIL"To put to rout all that was not life,and not, when I had come to die,

discover that I had not lived.

Several boys whistle softly in reaction to the poem.

NEILAnd Keating's marked a bunch of otherpages.

Neil begins flipping through the book.

CHARLIEAll right, intermission. Dig deep righthere. Right here, lay it down

CAMERONOn the mud? We're gonna put our food onthe mud?

CHARLIEMeeks, put your coat down. Picnic blanket.

MEEKSYes sir, use Meeks' coat.

CHARLIEDon't keep anything back either. Youguys are always bumming my smokes.

Meeks lays his coat down and everyone dumps their food on it. Amongstthe pile are chocolate chip cookies, a box of raisins, a few apples, anorange, and half a roll.

NEILRaisins?

KNOXYuck.

CHARLIEWait a minute, who gave us half a roll?


31/95

PITTS (talking with his mouth full)

I'm eating the other half.

CHARLIECome on.

PITTSYou want me to put it back?

INT CAVE - NIGHT

Neil, lit up by a flashlight, begins to tell everyone a story.

NEILIt was a dark and rainy night, and thisold lady, who had a passion for jigsawpuzzles, sat by herself in her house ather table to complete a new jigsaw puzzle.

But as she pieced the puzzle together, sherealized, to her astonishment, that theimage that was formed was her very ownroom. And the figure in the center of thepuzzle, as she completed it, was herself.And with trembling hands, she placed thelast four pieces and stared in horror atthe face of a demented madman at thewindow. The last thing that this old ladyever heard was the sound of breaking glass.

BOYSOhhh no

NEILThis is true, this is true.

CAMERONI've got one that's even better thanthat.

CHARLIEHa!

CAMERONI do. There's a young, married couple,and they're driving through the forestat night on a long trip. And they runout of gas, and there's a madman on the-

CHARLIEThe thing with the hand-

All the boys react, recalling the story and miming the scraping on theroof of the car.

CAMERONI love that story.

CHARLIEI told you that one.


32/95

CAMERONYou did not. I got that in camp insixth grade.

CHARLIEWhen were you in six, last year?

As everyone's voices begin to calm down, Pitts begins reading from thebook.

PITTS"In a mean abode in the shanking road,lived a man named William Bloat. Now,he had a wife, the plague of his life,who continually got his goat. And oneday at dawn, with her nightshift on,he slit her bloody throat."

The boys laugh.

PITTSOh, and it gets worse.

CHARLIEYou want to hear a real poem?

Meeks hands Charlie the book but he shoves it away.

CHARLIEAll right? No, I don't need it. You takeit.

MEEKSWhat, did you bring one?

NEILYou memorized a poem?

CHARLIEI didn't memorize a poem. Move up.

Neil moves to the side as Charlie stands and takes his spot.

MEEKSAn original piece by Charlie Dalton.

KNOXAn original piece.

PITTSTake center stage.

NEILYou know this is history. Right? This ishistory.

Charlie clears his throat and pulls out a page from a magazine andslowly unfolds it, revealing a Playboy centerfold (Elaine Reynolds,Miss October, 1959)


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MEEKSOh, wow.

CAMERONWhere did you get that?

CHARLIE

Teach me to love? Go teach thyself morewit.I, chief professor, am of it.

Neil gets up and looks over Charlie's shoulder to see what he isreading.

CHARLIEThe god of love, if such a thing therebe, may learn to love from me.

Charlie winks at the guys and they clap and cheer.

NEILWow! Did you write that?

Charlie turns over the centerfold to show where he had written downthe poem.

CHARLIEAbraham Cowley. Okay, who's next?

Neil sits reading from the book by flashlight.

NEILAlfred Lord Tennyson.Come my friends,'Tis not too late to seek a newer worldfor my purpose holds to sail beyond thesunset.And though we are not now that strengthwhich in old daysMoved earth and heaven; that which weare, we are;--One equal temper of heroic hearts,Made weak by time and fate, but strongin will.To strive, to seek, to find, and not toyield.

Meeks takes center stage and begins reading a poem like he isperforming a chant.

MEEKSThen I had religion, then I had avision.I could not turn from their revel inderision.

Then I saw the Congo creeping throughthe black,cutting through the forest with a golden


34/95

track.Then I saw the Congo creeping throughthe black-

CHARLIEMeeks, Meeks.

MEEKS

...cutting through the forest with agolden track.Then I saw the Congo creeping throughthe black,cutting through the forest with a goldentrack.

Knox picks up a metal container and begins using it as a drum. Theother boys stand and begin going in a circle, making music withsticks of wood, combs, etc.

Then I saw the Congo creeping throughthe black,cutting through the forest with a goldentrack.Then I saw the Congo creeping throughthe black,cutting through the forest with a goldentrack.

BOYS

Then I saw the Congo creeping through

the black,cutting through the forest with...

The boys continue to chant the chorus as they emerge from thecave.

EXT. CAMPUS - NIGHTThe clock tolls two as the boys silently run back to their dorm.


Keating is walking to the front of the classroom filled with students.

KEATINGA man is not very tire, he is exhausted.And don't use very sad, use-

He points to the back of the classroom.

KEATINGCome on, Mr. Overstreet, you twerp,

KNOXMorose?

KEATING

Exactly! Morose. Now, language wasdeveloped for one endeavor, and that is?Mr. Anderson? Come on! Are you a man or


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an amoeba?

Keating stands before Todd's desk. Todd looks up nervously butsays nothing. Keating paused for a moment before looking away.

KEATINGMr. Perry?

NEILUh, to communicate.

KEATINGNo! To woo women. Today we're going tobe talking about William Shakespeare.

The class lets out a collective sigh.BOY

Oh, God!

KEATINGI know. A lot of you looked forward tothis about as much as you look forwardto root canal work. We're gonna talkabout Shakespeare as someone who writessomething very interesting. Now, many ofyou have seen Shakespeare done very muchlike this:

Keating holds out his right arm dramtically and begins tospeak in an exaggerated British accent.

"O Titus, bring your friend hither." But

if any of you have seen Mr. Marlon Brando,you know, Shakespeare can be different."Friend, Romans, countrymen, lend me yourears." You can also imagine, maybe, JohnWayne as Macbeth going, "Well, is this adagger I see before me?"


The students are all seated together near the front of the room asKeating reads from a book.

KEATING"Dogs, sir? Oh, not just now. I do enjoya good dog once in a while, sir. You canhave yourself a three-course meal fromone dog. Start with your caninecrudites, go to your Fido flambe formain course and for dessert, a Pekingeseparfait. And you can pick your teethwith a little paw."


The students are all back in their normal seats and Keating leaps

up onto his desk.

KEATING


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Why do I stand up here? Anybody?

CHARLIETo feel taller.

KEATINGNo!

Keating rings the bell on his desk with his foot

KEATINGThank you for playing, Mr. Dalton. Istand upon my desk to remind yourselfthat we must constantly look at thingsin a different way.

Keating glances around the classroom from atop the desk.

KEATINGYou see, the world looks very different

from up here. You don't believe me? Comesee for yourself. Come on. Come on!

Charlie and Neil quickly rise from their seats to go to the frontof the classroom. The rest of the class follows them. While Keatingcontinues speaking, Neil and Charlie join him on the desk and thenKeating jumps down.

KEATINGJust when you think you know something,you have to look at it in another way.Even though it may seem silly or wrong,

you must try! Now, when you read, don'tjust consider what the author thinks.Consider what you think.

KEATINGBoys, you must strive to find your ownvoice. Because the longer you wait tobegin, the less likely you are to findit at all. Thoreau said, "Most men leadlives of quiet desperation." Don't beresigned to that. Break out!

Keating notices Spaz and another boy leaving the desk immediately.

KEATINGDon't just walk off the edge like lemmings.Look around you.

The school bell rings as the boys continue to climb onto the desk.Keating begins to gather up his stuff. The clock begins to toll asKeating walks to the back of the class.

KEATINGThere! There you go, Mr. Priske. Thankyou! Yes! Dare to strike out and find

new ground. Now, in addition to youressays, I would like you to compose apoem of your own, an original work.


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The students begin to groan. Keating begins flickering the lightsoff and on while chanting ominously.

KEATINGThat's right! You have to deliver italoud in front of the class on Monday.

Bonne chance, gentlemen.

Keating steps out into the hall before quickly peeking back in once again.Todd is the last one to stand on the desk and is about to jump off.

KEATINGMr. Anderson? Don't think that I don'tknow that this assignment scares thehell out of you, you mole.

Keating flicks the light off, leaving Todd to jump down in the darknessas the students laugh.

EXT. RIVER - DAY

Cameron, Charlie, and several other boys are rowing while Mr. Nolanshouts orders from a bullhorn.

MR. NOLANTake a power train in two! Three! Keepyour eyes in the boat!

EXT. CAMPUS ROOFTOP - DAY

Noisy static is replaced by music as Pitts climbs down form the peak to

join Meeks at their makeshift radio.

MEEKSWe got it, Pittsie. We got it! RadioFree America!

EXT CAMPUS - DAY

Several students are fencing on a grassy slope.

EXT. CAMPUS ROOFTOP - DAY

Meeks and Pitts perform a goofy dance together to the music.

INT. TODD'S ROOM - DAY

Todd is on his bed trying to write a poem. The door opens and Toddturns his writing pad over. Neil enters the room laughing. He crouchesdown next to Todd's bed and plunks a sheet of paper in Todd's lap.

NEILI found it.

TODDYou found what?


38/95

NEILWhat I wanna do right now. What'sreally, really inside me.

TODD"A Midsummer Night's Dream"?

NEILThis is it.

TODDWhat is this?

NEILIt's a play, dummy.

TODDI know that. I-- Wh-Wh-What does it haveto do with you?

NEILRight. They're putting it on at HenleyHall. Open tryouts. Open tryouts!

TODDYes, so?

Neil pounds on the bed and then pulls a blanket off his bed,wearing it like a cloak.

NEILSo, I'm gonna act. Yes, yes! I'm gonna

be an actor! Ever since I can remember,I've wanted to try this. I even tried togo to summer stock auditions last year,but, of course, my father wouldn't letme. For the first time in my whole lifeI know what I wanna do.

Neil grabs a handful of papers off Todd's bed and tosses them intothe air.

NEILand for the first time I'm gonna do itwhether my father wants me to or not!Carpe diem!

TODDNeil, Neil, hold on a minute. How areyou gonna be in a play if your fatherwon't let you?

NEILFirst I gotta get the part, then I canworry about that.

TODD

Yeah, but won't he kill you if he findsout you went to an audition and didn'teven tell him?


39/95


40/95

look about as stirred up as a cesspool.

Neil gets up from the window and stands over Todd.

TODDSo- You want me out?

NEILNo! I want you in, but being in meansyou gotta do something. Not just sayyou're in.

TODDWell, listen, Neil. I-I appreciate thisconcern, but I-I'm not like you. Allright? You, you, you say thing andpeople listen. I'm, I'm not like that.

NEIL

Don't you think you could be?

TODDNo! I--I, I don't know, but that's notthe point. The, the, the point is thatthere's nothing you can do about it, soyou can just butt out. I can take careof myself just fine. All right?

NEILNo.

TODD

What do you mean, "no"?

A smile comes to Neil's face.

NEILNo.

Neil grabs Todd's notebook of poetry and runs across the room withit. Todd leaps up after him.

TODDGive me-- Neil. Neil, give that back.

The two begin racing in circles around the room, jumping frombed to bed as Todd tries to grab his poem back.

NEIL"We are dreaming of a--" Poetry! I'mbeing chased by Walt Whitman! Okay,okay.

Neil drops the notebook. Cameron walks into the room.

CAMERONWhat are you guys doing? I'm sure-- You

see this chemistry-

Cameron tries to hold up his book and Neil snatches it from his hands and


41/95

suddenly all three of them are racing around the room.

CAMERONHey, give me-- Neil, give me-- Don't beimmature. Come on. I need my-

Charlie enters the room and begins waving his hands.

CHARLIEGive it to me! Give it to me!

NEILCharlie!

Neil tosses Cameron's book to Charlie.

CAMERONLet me have my book, I need my-

The four boys continue racing around the cramped quarters, tossingCameron's book back and forth. Neil picks up a recorder and beginsblowing erratic notes on it while Charlie starts pounding on a set ofbongo drums. Outside the room a crowd of boys watch.

EXT. CAMPUS ENTRANCE - DAY

Knox is riding his bike around in circles near the entrance. Seeing noone nearby, he races through the open gates and down the road. He comesto the top of a hill and then goes downhill across the grass, shoutingas he sends an immense flock of geese flying into the air.

EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY

A number of vehicles drive up, filled with students dressed in bright redcosyumes, playing trumpets and various other instruments as they pass.Knox watches the growing crowd of students. They are all converging ona bus. A football player, wearing a horned helmet, dances on the roof ofthe bus. A band is playing while a group of cheerleaders are practising.Knox spots Chris amongst the cheerleaders. He watches her until Chetcomes along and she grabs hold of his hand. Knox looks away in disgust.

COACHOkay, everybody on the bus. Let's go,boys. Come on, let's go. On the bus,boys. Now!

Chris jumps into Chet's arms as everyone begins to board the buses. Knoxturns his bike around and leaves.

EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY

Keating walks across the field, followed by his students. He kicks a ballahead of him while he carries a number of other balls in a net slung overhis shoulder.

KEATINGNow, devotees may argue that one sport

or game is inherently better thananother. For me, sport is actually achance for us to have other human beings


42/95

push us to excel. I want you all to comeover here and take a slip of paper andline up single file.

Keating reaches the stands. He tosses the balls aside and pulls setshis briefcase down. As the boys line up he begins ripping off slipsof paper from a notepad and handing them out.

KEATINGMr. Meeks, time to inherit the earth.Mr. Pitts, rise above your name.

He hands the notepad to another student.

KEATINGI want you to hand these out to the boys,one apiece.


The students are all lined up in single file, each holding a slipof paper. Keating blows his whistle.

KEATINGYou know what to do, Pitts.

PITTS"Oh to struggle against great odds. Tomeet enemies undaunted."

KEATINGSounds to me like you're daunted. Say it

again like you're undaunted.

PITTS"Oh to struggle against great odds. Tomeet enemies undaunted."

KEATINGNow go on.

Pitts gives one of the soccer balls a good kick.

KEATINGYes! Next.

One of the students sets up the next ball as the line advances.

BOY 1"To be a sailor of the world, bound forall ports."

KEATINGNext. Louder!

BOY 2"Oh, I live to be the ruler of life, not

a slave."

Keating walks away and starts up a record player.


43/95

BOY 3"To mount the scaffolds. To advance tothe muzzle of guns with perfectnonchalance."

Classical music begins playing on the phonograph. Meeks goes to

read next but is confused by the music.

KEATINGCome on, Meeks! Listen to the music.

MEEKS"To dance, clap hands, exalt, shout,skip, roll on, float on."

KEATINGYes!

HOPKINS(without energy)"Oh, to have life henceforth the poem ofnew joys."

Hopkins crumples up his paper and then barely taps the soccerball with his foot.

Keating puts a look of disgust on his face.

KEATINGOh! Boo! Come on, Charlie, let it fillyour soul!

Charlie raises his hands over his head.

CHARLIE"To indeed be a god!"

INT. DORM HALLWAY - DAY

Neil is racing down the hallway, all excited.

NEILCharlie, I got the part! I'm gonna playPuck! I'm gonna play Puck!

He pounds on Charlie's door.

MEEKSWhat did he say?

PITTSPuck?

NEILThat's the main part.

KNOXGreat, Neil.


44/95

NEILCharlie, I got it!

CHARLIECongratulations. Good for you, Neil.Good for you.

Neil enters his room with Todd and sits down at his typewriter.

NEILOkay, okay, okay, okay.

TODDNeil, how are you gonna do this?

NEILThey need a letter of permission from myfather and Mr. Nolan.

TODDYou're not gonna write it.

NEILOh yes, I am.

TODDOh, Neil. Neil, you're crazy.

Neil begins typing.

NEILOkay. "I am writing to you on behalf of

my son Neil Perry."

Neil begins laughing and stomping his feet up and down.

NEILThis is great.

EXT. CAMPUS - NIGHT

A lone bagpiper plays out on the dock.

INT. TODD'S ROOM - NIGHT

Todd is pacing circles about his room as he reads his poem. Hispacing slows and then he tears the poem up.


Knox stands at the front of the room with his poem in hand.

KNOX(quietly)

"To Chris."

Charlie looks up from his desk with a grin.

BOY 1Who's Chris?


45/95

BOY 2Mmm, Chris.

KNOXI see a sweetness in her smile.Blight light shines from her eyes.

But life is complete; contentment ismine,Just knowing that...

Several students begin to snicker.

KNOXjust knowing that she's alive.

Knox crumples his poem and walks back to his desk.

KNOX

Sorry, Captain. It's stupid.

KEATINGNo, no. It's not stupid. It's a goodeffort. It touched on one of the majorthemes, love. A major theme not only inpoetry, but life. Mr. Hopkins, you werelaughing. You're up.

Hopkins slowly walks to the front of the class and unfoldshis piece of paper.

HOPKINS

"The cat sat on the mat."

KEATINGCongratulations, Mr. Hopkins. Yours isthe first poem to ever have a negativescore on the Pritchard scale. We're notlaughing at you, we're laughing nearyou. I don't mind that your poem had asimple theme. Sometimes the mostbeautiful poetry can be about simplethings, like a cat, or a flower or rain.You see, poetry can come from anythingwith the stuff of revelation in it. Justdon't let your poems be ordinary. Now,who's next?

Keating approaches Todd's desk.

KEATINGMr. Anderson, I see you sitting there inagony. Come on, Todd, step up. Let's putyou out of your misery.

TODDI, I didn't do it. I didn't write a

poem.

KEATING


46/95

Mr. Anderson thinks that everythinginside of him is worthless andembarrassing. Isn't that right, Todd?Isn't that your worst fear? Well, Ithink you're wrong. I think you havesomething inside of you that is worth agreat deal.

Keating walks up to the blackboard and begins to write.

KEATING"I sound my barbaric yawp over therooftops of the world." W. W. Uncle Waltagain. Now, for those of you who don'tknow, a yawp is a loud cry or yell. Now,Todd, I would like you to give us ademonstration of a barbaric "yawp." Comeon. You can't yawp sitting down. Let'sgo. Come on. Up.

Todd reluctantly stands and follows Keating to the front.

KEATINGYou gotta get in "yawping" stance.

TODDA yawp?

KEATINGNo, not just a yawp. A barbaric yawp.

TODD

(quietly)Yawp.

KEATINGCome on, louder.

TODD(quietly)

Yawp.

KEATINGNo, that's a mouse. Come on. Louder.

TODDYawp.

KEATINGOh, good God, boy. Yell like a man!

TODD(shouting)

Yawp!

KEATINGThere it is. You see, you have a

barbarian in you, after all.

Todd goes to return to his seat but Keating stops him.


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KEATINGNow, you don't get away that easy.

Keating turns Todd around and points out a picture on the wall.

KEATING

The picture of Uncle Walt up there. Whatdoes he remind you of? Don't think.Answer. Go on.

Keating begins to circle around Todd.

TODDA m-m-madman.

KEATINGWhat kind of madman? Don't think aboutit. Just answer again.

TODDA c-crazy madman.

KEATINGNo, you can do better than that. Free upyour mind. Use your imagination. Say thefirst thing that pops into your head,even if it's total gibberish. Go on, goon.

TODDUh, uh, a sweaty-toothed madman.

KEATINGGood God, boy, there's a poet in you,after all. There, close your eyes. Closeyour eyes. Close 'em. Now, describe whatyou see.

Keating puts his hands over Todd's eyes and they begin to slowlyspin around.

TODDUh, I-I close my eyes.

KEATINGYes?

TODDUh, and this image floats beside me.

KEATINGA sweaty-toothed madman?

TODDA sweaty-toothed madman with a starethat pounds my brain.

KEATINGOh, that's excellent. Now, give him


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action. Make him do something.

TODDH-His hands reach out and choke me.

KEATINGThat's it. Wonderful. Wonderful.

Keating removes his hands from Todd but Todd keeps his eyesclosed.

TODDAnd, and all the time he's mumbling.

KEATINGWhat's he mumbling?

TODDM-Mumbling, "Truth. Truth is like, like

a blanket that always leaves your feetcold."

The students begin to laugh and Todd opens his eyes. Keatingquickly gestures for him to close them again.

KEATINGForget them, forget them. Stay with theblanket. Tell me about that blanket.

TODDY-Y-Y-You push it, stretch it, it'llnever be enough. You kick at it, beat

it, it'll never cover any of us. Fromthe moment we enter crying to the momentwe leave dying, it will just cover yourface as you wail and cry and scream.

Todd opens his eyes. The class is silent. Then they begin to clapand cheer.

KEATING (whispering to Todd)

Don't you forget this.


Keating's students are playing a soccer game. After they score thewinning goal they hoist Keating onto their shoulders and carry himaway.

INT. CAVE - DAY

The boys are all sitting around the cave lighting their pipes.CHARLIE

Attaboy, Pittsie, inhale deeply.

MEEKS

My dad collects a lot of pipes.

CHARLIE


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CHARLIEWhat do you say we start this meeting?

BOY 1Y-Yeah, just-- I need a light. I justgotta-

BOY 2Got my earplugs?

Charlie stands up and clears his throat.

CHARLIEGentlemen, "Poetrusic" by CharlesDalton.

Charlie begins playing erratic notes on the sexophone.

MEEKS

Oh, no.

CHARLIELaughing, crying, tumbling, mumbling.Gotta do more. Gotta be more.

Charlie plays more erratic sounds.

CHARLIEChaos screaming, chaos dreaming. Gottado more! Gotta be more!

Charlie starts to play a real tune on the saxophone.

MEEKSWow!

PITTSThat was nice. That was great. Where didyou learn to play like that?

CHARLIEMy parents made me take the clarinet foryears.

CAMERONI love the clarinet.

CHARLIEI hated it. The saxophone. The saxophoneis more sonorous.

CAMERONOoh.

MEEKSVocabulary.

Knox jumps up.KNOX

I can't take it anymore. If I don't have


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Chris, I'm gonna kill myself.

CHARLIEKnoxious, you've gotta calm down.

KNOXNo, Charlie. That's just my problem.

I've been calm all my life. I'll dosomething about that.

NEILWhere are you going?

CHARLIEWhat are you gonna do?

KNOXI'm gonna call her.

Knox begins to chuckle as he leaves the cave. The othersquickly grab their coats to follow him. Charlie goes back toplaying noise on his saxophone again.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Knox is making a call from the payphone.

CHRIS (O.S.)Hello?

Knox immediately hangs up and looks at the other boys who areall gathered around him.

KNOXShe's gonna hate me. The Danburrys willhate me. My parents will kill me.All right, goddamn it. You're right."Carpe diem." Even if it kills me.

Knox puts in another coin and calls again.

CHRIS (O.S.)Hello?

KNOXHello, Chris?

CHRIS (O.S.)Yes.

KNOXHi. This is Knox Overstreet.

CHRIS (O.S.)Oh, yes. Knox. Glad you called.

KNOX

She's glad I called.

CHRIS (O.S.)


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Listen, Chet's parents are going out oftown this weekend, so he's having aparty. Would you like to come?

KNOXWould I like to come to a party?

CHARLIEYes. Say, yes.

CHRIS (O.S.)Friday? Um-

KNOXWell, sure.

CHRIS (O.S.)About seven?

KNOXOkay, great. I-I'll be there, Chris.

CHRIS (O.S.)Okay.

KNOXFriday night at the Danburrys'. O-Okay.Thank you.

CHRIS (O.S.)Okay. Bye.

KNOXThank you. I'll see you. Bye.

KNOXYawp! Can you believe it? She was gonnacall me. She invited me to a party withher.

CHARLIEAt Chet Danburry's house.

KNOXYeah.

CHARLIEWell?

KNOXSo?

CHARLIESo, you don't really think she meansyou're going with her?

KNOX

Well, of course not, Charlie. But that'snot the point. That's not the point atall.


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CHARLIEWhat is the point?

KNOXThe point, Charlie, is, uh--

CHARLIEYeah?

KNOXthat she was thinking about me. I'veonly met her once, and already she'sthinking about me. Damn it. It's gonnahappen, guys. I feel it. She is going tobe mine. Carpe. Carpe!

Knox flips his scarf dramatically around his neck as he walks awayand climbs the stairs.

EXT. COURTYARD - DAY

The students are standing in a line while Cameron, Pitts, and Knoxare walking in a circle. Keating watches as they go around.

KEATINGNo grades at stake, gentlemen. Just takea stroll.

After a few moments, the three boys begin to march to the same beat.

KEATING

There it is.

The other boys start clapping to the rhythm of their steps.

KEATINGI don't know, but I've been told--

BOYSI don't know, but I've been told--

KEATINGDoing poetry is old--

BOYSDoing poetry is old--

Mr. Nolan looks out at them from his office as Keating joins theboys and begins marching with them.

KEATINGLeft, left, left-right-left. Left, left,left-right-left. Left, halt!

The boys come to a halt.

KEATINGThank you, gentlemen. If you noticed,everyone started off with their own


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stride, their own pace.

Keating begins walking very slowly.

KEATINGMr. Pitts, taking his time. He knew he'llget there one day. Mr. Cameron, you could

see him thinking, "Is this right? It mightbe right. It might be right. I know that.Maybe not. I don't know."

Keating begins walking with his groin pushed forward.

KEATINGMr. Overstreet, driven by deeper force.Yes. We know that. All right. Now, Ididn't bring them up here to ridiculethem. I brought them up here to illustratethe point of conformity: the difficulty in

maintaining your own beliefs in the faceof others. Now, those of you -- I seethe look in your eyes like, "I would'vewalked differently." Well, askyourselves why you were clapping. Now,we all have a great need for acceptance.But you must trust that your beliefs areunique, your own, even though others maythink them odd or unpopular, even thoughthe herd may go, "That's baaaaad." RobertFrost said, "Two roads diverged in awood and I, I took the one less traveledby, and that has made all the

difference." Now, I want you to findyour own walk right now. Your own way ofstriding, pacing. Any direction.Anything you want. Whether it's proud,whether it's silly, anything. Gentlemen,the courtyard is yours.

The students begin walking about, some walking casually, othersmaking up silly walks. Keating notices that Charlie is stillleaning up against one of the pillars.

KEATINGYou don't have to perform. Just make itfor yourself. Mr. Dalton? You be joiningus?

CHARLIEExercising the right not to walk.

KEATINGThank you, Mr. Dalton. You justillustrated the point. Swim against thestream.

Nolan moves away from the window where he had been watching them.

EXT. CAMPUS - NIGHT


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Neil is walking by with the notes for the play when he notices Toddsitting off by himself on one of the walkways.

NEILTodd? Hey.

TODD

Hey.

NEILWhat's going on?

TODDNothing. Today's my birthday.

NEILIs today your birthday? Happy birthday.

TODD

Thanks.

NEILWhat's you get?

TODDMy parents gave me this.

Neil looks down at a deskset sitting next to Todd, still inits wrappings.

NEILIsn't this the same desk set-

TODDYeah, yeah. They gave me the same thingas last year.

NEILOh.

TODDOh.

NEIL (laughing)

Maybe they thought you needed anotherone.

TODDMaybe they weren't thinking aboutanything at all. Uh, the funny thing isabout this is I, I didn't even like itthe first time.

NEILTodd, I think you're underestimating thevalue of this desk set.

Neil picks up the desk set and begins examining it more closely.


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Gloria hops into the cave wearing a bright red shirt. The lights fromthe boys' flashlights play conspicously over Gloria's chest. Tinaenters right behind her.

GLORIAHi.

Meeks stands up and slams his head into the low ceiling.

MEEKSHello.

GLORIAHello.

CHARLIEHi, you guys. Meet, uh, Gloria and--

TINA

Tina.

CHARLIETina. This is the pledge class of theDead Poets Society.

BOYS

Hello. How do you do?

NEILHello.

GLORIA

Hi. Hi.

CHARLIEGuys, move. Move. Come on, folks. It'sFriday night. Let's get on with themeeting.

The boys move aside to let the girls in.

BOYSSorry. Excuse- Excuse me.

CHARLIEGuys, I have an announcement to make. Inkeeping with the spirit of passionateexperimentation of the Dead Poets, I'mgiving up the name Charlie Dalton. Fromnow on, call me Nuwanda.

PITTS(laughing)

Nuwanda?

NEILNuwanda?

Tina takes out a tube of red lipstick. Charlie takes it from herand puts red marks on each of his cheeks.


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INT. CHET'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Knox enters the house and looks anxiously about.

KNOXHello? Hello, Chris?

Knox stops and combs his hair in the hallway mirror. Chris comesrunning out from one of the rooms.

CHRISKnox!

KNOXHi.

CHRISYou made it. Great! Bring anybody?

KNOXNo.

Chris grabs Knox by his jackets and pulls him forward as she walkstoward the stairs.

CHRISNo. Ginny Danburry's here. Wait. I haveto go find Chet. Why don't you godownstairs where everybody is?

Chris runs up the stairs as Knox stares after her.

CHRISMake yourself at home.

KNOXBut I--

INT. CHET'S BASEMENT - NIGHT

Knox stares at a couple kissing passionately. Across the room he seesChet and Chris dancing. He walks away.

INT. CHET'S KITCHEN - NIGHT

Knox enters the kitchen, walking between several football playersto fill up a mug of beer from a keg.

STEVEHey, you Mutt Sanders' brother? Bubba,this guy look like Mutt Sanders to youor what?

Bubba spits ice cubes into the sink.

BUBBA

You're his brother?

KNOX


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No relation. Never heard of him. Sorry,guys.

BUBBA (obviously drunk)

Where's your manners Steve? Mutt Sanders'brother, we don't even offer him a

drink. Here. Go have some whiskey, pal.

Bubba hands Knox a glass and fills it up.

STEVEYeah.

KNOXWhoa, I, uh, I don't really drink--

BUBBATo Mutt.

STEVETo Mutt.

The two guys raise their glasses in a toast and Knox reluctantlyjoins them.

KNOXTo Mutt.

They each take a big drink. Knox rolls his eyes and gasps,loosening his tie to try and breathe.

BUBBANow, how the hell is old Mutt, anyway?

STEVEYeah. What's ol' Mutter been up to, huh?

KNOXI don't really know Mutt.

BUBBATo Mighty Mutt.

GUY 1To Mighty Mutt.

KNOXTo Mighty Mutt.

They raise their glasses again for a toast and down the restof their glasses.

BUBBAWell, listen, I gotta go find Patsy. Sayhello to Mutt for me, okay?

KNOXWill do.


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Bubba puts on a horned football helmet and walks away.

STEVEYeah. Hell of a guy, your brother Mutt.

INT. CAVE - NIGHT

CHARLIEWe gonna have a meeting or what?

GLORIAYeah. If you guys don't have a meeting,how do we know if we wanna join?

NEILJoin?

Charlie leans over to Tina.

CHARLIE"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Thou art more lovely and moretemperate."

TINAThat's so sweet.

CHARLIEI made that up just for you.

TINAYou did?

The boys laugh and Cameron shakes his head. Charlie moves overto sit next to Gloria.

CHARLIEI'll write one for you too, Gloria.She walks in beauty like the night.She walks in beauty like the night.Of cloudless climes and starry skies.All that's best, dark and bright,Meet in her aspect and her eyes.

GLORIAThat's beautiful.

CHARLIEThere's plenty more where that camefrom.

INT. CHET'S BASEMENT - NIGHT

The room is whirling as Knox belches and staggers across the room. Hepasses Chet and several of his friends. He steps over several coupleskissing on the floor and slump down on the couch, only to be crowdedin by another couple who seem oblivious to him. He is about to get up

again when he notices Chris sleeping next to him on the couch.

KNOX


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God help me.

Knox looks about and then looks back down at Chris.

KNOXCarpe diem.

Knox takes a last swig of his drink and then begins to softly run hisfingers over Chris' hair. He then leans over and kisses her forehead.Across the room, Bubba looks over and sees what's going on.

BUBBAChet! Chet! Look!

CHETWhat?

BUBBAIt's Mutt Sanders' brother.

CHETHuh?

Chris rises up from the couch and looks at Knox in surprise.

CHRISKnox, what--

BUBBAAnd he's feeling up your girl!

CHRIS

What are you doing?

Chet gets up from his chair.

CHETWhat the hell are you doing?

CHRISChet! Chet, don't.

KNOXNow, Chet, I know this looks bad, butyou've gotta-

Chet throws himself at Knox, hurling them both to the floor. Hethen straddles Knox and begins to punch at him as Knox simplytries to protect himself.

CHRISChet, no! You'll hurt him! No! No! Stopit! Leave him alone!

CHETGoddamn!

CHRISChet, stop it!


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Chris manages to haul Chet away from Knox.

CHETBastard!

Knox takes his hands away from his face and feels at his bloodynose. Chris tries to help him up.

CHRISKnox, are you all right?

CHETChris, get the hell away from him!

CHRISChet, you hurt him!

CHETGood!

KNOXI'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

CHRISIt's okay. It-It's okay.

Chet hauls Chris away from Knox and then points at him.

CHETNext time I see you, you die.

INT. CAVE - NIGHT

Tina passes a bottle of alcohol to Neil.

TINAGo ahead, pass it around.

Cameron motions for Neil not to take it but Neil takes a swig anyway.There is a moment of awkward silence.

MEEKSMe and Pitts are working on a hi-fisystem. It shouldn't be that hard to,uh, to put together.

PITTSYeah. Uh, I might be going to Yale. Uh,uh, but, I, I might not.

GLORIADon't you guys miss having girls aroundhere?

MEEKS AND PITTS (smiling)

Yeah.

CHARLIEThat's part of what this club is about.


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In fact, I'd like to announce Ipublished an article in the schoolpaper, in the name of the Dead Poets.

CAMERONWhat?

CHARLIEDemanding girls be admitted to Welton.

PITTSYou didn't.

CHARLIE (whispering to Meeks)

So we can all stop beating off.

NEILHow did you do that?

CHARLIEI'm one of the proofers. I slipped thearticle in.

MEEKSLook, uh, it's, it's over now.

CHARLIEWhy? Nobody knows who we are.

CAMERONWell, don't you think they're gonna

figure out who wrote it? They're gonnacome to you and ask to know what theDead Poets Society is. Charlie, you hadno right to do something like that.

CHARLIEIt's Nuwanda, Cameron.

GLORIAThat's right. It's Nuwanda.

CHARLIEAre we just playing around out here, ordo we mean what we say? For all we do iscome together and reach a bunch of poemsto each other. What the hell are wedoing?

NEILAll right, but you still shouldn't havedone it, Charlie. This could meantrouble. You don't speak for the club.

CHARLIEHey, would you not worry about your

precious little neck? If they catch me,I'll tell them I made it up.


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INT. ASSEMBLY HALL - DAY

The professors hurry down the steps, lead by an obviously agitatedMr. Nolan. Several are carrying newspapers in their hands. Thestudents all rise as they enter. After all the professors havetaken their places, Mr. Nolan addresses the students.

MR. NOLANSit.

The students all sit.

MR. NOLANIn this week of Welton's Honor thereappeared a profane and unauthorizedarticle. Rather than spend my valuabletime ferreting out the guilty persons --and let me assure you I will find them -

- I'm asking any and all students whoknows anything about this article tomake themselves known here and now.Whoever the guilty persons are, this isyour only chance to avoid expulsion fromthis school.

The sound of a phone ringing can be heard. The professors lookabout for its source. Charlie picks up a telephone receiver.

CHARLIEWelton Academy. Hello. Yes, he is. Justa moment.

Charlie stands up, holding a phone and bell in his hands.

CHARLIEMr. Nolan, it's for you. It'sGod. He says we should have girls atWelton.

Most of the students laugh while the boys from the cave all shaketheir heads in disbelief.

INT. NOLAN'S OFFICE - DAY

Charlie stands with his back to the door as Mr. Nolan shuts it. Mr.Nolan then walks around to face Charlie.

MR. NOLANWipe that smirk off your face. If youthink, Mr. Dalton, that you're the firstto try to get thrown out of this school,think again. Others have had similarnotions and have failed just as surelyas you will fail. Assume the position.

Charlie sighs and bends over, resting his hands on the desk. Mr.

Nolan hefts a flat wooden paddle in his hands.

MR. NOLAN


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Count aloud, Mr. Dalton.

Mr. Nolan begins to strike Charlie with the paddle.

CHARLIEOne. Two. Three. Four. Five.

MR. NOLANWhat is this Dead Poets Society? I wantnames.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

A crowd of students is gathered about as Charlie stiffly walks back to his room.

NEILYou kicked out?

CHARLIE

No.

NEILSo what happened?

CHARLIEI'm to turn everybody in, apologize tothe school and all will be forgiven.

NEILSo, what are you gonna do? Charlie!

CHARLIE

Damn it, Neil. The name is Nuwanda.

Charlie smiles and then shuts his door.


Keating and McAllister are enjoying tea in the small room off theclassroom. Mr. Nolan knocks on the door and enters.

MR. NOLANExcuse me. May we have a word, Mr.Keating?

KEATINGCertainly.

Keating fixes his tie and follows Mr. Nolan into the classroom.

MR. NOLANThis was my first classroom, John. Didyou know that? My first desk.

KEATINGDidn't know you taught, Mr. Nolan.

MR. NOLANEnglish. Oh, long before your time. Itwas hard giving it up, I can tell you.


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I'm hearing rumors, John, about someunorthodox teaching methods in yourclassroom. I'm not saying they'veanything to do with the Dalton boy'soutburst. But I don't think I have towarn you boys his age are veryimpressionable.

KEATINGWell, your reprimand made quite animpression, I'm sure.

MR. NOLANWhat was going on in the courtyard theother day?

KEATINGCourtyard?

MR. NOLANYeah. Boys marching, clapping in unison.

KEATINGOh, that. That was an exercise to provea point. Dangers of conformity.

MR. NOLANWell, John, the curriculum here is set.It's proven it works. If you question,what's to prevent them from doing thesame?

KEATINGI always thought the idea of educatingwas to learn to think for yourself.

MR. NOLANAt these boys' ages? Not on your life!Tradition, John. Discipline. Preparethem for college, and the rest will takecare of itself.

INT. STUDY ROOM - DAY

Charlie sits with his bongos as the other boys are all crowdedaround him. He hits the bongoes as he mimes Nolan's footsteps.

CHARLIECreak. He started walking around towardsmy left. Creak. Creak. "Assume theposition, Mr. Dalton."

The door opens and Keating walks in. Many of the boys get up fromtheir seats.

KEATINGIt's all right, gentlemen.

CHARLIEMr. Keating.


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KEATINGMr. Dalton. That was a pretty lame stuntyou pulled today.

CHARLIEYou're siding with Mr. Nolan? What about

Carpe diem and sucking all the marrowout of life and all that?

KEATINGSucking the marrow out of life doesn'tmean choking on the bone. Sure there's atime for daring and there's a time forcaution, and a wise man understandswhich is called for.

CHARLIEBut I thought you'd like that.

KEATINGNo. You being expelled from school isnot daring to me. It's stupid, 'causeyou'll miss some golden opportunities.

CHARLIEYeah. Like what?

KEATINGLike, if nothing else, the opportunityto attend my classes. Got it, Ace?

CHARLIEAye, aye, Captain.

KEATINGKeep your head about you. That goes forthe lot of you.

BOYSYes, Captain.

KEATINGPhone call from God. If it had beencollect, it wouldn't been daring.

Keating leaves and the boys gather around Charlie once again.

CHARLIEAll right. Go on.

EXT. CAMPUS - DAY

Neil bikes away as the clock bell tolls.

INT. THEATER - DAY

Neil walks into the back of the theater and watches variousactors rehearsing on stage. A smile fills his face.


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DIRECTORWe're trying to rehearse, okay? Start.

LYSANDERA good persuasion, therefore hear me,Hermia.

DIRECTORWait, please. Excitement. I don't hearany excitement about this play. And takeher hand. Bring her down the stage andstop. And "There, gentle Hermia." Okay?Try again.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

The bell rings and students rush down the hall.

BOY

What's for dinner?

PITTSSpaghetti and meatballs!

Neil comes up the stairs as everyone else swarms down to the cafeteria.

NEILSave some for me. "But, room, Fairy!Here comes Oberon."

Neil opens the door to his room and sees his father sitting at his desk.

NEILFather.

MR. PERRYNeil.

NEILWait a minute. Before you say anything,please let me ex-

Mr. Perry rises from the desk.

MR. PERRYDon't you dare talk back to me! It's badenough that you've wasted your time withthis, this absurd acting business. Butyou deliberately deceived me! How, how,how did you expect to get away withthis? Answer me. Who put you up to it?Was it this new man? This, uh, Mr.Keating?

NEILNo. Nobody-- I thought I'd surprise you.I've gotten all A's in every class.

MR. PERRYDid you think I wasn't going to find


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out? "Oh, my niece is in a play withyour son," says Mrs. Marks. "No, no,no," I say, "you must be mistaken. Myson's not in a play." You made me a liarof me, Neil! Now, tomorrow you go tothem and you tell them that you'requitting.

NEILNo, I can't. I have the main part. Theperformance is tomorrow night.

MR. PERRYI don't care if the world comes to anend tomorrow night. You are through withthat play. Is that clear? Is that clear?

NEILYes, sir.

Mr. Perry goes to leave and then turns around.

MR. PERRYI made a great many sacrifices to getyou here, Neil, and you will not let medown.

NEILNo, sir.

INT. KEATING'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Keating is seated at his desk. He is writing a letter and occasionallylooks up at the framed photo on his desk of a woman playing the cello.There is a knock at the door.

KEATINGIt's open.

Neil enters and closes the door behind him. He appears to be nervous.

KEATINGNeil, what's up?

NEILCan I speak to you a minute?

KEATINGCertainly. Sit down.

Neil goes to take a seat but notices the chair is piled up with books.Neil picks them up and Keating gets up from his seat to help him.

NEILI'm sorry. Here.

KEATING

Excuse me. Get you some tea?

NEIL


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Tea. Sure.

Keating goes to a table in the corner and begins pouring several cups.

KEATINGLike some milk or sugar in that?

NEILNo, thanks.

NEILGosh, they don't give you much roomaround here.

KEATINGNo, it's part of the monastic oath. Theydon't want worldly things distracting mefrom my teaching.

Keating gives Neil a cup of tea and they return to their seats. Neillooks at the photo on the desk.

NEILShe's pretty.

KEATINGShe's also in London. Makes it a littledifficult.

NEILHow can you stand it?

KEATINGStand what?

NEILYou can go anywhere. You can doanything. How can you stand being here?

KEATING'Cause I love teaching. I don't wanna beanywhere else.

KEATINGWhat's up?

NEILI just talked to my father. He's makingme quit the play at Henley Hall.Acting's everything to me. I-- But hedoesn't know. He-- I can see his point.We're not a rich family like Charlie's,and we-- But he's planning the rest ofmy life for me, and I-- H-He's neverasked me what I want.

KEATING

Hav